Why Do Dogs Sleep So Much?

Why Dogs Sleep So Much?

How Many Hours a Day do Dogs Sleep?

According to studies, most dogs sleep for an average of 11 hours per day. Additionally, they spend most of the day resting, engaging in very little activity. When there is not much to do, most dogs will sleep. However, a number of factors will also affect how much sleep your dog gets, including the following:

• Puppies and senior dogs are prone to sleeping more.
• Dogs who are obese or sick could sleep more than dogs who are in good health.
• Some dog breeds are predisposed to sleeping more, like the Bullmastiff, Bullmastiff, Bassett Hound, Saint Bernard, and Chow.
• Certain breeds are more energetic naturally, like working breeds.

A dog that sleeps for 12 hours or more every day is normal but pet parents should know that excessive sleep can also be an indication of possible issues. A shift in your furbaby’s sleeping patterns can be a symptom of several diseases and age-related issues.

Issues Associated with Excessive Sleeping

If your dog is otherwise aging gracefully or has always been a bit lazy, sleeping more than they usually do might not be alarming. But aside from aging, there are many diseases that can lead to increased sleep in your furbaby:

• Boredom. Dogs with nothing to do will probably sleep their way through the day.

Hypothyroidism.

When the thyroid gland does not make enough hormones, it will result to a lessened metabolic function in your dog. Your dog's entire body will slow down as their metabolic activity declines.

Diabetes. Increased sleepiness, lethargy, increased thirst, frequent peeing, weight loss, and sometimes, blindness, are signs of diabetes in dogs.

Leptospirosis

Parvovirus

Anemia caused by hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, and tapeworms

Poisoning

These are only a few of the reasons why do dogs sleep so much. It never hurts to visit the vet and talk with them about it. Your vet will probably have several inquiries about your furbaby’s history and perhaps may want to perform certain tests.

What Happens to Dogs When They Are Asleep?

While your dog sleeps, according to Pet Cube, they are repacking the day's memories, keeping the core ones, and throwing out the unnecessary ones. Also just like us, when your furbaby sleeps, periods of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep occur.

During the REM cycle, their body is calm but their mind is active somewhere else as the brain processes daily events to provide meaning. Ever seen a dog twitching in sleep? During this cycle, the brain and body are no longer connected, but every now and then, a distinct burst of brain activity overcomes this sleep paralysis and causes your furbaby to move suddenly or twitch. So, it’s okay to let sleeping dogs lie even if you notice twitching. A dog often goes through 23 times of these sleep-wake cycles in a single night.

Compared to adult dogs, puppies are more active while they sleep. This is due to a less-developed area of the brain that controls muscle activation while sleeping. As a result, the brain's dampening mechanism tends to let some movements happen, so you might notice a dog twitching in sleep more frequently during the puppy years. If your dog is not sleeping enough, make sure they have a cozy, comfortable spot. You can provide them with a Pawtect® Blanket to keep them comfy and relaxed all night.

Is It Normal for My Dog to Sleep All Day?

Why do dogs sleep so much? Well, dogs sleep roughly 50% of the day, are awake but relaxed 30% of the time, and are active 20% of the time, as stated by the American Kennel Club. Any pet parent, though, may be concerned if their dog sleeps excessively. So, should you let sleeping does lie?

Why Sleep Is Important for Puppies

Sleep is very important for growing puppies. In a short period of time, their tiny bodies must grow a lot!

• Brain development. When your puppy is sleeping, it is where the brain processes all the information it has received throughout the day. It is also during sleep that the brain purges itself of the pollutants collected while awake and aids in the development of cognitive stability. Notice that when your puppy gets enough sleep, they are able to focus better and are happier than when they don't.
• Immune system development. Your dog’s immune system will take time to develop. In order to build it up and further protect themselves from illnesses, they require the energy conservation that sleep supplies.
• Energy conversation. Energy is needed for your furbaby to develop its systems, support its muscles, and build bones. All this growth happens while your little pup is asleep.

In sum, sleep helps your puppy grow into that healthy dog you imagine them to be.

• 8 weeks – 20 hours per day
• 10-12 weeks – 18-20 hours per day
• 14-16 weeks – about 18 hours per day
• 16-18 weeks – a critical stage in puppy development; this is where your furbaby will begin to learn and get acquainted with their fixed feeding schedules, basic training, and socialization. They will need a lot of sleep.

When Is a Dog Sleeping Too Much?

A few warning signs that your dog is sleeping too much include the following:

• Changes in sleeping patterns where your furbaby sleeps too much now compared before
• Even when there are a lot of things to do, your furbaby still chooses to sleep, even if the activity normally draws their interest.
• Meal times are hampered by your dog's sleep.
• Difficulty waking up in the morning
• Suddenly falling asleep even when in the middle of playing (also known as narcolepsy)
• Your dog wakes up unexpectedly or wakes up scared or stressed
• The increase in a dog sleeping comes with other symptoms like lethargy, limping, increase or decrease in appetite, peeing, and pooping
• The increase in sleep of your furbaby comes with behavior changes like frequent blank staring at walls, fearfulness, aggressiveness, and other signs of anxiety and depression in dogs.