![]() The amount of sleep dogs need also depends on their breed. “Certain breeds have tendencies toward being more or less energetic, and so much depends on the individual dog.” “You can’t put all dogs into one bucket - a lot depends on their age, their health, and just who they are,” LaRocco-Skeehan says. As a result, dogs require more total sleep to compensate for their lost REM.īy contrast, humans spend up to 25 percent of sleep in REM, reflecting their more typical schedule of staying awake all day and resting through the night.īut how much sleep a dog requires really depends on the individual pup. Since they tend to doze off whenever they want, often out of boredom, they also wake up quickly and jump to alertness. In the REM phase, their eyes roll under closed lids, and their body might react to dreams.ĭogs only spend about 10 percent of their snoozing time in REM because of their irregular sleep patterns. Entering sleep, they take about 10 minutes to transition from the slow wave - during which breathing slows, blood pressure drops, and heart rate decreases - into rapid eye movement (REM). “If you’re trying to figure out when it’s coming out, you need to know when it’s coming in.” Dogs’ Sleep Patterns Are DifferentĬanine sleeping patterns closely mimic our own, but differ in a key way. “It’s simple - calories in, calories out,” LaRocco-Skeehan says. ![]() “The dog is getting up in the middle of the night, going elsewhere and peeing, and coming back to bed.”įor a dog who develops overnight bathroom issues, you may also need to rethink their mealtimes. “When we talk about whether to let dogs sleep late, 95 percent of the time, we’re talking about bathroom issues,” LaRocco-Skeehan says. ![]() The main consideration for a dog’s sleep schedule is when - and how frequently - they need to relieve themselves. Older dogs require more sleep just because they tire out more easily and, as a general rule, bigger breeds also spend more time dozing. But if an adult dog starts having problems, the first thing you do is go back to the schedule.” What Defines a Schedule?ĭogs tend to spend as much as half of their days asleep, 30 percent awake but relaxing, and just 20 percent being active. “If they’re an adult dog, and they’re doing well, you can see what works for them. “There are dogs who get themselves into trouble when they’re not being scheduled,” LaRocco-Skeehan says. But if their behavior changes or they show signs of stress, such as peeing on the rug overnight, it could be a sign to set the alarm for them each morning. While this schedule is certainly convenient for owners who don’t have to get up and out early, is it healthy to let a dog sleep late every day?Īccording to Philadelphia-area trainer Nicole LaRocco-Skeehan, CPDT-KA, some dogs do just fine starting their day on their own terms. (Apparently, she’s more of a brunch girl.) Mabel, who’s eight, can snooze for 12-plus hours overnight, without needing to take care of her business or wanting to eat breakfast. Given the option of getting up early or sleeping until late, my Chihuahua would rather stay under the covers.
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