How Much Sleep Does Your Dog Need? More Than You Might Think…..

How Much Sleep Does Your Dog Need?

How much sleep does your dog need?

Sleep is something that is surprisingly easy to overlook when we think about our dog’s wellbeing.

We tend to notice whether they have had enough exercise, whether they are eating well, whether they are enjoying their walks and whether they seem happy but sleep can be much less obvious.

Your dog may spend plenty of time lying down during the day, yet that does not necessarily mean they are getting the quality rest and recovery they need.

Dogs have different sleep requirements depending on their age, health, lifestyle and individual needs.

Puppies, older dogs and dogs who are unwell or recovering from illness or injury may need considerably more sleep than a healthy adult dog.

Even within the same dog, their need for sleep can change depending on what is happening in their life.

Sleep is not simply time when your dog is doing nothing.

It is an important part of their physical and emotional wellbeing, when they are not getting enough opportunity to properly rest, you may notice changes in how they cope with everyday life.

How much sleep does your dog actually need?

There isn’t one exact number of hours that is right for every dog.

PDSA suggests that most dogs need around 14 to 16 hours or more of sleep in a 24-hour period, while Dogs Trust gives a general figure of around 12 to 14 hours for adult dogs, with puppies and older dogs often needing more.

These differences highlight something important: your individual dog matters more than a target number on a chart.

A young puppy may sleep for much of the day, while an older dog may also need considerably more rest.

A dog recovering from illness or dealing with a chronic health condition may need additional recovery time too.

Some dogs are naturally more active than others and their environment can make a difference as well.

The important question is not simply, “Has my dog slept for exactly the right number of hours?”

It is whether your dog has enough opportunity to sleep, rest and properly switch off for their individual needs.

Sleeping isn’t always the same as recovering

This is where things can become a little more complicated.

Your dog might spend several hours lying on their bed while remaining alert to everything happening around them.

They may lift their head every time someone walks past, get up when the doorbell rings, follow you into another room or keep an eye on what is happening in the kitchen.

They may look as though they are resting but they are still monitoring their environment.

For some dogs, particularly those who are anxious, easily stimulated or very tuned into their surroundings, switching off can be difficult.

A busy household can make this even harder.

Children moving around, visitors arriving, household noises, other pets, television, music or people continually interacting with your dog can all interrupt their opportunities to properly settle.

This does not mean your home needs to become completely silent or that your dog should be isolated from everyday life, it simply means recognising that genuine downtime is valuable.

A comfortable bed in a quiet area, somewhere your dog can choose to retreat to without being disturbed, can make a significant difference to their ability to rest. PDSA and Dogs Trust both recommend providing dogs with peaceful, comfortable places where they can sleep without unnecessary disturbance.

Your dog can become overtired too

We often think about tiredness in terms of needing more exercise.

If our dog is restless, excitable or struggling to settle, the instinct can be to take them for another walk, play another game or find another activity to tire them out.

Sometimes that is exactly what they need but sometimes it isn’t.

A dog who has already had a busy or stimulating day may actually need the opposite: an opportunity to reduce stimulation and recover.

This can be particularly relevant for dogs who become increasingly restless when they are tired.

Rather than looking sleepy, they may appear unable to switch off, they might pace, follow you around, become more demanding, struggle to settle or seem unusually excitable.

Dogs Trust notes that stress or uncertainty can make it difficult for dogs to relax, meaning that what looks like excitement or hyperactivity can sometimes be connected to an inability to settle.

This is why simply adding more activity is not always the answer, sometimes the most supportive thing you can do is give your dog less to process.

Sleep affects how your dog copes

Sleep and behaviour are closely connected.

When your dog has had enough opportunity to rest, they may have more capacity to deal with the normal demands of their day.

When their sleep has been disrupted or they have had several busy days without enough recovery, their ability to cope may be reduced.

This can be particularly noticeable in dogs who are already anxious or easily overwhelmed.

Something that would normally be manageable might suddenly feel like too much.

You may notice more barking, increased reactivity, difficulty settling, clinginess or irritability.

