Let Sleeping Dogs Lie...

Why sleep matters more than you might think.

If you’re anything like me, how you sleep can massively affect your mood, patience, and ability to cope with the day ahead.

It’s no different for our dogs.

Sleep plays a vital role in your dog’s learning, memory, emotional wellbeing, and physical health. Yet it’s something that is often overlooked — or even unintentionally disrupted.

In this blog, we’ll explore why sleep matters, what affects it, and how it can influence your dog’s behaviour more than you might expect.

🧠 Why Sleep Is So Important

Sleep isn’t just “downtime” — it’s when the body and brain do some of their most important work.

Research shows that sleep is essential for:

• Learning and memory consolidation

• Emotional processing

• Immune function

In fact, studies have shown that changes in sleep structure can directly affect how well a dog performs on tasks the following day. In simple terms — better sleep = better learning.

Sleep is also closely linked to emotional experiences. Dogs who have had more stressful or negative interactions may show changes in how quickly they fall asleep and how their sleep is structured.

🕓 How Much Sleep Do Dogs Need?

Sleep varies depending on age, lifestyle, and the individual dog.

Puppies: Approx. 11–12 hours total sleep, often broken and influenced by toileting & routine.

Adolescent Dogs: Tend to sleep longer through the night as routines settle.

Adult Dogs: Around 10–14 hours per 24 hours on average.

Older dogs: Often sleep more overall, but in shorter, more frequent bouts

But it’s not just about quantity — quality matters just as much.

What Affects Your Dog’s Sleep?

Many factors can influence how well your dog sleeps:

Pain & Physical Discomfort

Pain can significantly disrupt sleep quality and duration. Dogs may struggle to settle, wake frequently, or change sleeping positions.

Over-Arousal & Exercise

Not all exercise is equal.

Over-stimulating activities, lack of decompression, or high arousal throughout the day can make it harder for your dog to switch off and rest.

Environment & Routine

• Changes in routine

• Noise levels

• Sleeping location

• Access to comfortable resting spaces

All of these can impact sleep.

Dogs may also sleep differently depending on whether their owner is present — many prefer to rest in the same room as their humans.

Owner Influence

A surprising number of dogs have their sleep interrupted by their owners — often because we assume they’re bored or “sleeping too much.”

But rest is a biological need, not laziness.

Emotional State

Stress, anxiety, and emotional experiences can alter sleep patterns.

Anxious dogs may:

• Sleep more lightly

• Wake more frequently

• Choose positions that allow quick escape

• Remain more vigilant

What Happens When Dogs Don’t Get Enough Sleep?

This is where things get really important — especially from a behaviour perspective.

Lack of sleep has been linked to:

• Poor emotional regulation

• Increased anxiety

• Reduced ability to cope with stress

• Increased reactivity or aggression

• Impaired learning and memory

• Reduced ability to read social cues

Dogs who sleep less than around 8 hours overnight have been shown to have a higher incidence of problem behaviours.

Poor sleep quality is also linked to increased emotional arousal — something I see frequently in dogs struggling with anxiety or reactivity.

🔄 Sleep, Behaviour & Welfare: A Two-Way Relationship

Sleep and welfare are closely connected — and the relationship goes both ways.

• Poor welfare (pain, stress, anxiety) → worse sleep

• Poor sleep → reduced ability to cope, increased stress and behavioural changes

In other words, sleep is both a reflection of how your dog is coping and a key factor influencing their behaviour.

Why This Matters for Behaviour

Many of the dogs I work with are described as:

• Reactive

• Over-aroused

• Anxious

• Unable to settle

And often, poor sleep is part of the picture.

When a dog is tired, overwhelmed, or unable to properly rest, their ability to regulate emotions and learn new behaviours is reduced.

This is why looking at the whole dog — not just the behaviour — is so important.

Supporting Better Sleep

Supporting your dog’s sleep doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does require awareness.

Some simple things to consider:

• Providing comfortable, quiet resting areas

• Allowing your dog to rest without interruption

• Ensuring appropriate exercise (not just more exercise)

• Maintaining predictable routines

• Considering pain or physical discomfort

• Supporting emotional wellbeing and reducing stress

💛 Final Thoughts

Sleep is often overlooked, but it plays a crucial role in your dog’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, and behaviour.

If your dog is struggling — whether that’s with anxiety, reactivity, or changes in behaviour — it’s worth asking:

👉 Are they getting enough good quality rest?

Because sometimes, the most important thing we can do…

is simply let sleeping dogs lie.

📩 Need Support?

If you’re concerned about your dog’s behaviour, comfort, or overall wellbeing, I offer pain & gait assessments, behaviour support, and canine massage therapy to help you better understand what’s going on beneath the surface.

📍 Based in Devon & working online

💛 Let’s support your dog together