Let sleeping dogs lie

LET

SLEEPING DOGS LIE

UNDERSTANDING SLEEP IN OUR CANINE COMPANIONS

Sleep is just as important for our dogs as it is for us. Adult dogs need in the region of 16 hours of sleep a day, with puppies and larger breed dogs needing as much as 20 hours a day. In dogs, just as in humans, there is a strong correlation between well-being (both physical and mental) and sleep.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMAN AND CANINE SLEEP

Humans are monophasic sleepers, which means that we generally take all our sleep in one go, while our dogs are polyphasic, meaning they sleep for shorter periods but at many different points during a twenty-four hour period. Both slow-wave sleep (the sleep of the brain) and REM sleep (the sleep of the body, which paralyses the postural muscles) are necessary for both dogs and humans, but a dog can reach REM sleep much more rapidly.

A NORMAL CANINE SLEEP ROUTINE

A normal sleep pattern for a dog is to sleep, wake up, have a stretch, find a more comfortable position and then go back to sleep. This regular shifting between sleep and wakefulness does not affect the quality or quantity of sleep and should be a normal part of a dog’s life.

Another point to note is that dogs are predominantly nocturnal. This is evidenced by wild canids and wolves that evolved to hunt in low light conditions at dawn and dusk, where there was no need to differentiate between bright colours, as everything has a grey hue. Dogs today, despite evolution, still see only muted colours in line with being nocturnal like their ancestors. To further support this, some domestic dogs will still show nocturnal wakefulness, and this is particularly the case in young puppies. They are often up and raring to go just as their human is winding down to sleep!

DID YOU KNOW?

Letting your dog sleep in your bed is of huge benefit to both you and your dog!

WHY IS SLEEP SO CRITICAL

Sleep is integral for many reasons, including helping to consolidate memories, promoting healing and helping to restore and rejuvenate the immune system. Sleep also has a sizeable effect on cognitive abilities.

Without the right amount of sleep, the body cannot repair itself as easily, and the ability to learn is diminished. Other downsides of decreased sleep are the inability to regulate body temperature, less interest in body care, and a tendency to be overreactive – noises and weird shapes suddenly appear scary, and ‘spookiness’ is not uncommon.

OUR ROLE

Because we control so much of our dogs’ lives, we must be especially aware of how much they sleep. We need to know what can cause issues with sleep and how we can best promote sleep in our canine companions.

WHAT PREVENTS DOGS FROM GETTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SLEEP? One of the most common reasons for a dog not receiving enough sleep is overstimulation. Our dogs usually enjoy getting out and about as much as we do, but there are limits as to how much a dog can cope with before he becomes exhausted and frustrated.

The result of continually overstimulating your dog is a dog who is restless, fidgety and unable to settle. This behaviour does not suggest an increased need for exercise but rather an increased need for rest. More exercise will simply produce more adrenaline, and make it more difficult for your dog to sleep. This is why it is essential that your dog has plenty of downtime to facilitate relaxation and allow sleep.

HOW TO IMPROVE SLEEP? It is important that there are beds in several areas of the house, so a dog can choose where he wants to sleep. If the only bed is in an area like a busy kitchen, a dog will be continually disturbed and unlikely to be able to rest or sleep.

Similarly, if the only bed is out of reach of the family, your dog is unlikely to use it as he would prefer not to be isolated. Where there are multiple dogs in one household, dogs should not be expected to share beds; they may choose to, but they should always have the option of having their own bed. Finally, dogs should have beds large enough for them to be able to lie flat; otherwise, they cannot reach REM sleep. Hard-sided round beds can be problematic if they force your dog to roll into a ball, as this prevents REM sleep from being achieved.

Sleep disturbances can also occur due to the presence of pain or other serious health conditions such as arthritis, anaemia, heart disease and canine cognitive dysfunction, which are all common as a dog ages. If you are concerned that health worries are preventing your dog from sleeping, see your vet as soon as possible.

Stress is another factor that can reduce the amount and quality of sleep your dog receives. Make sure to consider this option and see what you can do to minimise stress levels for your dog in the home.

Hunger and temperature extremes can also disrupt sleep, so it is worth making sure your dog is getting enough food to be satisfied at night and that he isn’t too hot or too cold. You must also ensure your dog doesn’t have to go for hours without visiting a toileting area.

Finally, you should avoid disturbing your dog when he is asleep – as the saying goes, ‘let sleeping dogs lie!’