Dogs naturally sleep around 60% more than humans. However, if a dog generally or suddenly sleeps a lot, this can indicate boredom or illnesses such as hormonal disorders, viral infections, anemia or diabetes.
According to studies, dogs sleep between 12 and 14 hours on average. However, the exact duration of sleep depends on age, size and breed. [1]
A dog spends more than 50% of its life sleeping. In addition, the sleeping rhythm of four-legged friends is characterized by many short naps.
People, on the other hand, usually sleep once a day and continuously. This is partly because dogs' sleep cycle is only 20 minutes. [2]
In humans, a sleep cycle lasts a full 90 minutes. It is a survival instinct of wolves. Because sleeping outdoors is dangerous.
It is therefore important for survival to check the surroundings several times an hour for possible dangers. There is only reason to worry if your dog:
- All of a sudden sleeping a lot
- Sleeps even though there are better alternatives
- Appears listless and tired of life
- His behavior changes
- Further pathological symptoms are expressed [3]
The following 11 causes can be responsible for this.
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#1 Hypothyroidism
The thyroid is a small gland in the dog's neck. It is primarily responsible for producing thyroid hormones.
If the thyroid produces too few of these hormones, the entire metabolism slows down. The most common symptoms here include:
- Spotty hair loss
- Lack of motivation
- Scaly skin
- Dog sleeps a lot
- Loss of appetite
- Dark patches of skin [4]
According to statistics, older dogs in particular are affected by this. It is also very common in Dobermans, Labradors, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers and Dachshunds.
In many cases, hypothyroidism is genetically determined. However, infections or even tumor diseases can also be partly responsible.
If the disease is genetic, it can be treated well, but cannot be cured. With the help of medication, the symptoms can be almost completely eliminated.
Dogs with hypothyroidism lack energy, which is why they sleep an abnormal amount. It is also noticeable that affected dogs eat little and their skin becomes increasingly flaky or even spots. Treatment here is usually medication.
#2 Viral infection
Viral infections are one of the most common causes of death in dogs. More specifically, they are one of the top 3 causes, along with injuries and cancer.
Affected dogs often sleep almost all day because their bodies need a lot of energy to fight the viruses. Typical viral diseases are:
- Parvovirus
- Influenza virus
- distemper
- rabies
- Hepatitis Contagiosa Canis
- Leptospirosis [5]
Four of these six viruses are now mandatory vaccinations in Germany. This explains why unvaccinated and young dogs are particularly affected.
In addition to excessive fatigue, such viral diseases usually lead to other symptoms. This includes:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Constant tiredness
- Sudden diarrhea
- Constant coughing
- Fever
- tremors and convulsions [6]
These four are not to be trifled with. If left untreated, they can cause permanent damage or even be fatal. You should therefore consult the vet immediately.
Various viral infections can cause the dog's immune system to become overloaded. Infected dogs therefore sleep a lot and are generally very lethargic. In most cases, other pathological symptoms can also be recognized.
#3 Age, Size & Breed
For a medium-sized, middle-aged dog, the 50-30-20 rule generally applies. Your daily routine is therefore structured something like this:
- 50% sleep
- 30% rest but awake
- 20% activity [7]
However, age and size can have a massive impact on sleep needs. Because at a young age, the dog's body needs a lot of energy to grow.
And large dogs require a lot more energy for all everyday movements. The need for sleep is therefore significantly increased in puppies, very old dogs and large breeds.
The following shows the average sleep needs of a dog depending on age and size:
Sleep requirement6-24 months2-8 years8-13 years>13 yearsVery small breed15 h13 h11 h12 h13 hSmall breed16 h14 h12 h13 h14 hMedium breed17 h15 h13 h14 h16 hLarge breed19 h16 h15 h16 h17 hVery large breed20 h17 h16 h17 h18 h
Incidentally, being overweight also massively increases the need for sleep. There are also some breeds that naturally sleep excessively. The top 10 sleepers include:
- Greyhound
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- cocker spaniel
- Basset Hound
- Berger des Pyrénées
- bullmastiff
- Pekingese
- Great Dane
- Newfoundland
- Chow Chow
If your four-legged friend is one of the above breeds, then you don't have to be surprised if he sleeps ¾ of the day. This is completely normal.