Your dog may seem less tolerant of things they usually cope with, or simply seem unlike themselves.

That does not automatically mean that a lack of sleep is the sole cause.

Behaviour is influenced by many different factors and a sudden or significant change should always be considered in the context of your dog’s physical health and wider wellbeing.

What sleep does give your dog is an important foundation from which to cope.

Busy days need recovery too

A stimulating day can be enjoyable for your dog without being something they can simply walk away from afterwards.

Perhaps you have been on a long walk somewhere new, had visitors, taken your dog to a busy event, spent time training, travelled somewhere unfamiliar or had a particularly exciting day together.

Your dog may have loved every minute.

They may have come home apparently full of energy.

That does not necessarily mean they don’t need to recover.

Mental stimulation can be tiring too, your dog is taking in new sights, sounds and smells, processing information, making choices and responding to everything happening around them.

This is one reason I often encourage dog owners to think about what happens after an exciting experience, rather than focusing only on the activity itself.

Your dog may benefit from a quiet afternoon following a stimulating walk.

They may need a peaceful evening after visitors have left.

They may need a lower-key day following an unusually busy weekend.

Recovery is part of the experience, not something that happens separately from it.

Physical discomfort can affect sleep

Sleep can also be affected by your dog’s physical wellbeing.

If your dog is uncomfortable, it may be difficult for them to find a position that feels right or remain settled for long periods.

They may move around during the night, change sleeping places frequently or seem more restless than usual.

Dogs living with arthritis, mobility problems or chronic health conditions may have particular challenges around rest and recovery.

This does not mean that every restless night is a sign that your dog is in pain, but a change in sleep alongside other changes in movement, appetite, behaviour or general wellbeing is worth paying attention to.

You might notice that your dog is slower getting up, reluctant to jump into the car, less interested in activities they normally enjoy or more sensitive when touched.

If your dog’s sleep pattern changes suddenly or you are concerned that they may be uncomfortable, speak to your vet.

Pain and other health problems can affect a dog’s ability to rest properly and veterinary care should always be part of the picture when there is a significant or persistent change.

Your dog’s environment matters

Where your dog sleeps can be just as important as how long they sleep.

A bed in the middle of a busy room might be perfectly acceptable for one dog but make it much harder for another to properly switch off.

Think about what your dog experiences around their resting area.

Are people regularly walking past? Is there a lot of noise? Are children likely to disturb them? Can they hear the front door? Are other pets moving around? Is the television on nearby?

You don’t need to create a completely separate room just for your dog.

Even a quiet corner where they can retreat without being disturbed can provide a valuable opportunity for genuine downtime.

It is also worth remembering that your dog’s preferred sleeping place may change.

A dog who normally sleeps happily in the middle of the household may seek somewhere quieter when they are tired, unwell or overwhelmed.

Allowing them some choice can be useful.

How do you know if your dog needs more rest?

There isn’t one behaviour that tells you your dog needs more sleep.

Instead, look for patterns.

Perhaps your dog becomes increasingly restless towards the end of a busy day.

Maybe they are more reactive after several stimulating days in a row.

They might struggle to settle after visitors, become unusually clingy or seem much more sensitive to things that normally don’t bother them.

You may also notice that they sleep for longer following particularly busy experiences.

None of these signs automatically mean your dog is overtired, but they can give you useful information when considered alongside everything else happening in their life.

This is where knowing your individual dog becomes so important.

You are looking for changes from their normal behaviour rather than trying to match them to a checklist.

More exercise isn’t always the answer

One of the biggest shifts you can make is to stop thinking that every restless or unsettled dog needs to be made more tired.

Exercise is important, but it is only one part of wellbeing.

Your dog also needs opportunities for sleep, mental recovery, natural behaviours, social interaction and downtime.

A dog who has already had a busy day may not benefit from another big activity simply because they seem unable to settle.

Sometimes a quiet sniff around the garden, a peaceful walk, a chew, some gentle interaction or simply being left undisturbed may be more appropriate.

The right balance will be different for every dog.

