Why do dogs sleep a lot when they get older

It is more resting than sleeping that naturally happens to all of us because of old age. Not all of that time is deep sleep however.

If your dog no longer wants to exercise and seems generally lethargic While this can be a common symptom of aging it can also be a symptom of serious diseases.

Why do dogs sleep a lot when they get older. Senior dogs need about as much sleep as puppies from 15 to 18 hours a day. Stress is harder on adult dogs especially as their senses deteriorate and they lose confidence. Older dogs may begin to go blind or deaf which makes it hard for them to navigate the world and they may be much more anxious in new places.

As dogs age its normal for their energy levels to decrease. They may not enjoy long walks or runs the way they did when they were younger. Now they may spend more time relaxing as many as 16 to 18 hours a day.

Not all of that time is deep sleep however. Dogs who suffer from arthritis or joint pain might enjoy an orthopedic dog bed like the Frisco orthopedic bolster sofa dog bed. An elevated dog bed is also a great option for older dogs because the hammock-type style can help to alleviate pressure on their joints and muscles.

A bolstered dog bed can give senior dogs some extra support. A common condition in older dogs it is a decrease in thyroid levels which makes dogs sluggish lethargic and prone to weight gain. Since fat dogs find it difficult to move around too much theyll stay in one place and sleep for lack of anything better to do.

Older dogs may start to rest more because their bodies are not as strong as they once were just like people. Experts estimate that adult dogs sleep about 12 to 14 hours a day older. It is also perfectly normal for an older dog to sleep more of the day away up to 16 or 18 hours even.

However some of these hours will be passed in quiet rest and not true sleep. While it is normal for senior dogs to sleep more there is such a thing as too much sleep. If your dog no longer wants to exercise and seems generally lethargic While this can be a common symptom of aging it can also be a symptom of serious diseases.

Many pet owners overlook this symptom in their senior dog because they write it off as a simple side effect of getting older. Your dog should have a warm well-cushioned place to sleep. There are beds available that are designed especially for older dogs with orthopedic problems and there are even pads and diapers to help with incontinence.

Another cause of behavior changes can be pain which can make your dog more reclusive or aggressive. Groaning caused by sleep or pleasure should not alarm you. A sleepy dog will groan if you try to engage him in more activity as this is his way of telling you he has had enough.

If your dog is groaning when you rub his belly he is encouraging you to keep rubbing. As they get older dogs are able to sleep through the nightbut only because their owners do. In fact wild dogs tend to be very active at night often hunting in the darkness.

Older dogs tend to slow down and get exhausted easily so they more often retire to sleep compared to younger ones. It is normal for them to sleep at least 20 hours. The same is true with larger dogs that tend to sleep more than smaller dogs.

Young dogs race around exploring everything and burning up all kinds of energy. Then they crash and sleep hard until their body has recovered and is ready for another bout of play. Older dogs also need more sleep to help their bodies recover from daily activities.

Dogs Also Enjoy Lounging. Older dogs can suffer from fears and phobias of noise and thunderstorms and less commonly of going outdoors entering certain rooms or walking on certain types of surfaces. Dog guardians own understandably frustrated reaction to their dogs behavior can also aggravate the problemespecially punishment is used.

Generally dogs would sleep the most when they are puppies and when they are old. Puppies around 4 months up to a year old are only playful and very active when awake. The puppies activities make them become easily exhausted and this may be the reason.

With age your dog might sleep more. On average senior dogs sleep for about 16 to 18 hours a day. It is more resting than sleeping that naturally happens to all of us because of old age.

The battery levels drop when a dog grows old and they just like to sit in a cosy place and relax. Diseased organs can also cause dogs to become tired and sleep more often. This is because they often have a lack of energy due to the disease and theyre often in a lot of pain.

Dogs in pain tend to sleep as much as they can. Many of our dogs sleep more than we do. Adult dogs generally sleep 12 14 hoursday whereas puppies and older dogs require more ranging from 15 18 hoursday.

Unlike humans who generally receive eight hours of consecutive sleep dogs sleep on and off throughout the day. In fact 30 of a dogs day is resting while 20 is consumed.