Is your dog getting enough sleep? Vets reveal exactly how many hours pups need – and it’s more than you think

We are all regularly told how important it is to get enough sleep.

But have you ever stopped to think about your pet’s dream?

New research from PDSA has revealed exactly how much time dogs should be spending sleeping – and it’s longer than we probably imagined.

Worryingly, the veterinary charity says more than half of dogs in the UK are not getting enough sleep.

“We all know the saying ‘waking up on the wrong side of the bed’ and it’s no surprise that a lack of sleep influences how we feel, but it’s also true for dogs – the amount of sleep they can get contributes to their wellbeing,” said PDSA Veterinarian Lynne James.

The NHS recommends that, on average, adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night.

However, dogs need much more time, according to Ms James.

“While the perfect amount of sleep varies from dog to dog, what the evidence suggests might be surprising to many owners: in fact, dogs should be getting between 13 and 16 hours of sleep every day,” she explained.

‘This means that ideally your dog should spend more than half of the day sleeping!

“But our findings reveal that a huge number of dogs are not getting enough sleep – in fact, 5.6 million dogs in the UK sleep 12 hours or less a day.”

If your dog doesn’t get enough sleep, he or she is at increased risk of displaying “hostile behaviors” such as growling, snapping, and even biting.

According to PDSA research, four per cent of dogs that sleep less than 10 hours will confront other dogs in the household, while six per cent will confront familiar dogs that are not members of the household.

Both figures are double those for dogs that sleep more than 13 hours.

“This highlights the importance of providing dogs with the opportunity, as well as the right environment, to sleep to protect their emotional health,” Ms James added.

PDSA says a dog’s home environment appears to influence how much sleep it gets.

If your dog doesn’t get enough sleep, there is an increased risk of him displaying “hostile behaviors” such as growling, snapping, and even biting (stock image)

Significantly more dogs with three or more people in the household were found to sleep less than 10 hours.

‘The same is true for households with children: more dogs with children at home sleep less than eight hours (8%, 800,000 dogs) or between eight and 10 hours (24%, 2.5 million dogs) compared to those without children at home (5%, 490,000 dogs and 19%, 2 million dogs respectively,’ Ms James said.

‘In contrast, we found that in one- or two-person households, 4.7 million dogs (44%) and 4.5 million dogs (43%) get a good amount of rest, with more than 13 hours of sleep each day.

‘This demonstrates the impact that ‘busier’ households can have on our dogs’ ability to get some rest.’

Based on the findings, researchers urge dog owners to take steps to increase the amount of sleep their pet gets.

This includes giving your dog plenty of “alone time,” making sure he gets plenty of exercise, and allowing him several “sleeping spots” around the house.

“If your dog can’t get enough sleep because of a change in routine or the house suddenly becoming busier, they may be showing signs of stress,” Ms James added.

‘Signs of stress in dogs include stiff or tense bodies, moving away when someone approaches or withdrawing from company, ears back, a staring or “whale eye” stare, not eating and low energy, as well as panting when not hot and yawning when not tired.

‘If your dog is showing any of these signs, he may be feeling stressed, so it’s important to take steps to help him.

‘If you don’t take any action, your dog’s stress could cause him to show more serious signs of stress, including growling or aggression.’