Dogs are the cutest, adorable, and loyal creatures. Some of them are super energetic too, and some prefer lazing around the whole day.
If you are a new dog owner and confused about the sleeping patterns of your pawed friend, keep reading. Because in this article, we will answer questions like why do dogs sleep so much in the day, let alone the night, and clear all your confusion.
How Many Hours Should A Healthy Dog Sleep in A Day?
The sleeping hours for canines are different. Unlike humans, they prefer sleeping in the day too, whenever they feel like it. According to research conducted a year ago, adult dogs prefer sleeping at least 8 to 14 hours a day.
On average, your adult pawed friend needs 3 hours of nap a day and 10 hours of undisturbed sleep at night.
But if we talk about the puppies, they like sleeping almost 18 to 20 hours on average. And another interesting fact is that the dogs who don’t nap in the day get depressed and sad.
If adult dogs sleep like baby pups, there’s something wrong with their health, or there is some other underlying cause.
Why Do Dogs Sleep So Much?
Now it’s time for the million-dollar question that why do dogs sleep so much?
It is not as big of a problem as you are thinking of it to be. Below are 5 reasons backed by science that will help you understand their sleeping pattern:
1. Age Factor
Your dog might be sleeping more than usual, maybe because of his age. Aged dogs are not as energetic as the younger ones, and that’s not an issue.
You need to comfort your dog as much as you can in their old age. But if your dog is young and behaves like an old dog, you need to worry.
2. Breed
The breed of the dog also plays a massive role in deciding their sleeping patterns. If you have a big dog like a Great Dane or a golden retriever, they will need more sleeping hours.
But relatively smaller dog breeds like a chihuahua need less sleep. So, in that case, you shouldn’t worry much If your dog sleeps a lot.
3. Human Friend’s Mood
You might think of your mood and behavior with your dog as a not very important factor, but honestly saying, it too decides your dog’s sleeping pattern.
You have to be very gentle and caring with your pawed friend. Think of them as your child, and don’t ever be harsh.
4. No Excitement
The answer to why your dog sleeps all day lies in the routine of your pet. You might be a busy person, and there is not much for your dog to enjoy when you are off to work.
And in that case, the pooch will develop sleeping habits even in the daytime. So, you need to make his day more exciting by giving him toys or taking home his partner. But if you have other members in the family, especially kids, your dog will stay energetic for the most part.
Learn how to socialize your dog in simple ways!
5. Loafing Enjoyment
Dogs love loafing; in fact, it’s one of their favorite things to do. They prefer sitting idly in 50% of their day, even when they are awake.
So, in simple words, we can say that cats are lazy, sure, but dogs are super lazy as well. They observe things around and just chill.
Should I Worry About My Dog’s Sleeping Patterns?
Now, the question arises that if you should worry about your dog’s sleeping pattern, and it gets a bit tricky here.
If your dog is getting a good night’s sleep and taking short naps in the day, it’s completely normal, and you shouldn’t worry about that. But if your dog sleeps a lot, all day long and even at night, there is sure some problem. And your concern is reasonable.
In that case, you should take your friend to the vet and discuss all your dog’s health (both physical and psychological). The vet will then recommend specific vitamins and supplements to give your dog a boost of energy.
And another significant thing that you can do is take your four-legged friend out for a walk and play with him. That will make a massive difference as the dog will be energetic and excited every day for the playtime.
What are the Causes Behind Sleeping Disorders in Dogs?
There are several possible causes behind sleeping disorders in dogs. Let’s discuss them one by one in detail so that you can do something about your dog.
1. Anxiety Issues
You must be familiar with this term, right?
Well, dogs have anxiety and depression as well. You might be thinking why a dog will be anxious. Dogs can feel anxiety for multiple reasons and situations.
Let’s say that you have moved to a new place with your pet pal, so he/she will take time to adjust or may not like the place. And anxiety can also be the case when your dog has to say goodbye to an old companion.
Other common causes of anxiety in dogs are fear, neglect, past accident trauma, lack of physical workout, forced socializing, or the absence of a family member for a long time.
2. Hidden Disease, Injury, or Pain
There can be an underlying disease that is keeping your dog asleep or insomniac. One common disease that causes insomnia is arthritis that also plays with the comfort level of your bud.
Narcolepsy, a nervous system issue, and REM behavioral disorders can also severely affect your dog’s sleeping patterns. And there can also be the involvement of an injury that you are not aware of completely. So take your dog to the vet for a quick checkup.
3. No movement/exercise
A physical workout is a must, just like humans, and keeps your dog active and healthy. If there’s a lack of exercise in your dog’s life, laziness and extra sleep will be his new friends. And that will show in your pup’s behavior as well.
He will start barking for no reason and will get irritated quickly. Exercise is also a way to channel anger and negative energy so make sure it’s a part of your dog’s routine.
4. Fatigue/nutrition
Fatigue and an imbalanced diet are some of the biggest yet ignored causes of disturbed sleeping patterns both in humans and animals. You might not be taking care of your pet’s diet as you should.
But that’s not the end of the world; you can consult any vet or an animal nutritionist to know what you should add to your dog’s daily meals to fill up the gap.
Why Do Dogs Sleep with Eyes Wide Open?
You must have seen your dog or someone else’s dog sleeping with eyes wide open or at least one eye open. And if you think it’s an issue, we are here to clear that for you.
First of all, the eye that you can see is not open for real. Because in that case, keratitis will happen, and the dog’s eye will completely dry out. That isn’t very clear, we know.
So, there is a third eyelid (a passive membrane) that you can’t see protecting the dogs’ eyes. And when it is doing that, the actual eyes of the dog rollback, and it seems like they are sleeping with their eyes open, and there’s nothing to worry about it, so relax.
But there’s a phenomenon like that known as the cherry eye that trips the cartilage supporting your dog’s eyelid and expose the gland. And that should get resolved to avoid complications.
Why Do Dogs Sleep on Their Backs?
Sometimes you will find your beloved pets sleeping in weird positions. This is absolutely normal, as they love to sleep in almost any position.
If your dog or puppy sleeping on back, they are allowing for maximum paw pad exposure. This helps them in thermoregulation for sweating and keeps them cool.
Back sleeping also allows dog to relax their muscles and prevent them from any pain in their joints. This makes them totally comfortable while sleeping.
Infographic – Dog Sleeping Behavior
Below is an interesting infographic that shows how many hours of sleep is actually required by the dogs. It also shows the places, where they love taking naps.
Final Words
Here we would like to end our article about why dogs sleep so much, and we hope you got the required information. And for more content about behaviors in dogs that seem abnormal, stay tuned.
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Let us know in the comments section, if you’re also a dog owner whose dog sleeps a lot!
