Should Dogs Have a Sleep Schedule? [9 Tips to Sleep Your Dog on Time]

Are you a responsible dog parent? Do you love your pet canine as you do with your kids? If so, you might have concerns about the sleep schedule of your dog. Have you any idea about how many hours your dog should sleep? In fact, some dogs sleep so much. Others only take naps and stay awake at night.

If your pet sleeps too much, you might be worried about is it normal for dogs to sleep too much? Even if you don’t have a canine pet, a barking street dog who disrupts your sleep makes you think whether dogs sleep at night or not.

So, all the dog parents just need to focus here. Finally, we have penned down answers for all of these queries in this post. So, let’s kill the curiosity together and explore dog sleep behavior.

How Many Hours A Day Do Dogs Sleep

Should Dogs Have a Sleep Routine

Why Do Dogs Sleep Too Much

Are Dogs Nocturnal

FAQs

Final Thoughts

How Many Hours A Day Do Dogs Sleep?

On average, adult dogs sleep 10 to 14 hours, while puppies need 16 to 18 hours to nap per day. Young puppies snooze at least 18 hours per day since they can get tired soon due to smaller bodies.

Click here to seek more information about puppy sleeping guide.

By the age of 16 weeks old, these critters spend most of their time exploring and playing. At this stage, they take 12 to 14 hours of nap in 24 hours day cycle. Once they get 1-year-old, they follow the same sleep routine as a typical adult dog.

Should Dogs Have a Sleep Routine?

The random naps and awaking routine of dogs make owners worried about they should follow a sleep schedule or not. However, if your pet canine takes a nap for 10 to 14 hours a day, you shouldn’t be worried. But it can be a problem if your pet’s nap routine doesn’t match with yours. So, to avoid sleep disruption, dogs should have a sleep schedule.

Follow these tips to align your dog’s sleep routine with yours:

Set your pup’s routine for sleep, play, eat, and bedtime.

Make sure to feed the night meal one hour earlier than bedtime.

Your pet canine should have done poo and pee before bedtime.

Use a kennel or crate to train your dog when it's bedtime.

Start house training young puppies.

To avoid mess late at night, avoid sleeping with your pet in the same bed.

Provide a comfortable and quiet sleeping place for your dog, such as a fluffy dog sofa bed.

Take your pet on long walks and give a lot of exercises daily, so he can feel tired at night.

Use dog toys and puzzles to keep your furry friend awake and active during the day. And restrict your dog’s play activities right before sleeping.

Why Do Dogs Sleep Too Much?

Are you jealous of your dog staying under the covers while you are going to work? If so, buy a cell phone for your buddy, ask him to do groceries, or go on the work in place of you, and then see what happens. In fact, the canine’s sleep pattern differs from humans.

You might be wondering why dogs sleep too much. It is normal for dogs to take naps during the day. In addition, when your pup has nothing to do, it will prefer to sleep more to spend the long day hours. But the fact is, pet canines take cues from owners. If their owners are less active, they also tend to become sleepy. Your four-legged friends need an active life to spend their energy, to get tired, and follow a sleeping schedule.

However, a sudden change in your dog’s sleep schedule can be alarming. Your pet friend might be suffering from sleep disorders or other medical issues.

Are Dogs Nocturnal?

No, dogs are not nocturnal or diurnal. They tend to adopt the sleep patterns of their owners. Dogs usually follow a sleep schedule that is convenient for them. They sleep socially, which means if their owner stays awake during the day, they’ll do the same. On the other hand, if the owner sleeps at night, they will also rest at night.

However, a few dog breeds are nocturnal. A few dog breeds tend to stay awake at night, especially those bred to guard livestock against predators. But primarily, the wild dogs were nocturnal hunters. And your pet dogs that are evolved from wild canines are nocturnal too. So, if you desperately need sleep and your dog wants to play at night, you should check if it is a nocturnal breed.

A few nocturnal dog breeds are mentioned below:

Border Collie: It is a smart and active dog that needs much physical and mental stimulation if kept as a pet. Otherwise, it won’t let you sleep at night.

Komondor: It is a Hungarian breed livestock guard dog that doesn’t sleep at night to protect livestock. As a house pet, it needs several long walks a day for a good night’s sleep. 

American Black and Tan Coonhound: These dogs are bred to hunt at night; therefore, they are nocturnal breeds and don’t sleep at night.

Berger Picard: It is a French dog bred for herding. It needs a lot of exercise and long walks at least three times a day.

Vizsla: It is a Hungarian breed that hates to be left alone at home. It needs running and a lot of exercises to consume its energy. That’s why it is named as a true athlete.

FAQs

What Do Dogs Dream About?

Have you ever wondered why dogs bark, twitching muscles, whine or cry in distress while sleeping? It seems like they are dreaming. But what do dogs dream about? Typically, dogs may dream about another dog stealing their food. Or, maybe, they get excited by watching a squirrel climbing up the tree. Perhaps, they are hunting rabbits in their dream.

Just like humans and other animals, dogs enter REM sleep and see vivid or memorable dreams. During this period, their brain processes all the activities that they have done during the daytime. And most of the canine dreams are based on these activities.

Can Dogs See in the Dark?

Yes, dogs can see in the dark better than humans because the pupil of canine eyes is bigger than humans. In addition, they have more light-sensitive cells or rods than humans. These rods give them a clearer vision in the low-light.

Most times, you get scared to see the glowing eyes outdoors at night. It is a mirror-like part of a dog’s eye called tapetum lucidum. It acts like a mirror and reflects light entering into it. Plus, it helps improve the canine’s vision in the dark.

Final Thoughts

Dog lovers usually spoil their pets in love by disturbing their routine. If your dog’s sleep pattern is not aligned with you, it can be a big problem. To avoid this, train your pup to sleep, eat, play, and defecate on a routine from an early age. By following our mentioned tips, you can easily make your dog sleep less during the day and more at night. However, if your dog’s sleep is disturbed because of a medical problem, make sure to sort it out first.