A young, healthy dog with lots of energy may need considerably more physical activity than an older dog with mobility problems.

A dog living with chronic health issues may need their exercise carefully adapted around their physical capacity.

This is why there isn’t a single routine that works for every dog.

Look at the pattern, not one night

Just as we talked about in my previous blog, one difficult day does not necessarily tell you very much on its own.

The same is true of sleep.

Your dog may sleep less than usual one night because there was a thunderstorm, a visitor stayed late or something disturbed them.

That doesn’t automatically mean there is a problem.

What becomes more useful is noticing a pattern over time.

Does your dog consistently struggle to settle after busy days?

Do they seem much more reactive following disrupted sleep?

Are they sleeping considerably more than usual?

Has their sleep changed alongside their appetite, movement or behaviour?

Those observations can help you understand what is normal for your dog and recognise when something has changed.

If your dog is regularly struggling to sleep, seems unusually tired or there has been a significant change in their normal behaviour, speak to your vet.

Changes in sleep and behaviour can sometimes be associated with underlying health problems, so it is important not to assume that everything is simply behavioural.

Sleep is one part of the whole dog

Sleep doesn’t exist in isolation.

Your dog’s Sleep, Environment, Exercise, Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition and Behaviour all interact with one another.

A change in one area can affect another.

If your dog is uncomfortable, they may sleep differently.

If they are sleeping poorly, they may have less capacity for exercise or become more reactive.

If their environment is busy or unpredictable, they may find it harder to switch off.

If their exercise routine changes because of a health problem, their sleep and behaviour may change too.

This is why looking at sleep can be so useful, but it is also why I don’t believe in reducing every problem to one simple explanation.

There isn’t always one hidden cause, sometimes there are several things contributing to how your dog is feeling, and understanding those connections gives you a much clearer picture of what they need.

Giving your dog more opportunities to rest

You don’t need to completely change your dog’s life to support better recovery.

Start by looking at the opportunities they already have to rest.

Could they have somewhere quieter to sleep?

Are they being disturbed when they settle?

Could you give them some uninterrupted downtime after a busy walk or exciting experience?

Are there days when the household is particularly busy and your dog has very little opportunity to switch off?

Could some activities be followed by a quieter period rather than another demand?

You can also start paying attention to what your dog chooses to do.

If they regularly take themselves away from the household to sleep, that may be useful information.

If they struggle to settle despite being given a comfortable place to rest, there may be something else worth investigating.

The goal isn’t to make your dog sleep all day or prevent them from enjoying life, it is to make sure that rest has a proper place within that life.

Your dog doesn’t need to be tired all the time

There is a difference between a dog who has had a satisfying day and a dog who is simply exhausted.

We want our dogs to have opportunities to explore, exercise, play, sniff, learn and enjoy the world around them.

They also need time to switch off.

A healthy balance isn’t about finding the perfect number of hours or following a rigid schedule, it is about understanding your individual dog and noticing what happens when they have enough recovery compared with when they don’t.

Once you start paying attention to sleep in the same way you pay attention to food, exercise and behaviour, you may begin to notice connections that you had previously missed.

Perhaps your dog’s difficult days tend to follow busy ones, their reactivity is worse when they haven’t slept well, they simply need more quiet time than you realised.

Sleep may not be the answer to every problem, but it is an important part of the picture.

Your dog needs time to rest, recover and simply switch off from the world.

Sometimes, giving them that opportunity is one of the most valuable things you can do for their overall wellbeing.

If you’d like help understanding your dog better, the Happy Dog Reset looks at every aspect of your dog’s wellbeing and creates a bespoke care plan around your individual dog, so you can understand what they need and know what to do next.

You can find out more about the Happy Dog Reset here:The Happy Dog Reset – The Dog Witch | Natural & Holistic Dog Care

You can also find more practical whole-dog wellbeing advice from The Dog Witch on the podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/2aMV2miMlCfRkw87zpsaf4?si=x_kwQhXdQeW1IKoKy8cbtQ

See you on the next blog.

Lisa xx