My dog sleeps a lot—like, way more than I expected. She’ll nap for hours during the day, and then still crash hard at night. She’s playful when she’s awake, but sometimes I wonder if something’s wrong or if she’s just naturally lazy. Is it normal for dogs to sleep so much?
Worried that your dog is spending too long in the land of nod? It’s quite normal for dogs to sleep a lot. In fact, 12-16 hours a day can be considered normal! Especially if they’re emotionally and physically fulfilled.
The amount of sleep a dog needs will depend on their age, breed and activity level. Puppies and older dogs will generally sleep the most. Adult dogs need downtime too, but they don’t tend to sleep as much.
Dogs naturally doze throughout the day if there’s not a lot going on. But they’ll quickly switch to alert mode on waking if needed! As long as your dog is playing, going for walks and having fun while they’re awake, sleeping a lot is nothing to worry about.
If your dog’s sleeping pattern suddenly changes, it might the worth a health check with the vet. It’s best to make sure there isn’t a physical reason for them to be more tired than normal.
If your dog is getting on a bit, you may want to think about some support for stiff joints. Although sleeping more is normal with older dogs, they will also rest more if they’re uncomfortable.
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