Many people believe that they have a sleepy dog, however, we must take into account several factors to confirm or deny it. It is also very interesting for those people who consider that their dog does not sleep enough hours.
Dogs go through the same sleep phases as humans, they have dreams and nightmares, just like us. It also happens, especially with brachycephalic or flat-nosed breeds, that they snore a lot or move around and even start to make small noises. In this article on our site we will explain how many hours a dog sleeps per day, if it is normal for its breed and age or if it is simply a sleepyhead.
Depending on the age…
It is common for those who have just adopted a puppy to want to have him with the family all day, playing and watching him grow, however, it's not good at all for them. The younger they are, the more they should sleep to recover their strength, not to get sick and to be very vital and happy, as we want them to be.
The first few days can be a bit chaotic, especially if there are children at home. Our little one must get used to the new noises and movements of the family. We must find a good place for him to rest, away from traffic (not in the corridor or hall, for example) with something that isolates him from the ground such as a blanket or mattress and place him in the place that will be his resting place from now on.. Creating positive habits is always easier in puppy dogs than in adults, don't forget it.
- Up to 12 weeks of life they can sleep up to 20 hours a day. It can be boring for many owners, but it's he althy for the puppy. Let's remember that he is going through a phase of adaptation to the new home and family. Afterward, you will begin to stay awake for longer hours. Do not forget that the hours of sleep of the puppy are also very beneficial to improve learning and memory.
- Adult dogs, considered those that are over a year old, can sleep up to 13 hours a day, although not continuously. It can be 8 hours during the night and small restful naps when they return from the walk, after playing or simply because they are bored.
- Elderly dogs, older than 7 years, usually sleep several hours a day, just like puppies. They can sleep up to 18 hours a day but depending on other characteristics, such as whether they have a disease like arthritis, they can sleep even longer.
Depending on the time of year…
As you can imagine, also greatly influences the time of year in which we find ourselves to know how many hours our dog sleeps. In invierno dogs tend to become lazier and spend more time at home, looking for a warm place and not really wanting to go for a walk. In these cold and rainy seasons, dogs tend to sleep longer.
On the other hand, on summer days, the heat may disturb your sleeping hours. We can see that our dog goes more times during the night to drink water or that he changes his place to sleep because he is very hot. They usually look for cold floors such as the bathroom or kitchen or, those who are luckier, under a fan or air conditioner. Help your dog to withstand high temperatures with the tricks to avoid heat in dogs that we offer you in this article.
Depending on physical characteristics…
It is important to keep in mind that the dog will sleep according to its characteristics and its daily routine. On days when he experiences a lot of physical activity, he will probably need more sleep or notice that the little naps will be longer and deeper.
The same happens with dogs that get very stressed when we receive visitors at home. They are very social and want to be the center of the meeting. When it's all over, they sleep more than expected due to the event they had to go through. The same during trips that they can either sleep the whole trip, so as not to find out what is happening, or become so exhausted that when they arrive they will only sleep, unwillingly eat or drink anything.
What we must not forget is that dogs, like people, need to sleep to recover, reactivate their body and always be full of energy. Lack of sleep, as it happens with us, can alter the character and common customs in them. Sounds logical, doesn't it?
