An adult dog sleeps an average 12 to 14 hours a day, however, puppies and large breeds tend to sleep even more.
Dogs get the majority of their sleep through napping on and off during the day and night rather than all at once like humans do.
In addition to sleeping for half the day, they spend an average of 30% of their time resting – awake but not active.
That leaves 20% of the day for activity.
Daytime activity levels can affect the amount of sleep your dog needs for example if you have just completed a long hike.
Alternatively he may be sleeping out of boredom. If this is the case give him something exciting to do during the day. Dogs will modify their sleep patterns when they know there is something interesting to do.
Occasional changes in sleep patterns may be due to a change in routine but a significant change can be the sign of medicals concerns such as:-
- Hypothyroidism
- Diabetes
- Anaemia
- Depression
You have probably noticed your dog make circles before settling down to sleep. This is a natural instinct. In the wild a dog would complete a few circles before lying down in order to chase out any snakes or biting insects. Flattening the grass also created a bed and gave a visual signal to the rest of the pack that the area was ‘claimed’.
Awareness of your dogs sleeping habits can help him get healthy, restful sleep. A dog of any age will sleep better when provided with a comfortable bed, plenty of exercise and a regular routine.
Feed a high quality food suitable for your dog’s lifestyle – FourFriends is available online at Here
**Don’t forget – FourFriends offer a free next working day delivery service on all our dog and cat food for orders over £19.00 and free nutrition advice for cats and dogs **.