Many of us are now home with our dogs, who prior to COVID-19, spent all day alone at home. I think this is fantastic for dogs to get so much more time with their people!
I’ve also seen tons of information about activities to do with your dog while you are all home. Enrichment activities, tricks, classes online, games, walks, and more walks. So much fun! This is all simply awesome. I love seeing people interact with their dogs more and use their creativity to come up with fun ways to enjoy each other more.
But I’ve had several questions about dogs who are struggling to adapt to this new, busy, stimulating lifestyle. For some dogs, who are used to 8 plus hours per day of quiet time, this is hard! While you’re at work, your dog is likely to be sleeping or at least resting. Now that the whole family is home, there’s more stimulation in the house and for some dogs this will prevent good rest and sleep.
Dogs sleep more than people! Most adult dogs sleep 12-14 hours per day (Becker, K. S., 2019). This is because dogs don’t accomplish REM sleep as easily as people do. They actually *need* more sleep. And just like for people, if your dog isn’t getting enough sleep or isn’t feeling rested, behavior problems could arise.
So, keep up the enrichment and play and walk times! But also consider offering your dog a nap time if your household is suddenly busier. Set up a comfy spot in a quiet room. Leave your dog with a stuffed kong or other special chewy item in case she decides not to sleep. Turn on some soothing music or white noise. Turn the lights down. And let your pup doze for an hour or two.
Photo Credit: Bethany P
Here are some studies and articles related to sleep in dogs:
Becker, K. S. (2019). How much sleep should your dog get? [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2019/02/08/dog-sleep.aspx
Bódizs, R. Kis, A., Gácsi, M., & Topál, J. (2020). Sleep in the dog: comparative, behavioral and translational research. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 33, 25-33. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.12.006
London, K. (2016) A study of sleep in dogs. The Bark. Retrieved from https://thebark.com/content/study-sleep-dogs