How much sleep does a dog need, and what if he sleeps too little?
A dog sleeps a lot, and that is usually exactly right: a young puppy needs 16 to 20 hours of sleep and rest per day, and an adult dog about 12 to 16 hours, almost double what a person needs. At Stressless Dogs we therefore see sleep as one of the first gauges of stress, because a dog who sleeps and rests much less than that usually has a stress level that is too high.
If your dog suddenly sleeps much more or much less than you are used to, or if he is older and sleeps a lot while getting up stiffly, have your veterinarian check him first. A change in sleep is always a signal, and dogs are good at hiding pain.
Whether your dog is tired, tense or overstimulated shows in his body language, which you learn to read in the free webinar.
In short
A young puppy needs 16 to 20 hours of sleep and rest per day, sometimes 18 to 20. An adult dog sleeps and rests about 12 to 16 hours.
Dogs spread their sleep across the full day, roughly 40 percent during the day and 60 percent at night, and they prefer to sleep close to their family.
If an adult dog sleeps and rests a lot less than that, his stress level is probably too high.
Never wake a sleeping dog: he needs both dream sleep and deep restorative sleep.
If his sleep pattern suddenly changes, or an older dog sleeps a lot and moves stiffly, see your veterinarian first.
How much sleep does a dog need?
Far more than most people think: an adult dog sleeps and rests about 12 to 16 hours per day, almost double what we need.
Our courses use slightly different numbers within that range, because it differs per dog: 14 to 16 hours in our puppy work, and about 16 out of 24 for reactive dogs who carry a lot of tension. Count rest too: lying quietly and dozing count as much as deep sleep.
That fits how dogs live naturally: research on free-ranging dogs shows they spend about 54 percent of their time resting or sleeping. A dog who lies around a lot is not lazy. He is doing what dogs do.
Dogs are polyphasic sleepers: between sleep cycles they do something for a moment and then sleep on. They are social sleepers, and they need REM sleep, the dreaming phase with those small muscle twitches, which requires stretching out full length, plus slow-wave sleep, the deepest restorative sleep. So a dog who sleeps eight hours straight at night is far from done: he gets a good part of his sleep during the day.
How much should a puppy sleep?
A young puppy needs 16 to 20 hours of sleep and rest per day, sometimes even 18 to 20. So a puppy who sleeps a lot is doing exactly the right thing.
A puppy is a baby: everything is new, and those impressions get processed during rest. Keep it to at most one impressive activity per day.
A puppy who sleeps too little gets busy, bites more and harder, and becomes overstimulated. What looks like enthusiasm is usually tension; see also Why does my puppy bite so much. After an activity, let him wind down first with chewing, sniffing or a lick mat: we do not fall asleep right after a workout either. For the first nights he sleeps in your bedroom; how to handle that is in The first night with your puppy.
Young puppy | Adult dog | |
|---|---|---|
Sleep and rest per day | 16 to 20 hours, sometimes 18 to 20 | About 12 to 16 hours; with a lot of tension, about 16 out of 24 as a guideline |
Where | In your bedroom for the first nights, never alone | Preferably close to his family, with several spots to switch between |
Signs of too little sleep | Busy, biting more and harder, overstimulated | Struggling to settle, alert to every sound, getting up quickly, reacting sooner |
In summary: a puppy needs 16 to 20 hours of sleep and rest and sleeps in your bedroom at first; an adult dog needs about 12 to 16 hours, preferably close to his family. You recognize too little sleep in a puppy by busy behavior and more biting, and in an adult dog by restlessness and reacting sooner.
What happens when a dog sleeps too little?
His stress goes up. If an adult dog sleeps much less than about 16 out of 24 hours, his stress level is probably too high, and lack of sleep makes it worse again.
In our courses we use the image of the stress bucket. Every stimulus is a drop, whether it is scary or fun and exciting. Sleep empties the bucket, just like chewing, sniffing and a steady routine. When the bucket overflows, you see an explosive reaction: lunging, fleeing or acting wild. And with a full bucket there is no room in the brain to learn anything new.