While medium-sized dogs sleep around 50% of the day, young puppies, old dogs and large breeds need significantly more sleep. Some breeds also naturally have such a high need for sleep that they sleep almost the entire day.
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#4 Diabetes
There are basically two different types of diabetes. In type 2, the dog no longer reacts strongly enough to insulin, which can lead to hyperglycemia.
In type 1, the dog does not produce enough insulin for genetic reasons. This type is significantly more common in dogs. In humans, however, type 2 occurs more often. [8]
Here, too, dogs sleep an abnormal amount because their muscles, organs and cells are not supplied with enough sugar. Other signs of diabetes include:
- Constant urge to urinate
- Strong thirst
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Depressive behavior
- Lack of energy
- Seizures [9]
According to statistics, only around 0.26% of all dogs are affected. It is most common in beagle, poodle, fox terrier, dachshund, cairn terrier and wolf spitz. [10]
In addition, the frequency has increased sharply in recent decades. A blood test is usually sufficient for diagnosis. Although diabetes is considered incurable, it can be easily treated.
Diabetic dogs can no longer regulate their blood sugar levels themselves, so if left untreated, their bodies will either receive too much or too little energy. This can usually be recognized by severe thirst, loss of appetite and also by the fact that they sleep a lot.
#5 Anemia
If the proportion of red blood cells in the blood is less than 35%, then doctors speak of “anemia”. In many cases such a disease is congenital.
In some cases, injuries, infections, tumor diseases or medications can also be responsible. The same applies to blood-sucking parasites:
- Tapeworms
- Roundworms
- Whipworms
- Hookworms [11]
Since the oxygen supply to the brain is reduced by anemia, affected dogs sleep more than average. Other typical symptoms of this are:
Here, too, a blood test is usually carried out for diagnosis. The proportion of red blood cells can then be determined by testing in the laboratory.
Anemia in dogs means that the body is not supplied with enough oxygen. This leads to affected dogs becoming exhausted very quickly, constantly appearing tired and sleeping almost all day. It can often be recognized by the pale gums.
#6 Boredom
As counterintuitive as it sounds at first, it's true. Dogs who are more busy and busy sleep less than those who have no tasks at all.
This behavior can already be seen in wolves. Because if they don't have enough water and food around them, they will lie around almost the entire day.
However, if food or water is scarce, they are more active than average and sleep less. Your dog could therefore just sleep a lot out of boredom. [13]
If the four-legged friends are not given enough mental and physical activity, frustration often sets in. Typical behaviors here are:
The following measures can help here:
- Arrange regular playdates with neighborhood dogs
- Buy a new toy every 2 weeks (like ours)
- Make sure the apartment is an appropriate size and has a garden
- Make use of such a ball throwing machine
- Take your dog on bike rides
Basically, the more mental and physical activity a dog gets, the happier and more content he is.
Dogs without tasks or activities often sleep a lot out of boredom. This can often be recognized by hyperactive behavior. Here it is important to take appropriate measures to exercise the dog both mentally and physically every day.
#7 Poisoning
Many inexperienced dog owners regularly poison their dogs because they assume that all natural foods must also be healthy for their four-legged friends.
Unfortunately, the reality is different. For example, onions, avocados, grapes, walnuts, garlic, raisins and macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs. [14]
Depending on the type of poisoning, the symptoms can look different. Typical examples are here:
- Physical restlessness
- Loss of appetite
- Sudden tremors
- Walking around at night
- Dog sleeps a lot
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Refusal of food [15]
This also explains why poisoning is one of the most common complaints when visiting the vet. Other possible causes of this are:
- Poisonous plants
- Cleaning products
- alcohol
- medicines from people
- Insecticides [16]
Depending on the type and severity, poisoning can lead to permanent damage or even be fatal. If you suspect this, you should consult the vet immediately.
A variety of common foods and household remedies are toxic to dogs and can cause serious poisoning. Affected dogs usually behave very restlessly, start shaking or suddenly sleep unusually much. This is an emergency.
#8 Bacterial infection
Bacteria are not inherently bad. There are naturally several million of them in both the human body and the dog's organism.
However, if the immune system is very weak, it can happen that “bad” bacteria tend to multiply excessively. Common types of bacteria here are: