How Long Can Dogs Sleep Through The Night?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Dogs tend to experience -wake cycles of

16 minutes asleep, 5 minutes awake

– quite the contrast with our typical sleep-wake cycle of 7 to 9 hours asleep, 15 to 17 hours awake. When dogs fall asleep, they enter deep sleep.

How long does a dog sleep at night?

According to Dr. Roberts, around 75% of a dog's sleep happens at night while the rest occurs in the daytime. The average dog sleeps around

nine hours

in a night and three hours during the day. That means humans can sleep with their dog each night.

Can dogs sleep 12 hours at night?

Unlike humans, who generally sleep once a day, at night, dogs sleep

1

both at night and throughout the day. Research shows that

dogs get around 10

2

to 12 hours of sleep

3

over the course of a 24-hour day.

How often do dogs wake up at night?

Unless proactive measures are taken, it is likely that your pet will wake up

at least once throughout the night

. In fact, one study reported that 30% of pet owners who shared their bed with their pet said they woke up at least once throughout the night because of something like their dog waking up at night.

Are dogs alert while sleeping?


Dogs also stay alert for sounds, even when sleeping

, which may make them lighter sleepers than their humans.

Do dogs get deep sleep?

Like us,

dogs get the majority of their deep, restorative sleep from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

In a full sleep cycle, our bodies and minds downshift from wakefulness to drowsiness, light sleep (or non-REM sleep), followed by a final phase known as REM sleep (or rapid eye movement sleep), the deep sleep during which our …

Do dogs need a night light?


Some puppies and dogs prefer a nightlight

. They find it comforting. But for others, the light can provide too much stimulation and keep them awake and busy. For those dogs, make the house dark and quiet.

Should I wake my dog up to pee at night?

Then the answer is YES.

You should wake your puppy up to pee at night

! Once a puppy reaches 4-6 months old, they will have almost a full-sized bladder and are able to hold in their urine for longer. With proper potty training, you and your dog might get through the night without wet incidents.

What do dogs do at night?

They spend lots of time preparing their bed before snuggling in for the night. Sleepy dogs

turn around in circles and do kind of a dance before going to sleep

. This bedtime ritual is a bit compulsive and sleep evades them until they complete their nightly dance routine.

Do dogs sleep better in the dark?

Keep Their Sleeping Area Quiet and Dark: Mammals have circadian rhythms that are influenced by light

15

, so

it's easier for your dog to sleep at night if it's dark or dim

. It's also easier for them to sleep if they aren't being interrupted by excessive noise.

Is it normal for my puppy to sleep 11 hours at night?

The short answer is no. You will see variations on the amount of sleep according to age and breed, and activity, but

young puppies need about 18 to 20 hours of sleep a day

. (Adult dogs typically sleep about 14 hours a day, as a comparison.) That's a lot of sleep!

Is it normal for a puppy to sleep 10 hours at night?

When your puppy is very young, he or she might want to go for a walk in the middle of the night.

By 16 weeks or so, it should be easy for your puppy to sleep soundly through the night for about 6 to 10 hours

. Sleep is very important for the healthy development of your pup.

Do dogs wake up at night?


If your dog is waking regularly at night, seek veterinary attention

. It may be necessary to rule out some disease processes but sometimes in the early stages all that may be needed is to establish a good night time routine. Even though this condition may be frustrating, avoid punishing or scolding your pet.

Why is my dog waking up at 4am?

There are three main reasons why your dog might wake you up earlier than you want to get up.

They're likely either hungry, need to use the bathroom, or they just want to play or be near you

. Your dog can't feed itself, so if he's waking you up early, he could be wanting you to fill his bowl up with food.

How do I stop my dog from waking up in the middle of the night?

  1. First, rule out any medical problems. This was our initial issue. …
  2. Wear your pet out. …
  3. Feed them later at night. …
  4. Consider a late night, mechanical feeder. …
  5. Lock them out of the room or put them in a crate (dogs). …
  6. Consider natural remedies (but ask your vet first!).

Why you shouldn't sleep with your dog?

Point: Dogs carry certain intestinal parasites, fleas, and ticks that cause human illnesses.

Sleeping with a dog increases human exposure to these parasites and vector-borne diseases

. Very young, very old, and immune compromised people are particularly at risk of infection.

Do dogs wake up easily?

A dog's sleep needs and patterns are very different from a human's. Dogs sleep longer than people, but they spend less time in deep sleep, meaning that

they are often easy to wake

, and often ready to deal with a non-existent threat.

Why does my dog stare at me?

Just as humans stare into the eyes of someone they adore, dogs will stare at their owners

to express affection

. In fact, mutual staring between humans and dogs releases oxytocin, known as the love hormone. This chemical plays an important role in bonding and boosts feelings of love and trust.

Can dogs recognize themselves in the mirror?

Although

dogs can't identify themselves in the mirror

, they still have some level of self-awareness and ace other self-recognition tests. They can recognize their own odor, and recall memories of specific events, Earth.com reports.

Do dogs love their owners?


Yes, dogs love their owners more than themselves

. Pleasing the owner is also one of the strongest and innate desires in most breeds of dogs, so they want to behave in front of their owners to make them happy.

Can dogs see in the dark?

Obviously, his stronger sense of smell is useful, but it's also because

dogs can see movement and light in the dark

, and other low-light situations, better than humans. They are assisted by the high number of light-sensitive rods within the retina of their eyes. Rods collect dim light, supporting better night vision.

Do dogs actually watch dog TV?

Do dogs really watch TV?

Yes! Dogs respond to what they see on TV screens and pay most attention when they see other dogs, animals and moving objects

. YouTube has thousands of videos with dogs watching TV and an increasing number of dog parents admit that they've seen their pups watching TV more than once.

Where should your dog sleep at night?

If your dog gets into trouble at night it might be best to keep him

in the bedroom or crate

. Most dogs prefer to lie next to you and they would also sleep there, if they could choose.

Can dogs tell if it's day or night?

We know

dogs have circadian rhythms, and are sensitive to day and night, as well as certain times of day

. We know through living with dogs that they know when it's time to go to bed and when it's time to eat. Certainly a part of this is based on circadian rhythms and past experiences.

Is it OK to take water away from dog at night?


It's best to remove your puppy's water bowl at night

. Be consistent with the time you remove water, the same way you're consistent with feeding times. As a rule of thumb, remove the food and water bowls about two-to-three hours before bedtime.

Should I wake my puppy up so he sleeps at night?

Even if they'd never do harm in normal situations, a startled sleeping dog can be accidentally vengeful. To avoid a reactive response, it's best to use a gentle voice to wake your dog. However,

waking up your dog probably isn't necessary

. Remember that 14-16 hours of sleep your dog requires every day?

What time should puppies go to bed?

But in all honesty,

there's no ‘right time' for a puppy to go to sleep, as long as it's the same every night

. While this may be the case, do note that your puppy will need, on average, around 8-10 hours of sleep per night.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.