Is It Normal For Old Dogs To Sleep A Lot. For instance a giant breed dog like an Irish wolfhound is considered a senior at 6 or 7 years of age while a Chihuahua might not be regarded as a senior until closer to 9 or 10. The same could be the case with sleep. However not all sleep is the same. As your dog enters her golden years its entirely normal for her to sleep more than she used to.
As dogs age its normal for their energy levels to decrease. This is pretty normal for carnivores. Any time a dog is ill or in pain such as when he suffers from osteoarthritis he may retreat and spend more time sleeping. In many cases a simple diet alteration can be the answer. But if hes just growing older is a bigger breed or hes a puppy then sleeping more just goes with the territory. For instance a giant breed dog like an Irish wolfhound is considered a senior at 6 or 7 years of age while a Chihuahua might not be regarded as a senior until closer to 9 or 10.
In many cases a simple diet alteration can be the answer.
Puppies large-breed dogs and older dogs may sleep more while small-breed dogs and working dogs may sleep less. A dogs sleep cycle on a normal day is more or less half the time. However not all sleep is the same. They begin to slow down they may gain weight more easily their senses start to dull. But if hes just growing older is a bigger breed or hes a puppy then sleeping more just goes with the territory. As dogs age its normal for their energy levels to decrease.