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Is It Normal For Old Dogs To Sleep All Day. Just like senior citizens need more sleep an older dog sleeps a lot when compared to their younger counterparts. Normal Aging Changes In Dogs. If it is indeed simply the effects of aging you can help reduce your dogs anxiety by keeping floors free up clutter taking more frequent short walks or playing games or food puzzles to increase his mental stimulation allow him extra space away from strangers or stimulation when in public keeping a consistent routine so he knows what to expect during the day and continuing to work with separation training for when youre away or asleep. Depending on the dog a senior might sleep between 14 and 20 hours a day.
Another common medical cause of excessive sleepiness in dogs is hypothyroidism. However some of these hours will be passed in quiet rest and not true sleep. Pay Attention to Your Individual Dogs Sleep Patterns. The best way to evaluate whether your dog is sleeping more because of age or due to a health condition is to know his normal behavior and watch for changes. So How Do I Know if My Senior Sleeps Too Much. Hey guys My dog is now 13 and I notice he spends pretty much all day sleeping only really moving to eat and go on his 5 minute walk at nights.
Apparently this is because 10 percent of a dogs sleep is REM sleep whereas 25 percent of a humans sleep is REM sleep meaning that dogs need the additional hours of sleep to make up the numbers.
Another common medical cause of excessive sleepiness in dogs is hypothyroidism. The battery levels drop when a dog grows old and they just like to sit in a cosy place and relax. Age of the Dog. The best way to evaluate whether your dog is sleeping more because of age or due to a health condition is to know his normal behavior and watch for changes. The average dog will sleep between 12-14 hours a day. Older dogs spend almost the same amount of time asleep.