How Much Sleep Does My Dog Need?

Why Deep Sleep Matters for Your Dog

We often think of sleep as “downtime,” but research on humans shows that sleep—especially deep sleep—is when the brain and body do their most important work.

The same is true for dogs.

If you’ve ever watched your dog twitch, softly bark, or completely sprawl out in total stillness, you’re seeing different sleep stages at work. And those deeper stages are essential for your dog’s health, behaviour, and happiness.

Dogs Need Deep Sleep to Learn and Remember

Just like people, dogs process learning during sleep. When your dog practices a new command, meets new people, or explores a new environment, their brain needs deep sleep to store those experiences. Without enough deep sleep, training can feel slower and more frustrating—for both of you.

If your dog seems to “forget” things they already know, poor-quality sleep could be one factor.

Deep Sleep Supports Emotional Balance

Sleep helps regulate emotions. In dogs, too little deep sleep can show up as irritability, anxiety, or overreacting to normal situations. A well-rested dog is generally calmer, more adaptable, and better able to cope with everyday stress.

This is especially important for puppies, nervous or reactive dogs, and older dogs, whose brains are working extra hard.

The Body Repairs Itself During Sleep

During deep sleep, your dog’s body focuses on physical repair and immune support. Muscles recover, the immune system strengthens, and energy stores are replenished. This is why dogs often sleep more after a very active day—they’re not being lazy, they’re recovering.

Chronic sleep disruption can make dogs more vulnerable to illness and slower to bounce back from exercise or stress.

Modern Life Can Disrupt Dog Sleep

Busy households, constant noise, late-night activity, and irregular routines can interrupt a dog’s sleep—especially deep sleep. Even if your dog is lying down often, frequent disturbances prevent them from reaching the most restorative stages.

Many pet owners admit that their dog may be asleep but them simply rising from their seat can cause the dog to awake from their light sleep and follow them out the room. The dog is not reaching the deep restorative stages of sleep.

How You Can Help Your Dog Sleep Better

• Provide a quiet, consistent sleeping space: a crate is perfect for this. A crate can really help a dog reach deep undisturbed sleep consistently throughout the day, each day.

• Keep structure. Dogs thrive under strucutre, this will help them feel their world is predictable and in turn lower their need to "stay alert" and avoid falling into deep sleep.

• Allow uninterrupted sleep after busy or stimulating days. Do not disturb a sleeping dog as the old saying goes.

• Respect their need for rest, even if they “sleep a lot”. Adult dogs should be sleeping 14 hours a day. And this number increases if the environment is stressful (city dogs), working dogs, older dogs, puppies and for dogs with behavioural issues (nervous/reactive etc).

• Often over stimulation can look a lot like under stiimulation for an untrained eye - constant demanding behaviours, zoomies, tail chasing, destructions, nipping or biting, pacing etc.

The Takeaway

Sleep isn’t wasted time for dogs—it’s essential brain and body care. By protecting your dog’s deep sleep, you’re supporting their learning, emotional health, and long-term well-being.

How much good quality sleep is your dog really getting?