Your dog sleeps a large part of his day, and you wonder if that’s okay. First, it is worth paying attention that our dogs need much more sleep during the day than we do. So if your pet’s sleeping hours are within the normal range, then you have nothing to fear.
An adult dog sleeps between 12 and 14 hours a day. However, the dog’s sleep length during the day depends on many factors. Puppies will need much more sleep. The same is the case with canine seniors. Too much sleep during the day can harm the dog.
What will you learn from this article:
- Adult dogs sleep during the day from 12 to 14 hours
- Puppies and senior dogs will need more sleep
- Too much sleep can negatively affect your dog’s health
How much should the dog sleep?
We cannot deny that our dogs are huge sleepers. After playing in the park, one of my pet’s favourite activities is taking a nap. It is a very often chosen form of relaxation and relaxation by my dog. Sometimes I even have the impression that my four-legged friend sleeps most of his day.
Is this normal for dogs, and does it harm their health? Absolutely yes, this is typical behaviour of our four-legged friends. Puppies need more hours of sleep during the day than you or me, and this is perfectly normal.
However, it is worth bearing in mind the amount of time your dog sleeps during the day. Although, as mentioned before, dogs sleep longer than humans, that doesn’t mean it’s perfectly okay that your dog sleeps all day long. That is why I want to answer the question of how many hours a dog should rest a day to be appropriate for his health.
Why does a dog sleep longer than a human
First, consider why your dog needs more hours of sleep per day than you do. It’s not because your pet leads a much more active life than you do. So what are these differences in the amount of sleep you and your four-legged friend need?
First, you cannot translate your needs into your pet’s needs. Dogs are very different from humans in many ways. Among other things, also in the field of basic needs, such as sleep. An additional amount of sleep is necessary for the proper functioning of the human body, and a different amount of sleep for your four-legged friend.
However, you are probably wondering what these differences in your dog’s sleep duration are due to. Your little dog needs to sleep longer during the day than you do. However, there is no clear answer to this topic.
For a dog, sleep is a way of spending free time. You’ve noticed that your dog doesn’t want to play and spend time actively; he takes a nap.
Taking a nap is also a way for your dog to deal with stress and other negative emotions. When the dog feels prompted by a particular situation, he often seeks solace in his sleep. Thus, it can calm down and relax.
You can notice that when there are significant changes in your dog’s life, such as the arrival of a new family member or moving to a new place, he sleeps much more often than usual. This is perfectly normal for a pet to behave in such a situation. In this way, he has the opportunity to agree with himself naturally.
So, as you can see, some of your dog’s sleep is slightly different than it is for you. Of course, for a canine, sleeping is also a form of rest after a whole day. However, sleep also plays other vital roles in addition to this.
How many hours during the day should the dog sleep
You already know your puppy sleeps much longer during the day than you do. It’s fair to say that your four-legged friend gets more than half of his sleep daily. Sounds impressive.
However, too much sleep during the day is unsuitable for your dog’s health. You undoubtedly know this feeling of confusion after sleeping for far too long. I always get a headache that I cannot get rid of by the end of the day. For your dog, too much sleep can also negatively affect his health and well-being.
Adult dogs should sleep for 12 to 14 hours a day during the day.
What does the amount of dog sleep depend on?
It’s worth mentioning that not all dogs will need the same amount of sleep. How much sleep your dog needs per day depends on several issues.
Your dog’s age
One of them is the age of the dog. Puppies need a lot of sleep, especially right after birth. Their body is in the phase of intensive growth and requires a lot of energy. The situation is similar in the case of infants, who also sleep mainly in the early stages of their lives.
When the canine comes out of his puppy period, he will need much less sleep. If you want to know more about when your four-legged friend stops behaving like a puppy, I refer you to my other post devoted entirely to this subject. You can find it HERE.
As a dog enters adulthood, his sleep requirements decline. This condition persists for a large part of your pet’s life.
The situation changes when the dog begins to enter the senior canine stage. Then his body will need more sleep to be able to regenerate fully.
Often, older dogs’ sleep is not as adequate as it should be. Dogs have trouble falling asleep or waking up very often from their naps. Therefore, if you look after a senior canine, take care of space in the place where he sleeps.
Make sure whose bed is comfortable and there is peace around. This is very important to your older dog. If you want to learn more about healthy dog sleep, I refer you to my other post, which you can find HERE.
Dog bed |CLASSIC brown
The health of the dog
Another factor that directly affects how much sleep your dog needs per day is his health. Your pet’s body needs rest in many health situations to regenerate fully. A calm, undisturbed dog’s sleep is the most effective in such a situation.
When I feel bad, have a cold or am very tired, all I think about is being able to get comfortable in my bed and fall asleep. Your four-legged friend feels very similar in these situations.
Therefore, if you know that your dog is going through difficult times right now, recovering from illness or surgery, make sure that he can sleep as many hours a day as he needs, even if his sleep in such situations takes much longer than usual.
This is normal and necessary for your dog’s body to regenerate correctly. Sleep is great for recovery and gaining physical strength.
The dog’s sleep is essential
Your dog’s body needs 12-14 hours a day to function correctly. If you want your dog’s sleep to be fully adequate, you must ensure his comfort and convenience.
How many hours a day does your dog sleep? I was hoping you could write me a reply by leaving a comment below.
If you have any questions or want me to discuss a topic in the next post, share it with me in the comments section.
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