Sleep
Just how much sleep do dogs need? A lot, and getting enough sleep can often eliminate many unwanted behaviors. When we add a new puppy or dog to our family; typically there is not a lot of sleep being had in the beginning. Excitement, change, acclimation and stimulus all play a part in our new dogs not getting enough sleep. When you add a new dog to your home; we can easily forget to make sure that the new member of the family is getting enough sleep. It’s exciting, everyone wants to visit; but it is very important for our puppies and dogs to get enough sleep so that they can be the best that they can be.
I remember when my girl Elsa was just a little puppy; she was so nosey that she couldn’t get any sleep at all. We literally had to put her in her crate upstairs where it was quiet so that she could get some much needed rest and sleep. Whenever she seemed out of sorts and started behaving wild and crazy; I knew that she was in need of a nap (sleep).
Our dogs need good quality, solid sleep; but depending on different factors, they can have varied needs with regards to their sleep requirements. These are general sleep requirements for the canine species at different stages of their life. But on average dogs sleep 12-14 hours a day; over half of their life is spent sleeping. Cat naps are fine, just kidding dog naps are fine but they need solid long spans of hard sleeping.
A lack of sleep is often the cause of behavior issues. We can forget that sleep is as important to our dogs as it is to us. A lack of sleep for our dogs can create decreased cognitive function, mood swings and general grumpiness.
In addition to the 50% of their day spent sleeping, dogs will then spend another 30% of their awake hours doing what I call “loafing.” Just like with humans, loafing is when a dog is awake but really not doing much of anything—just hanging out. Sandra C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP October 4, 2021
Puppies
Puppies need more sleep than adults do, around 18-20 hours a day. From 0-12 months, there is a great need to rest and sleep. A tired puppy (often deemed a bad dog) cannot function properly; they become overtired and can become cranky, nippy and “naughty.” Puppies regularly make poor decisions, but with a lack of sleep; the poor decision making percentage goes up. They haven’t learned the ways of the world yet but by getting enough sleep, they have a better chance at having a great day.
Often we must physically put our puppies down for a nap. Puppies, like children can sometimes have a difficult time falling asleep around stimulus. This means we must put them somewhere quiet where they can get some much needed sleep.
Adults
Adult dogs actually need a great deal of sleep as well. From a year of age until approximately 5 years of age; our dogs require approximately 8-14 hours of sleep.
Seniors
Well, seniors go back to the same requirement they needed as puppies. You will likely notice your senior dog sleeping from 18-20 hours a day. This is normal as it takes a longer amount of time for their bodies to recuperate after activity. Having a senior dog is a very special time and for me there is nothing more precious than seeing an old dog sleeping soundly and perhaps doing some blissful dreaming. :)
_________________________________________
Remember when your puppy is going crazy and is seemingly out of control; they most likely need to get some shuteye. Make sure to have somewhere your dog can obtain some quality, quiet rest and or sleep.