Sleep is Important

Sleep is as important to animals as it is to us however you should be aware your dog’s sleep pattern is different to ours. Young puppies can sleep for up to 20hrs a day, adult dogs can sleep for around 16hrs. This won’t be in all in one go, it will be broken up into small sleep cycles of a few hours at a time, as your dog gets older is also not unusual for them to once again begin to sleep more.

Why is understanding your dogs sleep patterns important? Pain can affect how you dog sleeps and ultimately change your dog’s sleeping habits. Your dog’s sleep maybe disturbed because of pain or alternatively your dog may change how it sleeps. Did your dog used to love sleeping curled up but now doesn’t? This could be because this position is now more difficult to get into. Has your dog changed where it likes to sleep? If you dog sleeps of the sofa or on the bed have, they become agitated when asked to move? Is your dog’s sleep more interrupted than it was previously?

Noticing the changes in your dog’s sleep pattern can be a sign there maybe something wrong and ultimately a first indication that some form of intervention is required. If you have any concerns why don’t you consult your local vet or canine physiotherapist for their advice. We are ultimately here to help!