Dozing Dogs: How Much Shuteye Should Your Dog Be Getting?

For human adults, seven to nine hours of sleep is recommended for good health, but what about your dog? According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average dog catches between 12 and 14 hours of shuteye during each 24-hour period. If your dog typically sleeps more or less than this average range, there could be a perfectly normal reason. Find out which dogs are wired to spend more time zooming around the room, which ones take the art of napping very seriously, and when you should be concerned about the amount of sleep that your canine companion is getting.

How Old Is Your Dog?

Puppies, like human babies, sleep more than adults. According to the American Kennel Club, puppies can be found snoozing for 15 to 20 hours per day. Puppies play hard, expending their youthful energy on romping, playing, and exploring, and then they nap even harder to recharge. Sleep also enables their bodies to focus on vital growth and development.

Senior dogs also tend to sleep more than the average since they tire more easily. As they age, some health conditions that are more likely to afflict older dogs, such as heart disease, can decrease their activity levels, prompting them to doze more. Giant breeds that have shorter average lifespans age sooner and are thus found sleeping more than average. Examples of such breeds include the following:

• Newfoundland
• St. Bernard
• Mastiffs
• Great Danes
• Great Pyrenees
• Irish Wolfhound

Other canine breeds are known to sleep more or less than average, depending on what tasks they were initially developed for.

How Much Does Your Breed Sleep?

If you have a dog whose breed was originally developed to work hard, he has a built-in reserve of alertness and endurance that isn't conducive to needing extensive periods of sleep. It wouldn't do to have a Border Collie fall asleep on the job and leave the flock of sheep vulnerable. Breeds that were developed for herding, controlling vermin, and guarding typically sleep less than the average range.

Conversely, if your furry friend is a toy breed, such as a Pomeranian or a Shih Tzu, he probably reigns as the champion of napping because his breed was originally developed for a pampered existence as he served as a lap warmer to noble members of a royal court. A dog's expected activity level tends to reflect the breed, which influences how much time he spends in sleep mode. If your dog is a Maltese, you are probably less likely to take him along on the jogging or hiking trail, and so he is left home to snooze. If your dog is an Australian cattle dog, you will be more inclined to provide physical and mental activities for him to keep him entertained and out of trouble.

How Does Environment Affect Your Dog's Sleep?

Active families usually desire canine breeds that can keep up with them and tag along, while those who are more sedentary prefer companions who will snuggle and snooze while their owners read or watch television. In addition to household activity levels, changes in your dog's routine can influence your dog's sleep. Dogs thrive on their daily routines, and disruptions to these routines can raise stress levels, which can be tiring. Some examples of household changes that can cause your dog to sleep more include the following:

• Introduction of a new baby, new pet, or other additional family member to the household
• Death of a household family member, including the death of a pet
• Moving to a new home
• Changes in family members' work or school schedules
• Long-distance travel
• Being boarded

Getting more sleep is how your dog readjusts to the changes in his environment. If your dog has begun to sleep more than usual and there have been no dramatic changes in his life, he may have a medical condition.

Can Changes In Sleep Be Signs of Illness?

If your dog is being treated for an injury or has undergone a surgical procedure, an increase in sleep time is expected. While he sleeps, his body can focus all energy on healing and recovery. However, sleeping more than usual can be a sign of illness if your dog is not recovering from an injury or operation. Some medical conditions that can cause lethargy in a dog include the following:

• Canine depression
• Hypothyroidism
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Liver disease
• Heartworm disease
• Lyme disease

A fever is usually accompanied by lethargy, so if your dog is suddenly retreating to nap more than he typically does, take his temperature.

Some health problems can rob a dog of his sleep. Some conditions that can cause a dog to sleep less than usual include the following:

• Degenerative joint disease
• Kidney disease
• Allergies
• Hyperthyroidism

Some medications can also influence the amount of sleep that a dog gets.

Always pay as much attention to how much your dog sleeps as you do to how much he eats. If your normally bouncy sidekick is suddenly opting for more naptime and less playtime, this is a change that you should bring to your veterinarian's attention as soon as possible for an evaluation. If your dog has always been blissfully lazy in the past and is now suddenly restless and choosing to pad around the house and yard more, this should also be addressed by a veterinarian at a clinic like Norwin Veterinary Hospital.