An example: your dog suddenly reacts again after weeks of going well. Stress hormones are produced in seconds but take up to 72 hours to break down, so look at the days before too: a party, a sitter, a vet visit, a few bad nights.
How do you make sure your dog gets enough sleep?
First track how much he actually sleeps, then take care of the conditions: safety, closeness, a good temperature, room to stretch out, the option to switch spots, no hunger, thirst or need to pee, little stress and no pain.
Keep a diary for a week. Write down how many hours he sleeps and rests, what you did that day, and color each day green, orange or red for how tense he was.
Give him a safe haven. A fixed spot where he is always left alone: not next to the TV, the door, a walkway or under the stairs.
Offer several sleeping spots. High and low, soft and cool, preferably slightly raised.
Let him wind down after an activity with chewing, sniffing, licking, massage or calming music.
Let a sleeping dog lie. Agree with the kids, too, that he is left alone while he sleeps or eats.
Common mistakes:
A closed crate for rest. In it a dog cannot lie close, cannot switch spots and cannot stretch out for his REM sleep. Isolation creates stress, so sleep quality goes down instead of up. See also Crate training a puppy: why we advise against it.
A full schedule every day. Too many impressive activities and too much exercise produce less rest and sleep, and that knocks on like dominoes into everything else.
My dog suddenly sleeps a lot. Should I be worried?
Sleeping a lot is normal in itself, but a sudden change is always a reason to see your veterinarian, as is an older dog who sleeps a lot and gets up stiffly, moves less, or is sensitive to touch.
Being free of pain is a condition for good sleep, and more than half of all dogs have an illness or ailment, often without the owner knowing. A ten-minute vet check does not rule out pain, so when in doubt also have a canine physical therapist look. An orthopedic bed helps a dog in pain.
Our courses do not cover separately how much sleep an older dog needs. Start from 12 to 16 hours and watch above all for change compared to his own normal.
From our practice
With separation anxiety, we first go through all of the dog’s needs, from water and sleep to freedom of choice, before training a single minute alone. With almost every dog who cannot be alone, something is missing around sleep: a dog who is alert to every sound and watches you constantly does not get his hours.
In our work with reactive dogs, the approach starts with a rest period of at least three weeks, with enough sleep and rest as one of its pillars, tracked in a diary.
When to get help
With a sudden change in sleep, see your veterinarian first; a dog who is consistently overstimulated, reactive or intolerant may also be in pain. If your dog bites or there is real aggression, bring in a qualified behavior professional. The same goes for fear that tips into panic, for example when being alone: do not force anything and get guidance.
Not sure? Email amee@stresslessdogs.com and we will look at what your dog needs together.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a puppy sleep?
A great deal: 16 to 20 hours of sleep and rest per day, sometimes 18 to 20. Give him a safe, comfortable spot, several places to switch between, and let him sleep close to you. Never wake a sleeping puppy, because he needs both kinds of sleep.
Can I wake my sleeping dog?
No. A dog needs both REM sleep and deep restorative sleep, and waking him interrupts that. Agree at home, kids included, that he is left alone while he sleeps or eats, and give him a fixed spot nobody disturbs.
My puppy bites like crazy in the evening. Does that have to do with sleep?
Often, yes: it is usually overstimulation and too little sleep, not naughtiness. Check whether he gets his 16 to 20 hours, lower the stimulation in the evening, and offer a chew the moment you see it coming.
Sources
Mills, D.S. et al. (2020). Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs. Animals, 10(2), 318. On how often pain plays a part in behavior problems.
Read next
The first night with your puppy: how he sleeps (and you do too)
Crate training a puppy: why we advise against it and what works instead
How Do You Recognize Stress in Dogs? The Signs Almost Everyone Misses
Sleep is where calm begins
A dog who sleeps enough has room in his bucket to learn and to absorb a tense moment. If he sleeps too little, he tells you, just not in words. Behavior is communication, and restlessness or biting is often his way of saying it is too much. How to read those signals and give calm back yourself is what you see in the free webinar Communicating With Your Dog.
If you want to learn to read your dog properly, puppy or adult, that is what the Stressless Communication Course is for.
Thank you for reading, on behalf of me and all the dogs.
Dog Behavior Consultant & Natural Dog Trainer