Does your dog spend much of the day dozing, yet still manage to sleep through the entire night? Contrary to what you might think, this doesn't automatically indicate they're poorly or simply being lazy.
While it's something dog owners ought to keep an eye on, a vet has offered reassurance to owners that their pets aren't simply wasting their days away. Getting to grips with our pets can be tricky given they're unable to speak to us directly.
Nevertheless, dogs use their whole bodies and specific behaviours to convey their feelings and worries. This is precisely why paying attention to what your four-legged friend is up to can be incredibly useful for owners, offering clues about their state of mind. Once owners recognise these behaviours, they'll be far better placed to grasp what their pet is attempting to tell them.
How Many Hours of Sleep Do Dogs Need Daily?
According to Dr Ben Simpson-Vernon, a Cambridge-educated small animal veterinary surgeon, if your pet sleeps for as long as 18 hours daily, this is deemed completely normal. Dr Ben said: "It's easy to assume that eight hours might be enough [sleep for dogs], the same as us humans, but actually the requirement for dogs is more like 12 to 14 hours. Some individuals need 18 hours of sleep, giant breeds, puppies, very active dogs."
Dr Ben added: "Dogs are diurnal, same as us, which means that they predominantly sleep at night time, but unlike us they are classified as polyphasic sleepers, which means they have multiple bouts of sleep throughout the day. It's not laziness or boredom, it's just normal dog sleep."
Signs of Sleep Deprivation and Mood Changes in Dogs
The problem is that many dogs simply do not get enough daytime sleep. For instance, dogs that go to a doggy daycare may be kept stimulated throughout the day, or dogs that live in a busy home with small children may not have the opportunity to take themselves off to have those daytime bouts of sleep that are very important.
"Amongst other things, this lack of sleep will have an impact on their behaviour. You know yourself, if you don't get enough sleep, you get a bit grouchy, and the same is true of dogs. They may get more easily frustrated with humans and with other dogs, and we know that anxiety-like behaviours are more common in humans and other species as a result of inadequate sleep. So it turns out there is some literal truth to the phrase, let sleeping dogs lie," Dr Ben explained.
Key Reasons for Heavy Daytime Sleep
PetMD highlighted five key reasons why dogs tend to snooze heavily during the day: their age and breed requiring extra rest, their home environment, boredom, illness, and depression. The website stated: "Much like people, dogs fighting off illness or recovering from medical procedures require more sleep than usual. Similarly, dogs dealing with major lifestyle changes, like back-to-school season, a move, a new family member, or the loss of a loved one, can be at risk for depression and might opt to sleep more as a coping strategy."
