How much sleep your dog really needs – it’s more than you think

A vet has weighed in with a verdict on how much sleep your dog should be getting each day.

We are a nation of dog lovers, with approximately 33% of UK households owning a dog, making them the most popular choice of pet, according to Dogster.

Known for their loyalty and unconditional love for their owners, it’s no wonder so many people are keen to open their homes to a pet dog. Of course, it’s worth bearing in mind a dog is a long-term commitment; they need constant attention and care for their whole lives so anyone considering adding one to their family is advised to do detailed research.

Many people turn to social media looking for insight and guidance on life with a pet, with some curious to understand whether the antics their dog gets up to are normal.

Thankfully, there’s a host of professionals online keen to share their expert opinion on a range of topics. One such pro making waves on social media is Ben The Vet, a UK vet who’s amassed more than 208K followers on TikTok.

His informative videos have resonated with animal lovers, racking up over five million likes. In a recent clip, the vet explained the reasoning behind why dogs sleep the way they do, and exactly how much sleep they should be getting to remain healthy.

Speaking directly to the camera, he began: “How much sleep is an average dog supposed to get every day? It’s easy to assume that eight hours might be enough – the same as us humans – but actually, the requirement for dogs is more like 12 to 14 hours.

“Some individuals need 18 hours of sleep; giant breeds, puppies, very active dogs. Dogs are diurnal – same as us – which means that they predominantly sleep at night time but unlike us, they are classified as polyphasic sleepers which means they have multiple bouts of sleep throughout the day.”

The vet continued: “It’s not laziness or boredom, it’s just normal dog sleep. The problem is that many dogs simply do not get enough daytime sleep.

“For instance, dogs that go to a Doggy Daycare may be kept stimulated throughout the day, or dogs that live in a busy home with small children, for instance, may not have the opportunity to take themselves off to have those daytime bouts of sleep that are very important.”

Ben explained that, like with humans, a lack of enough sleep will have an impact a dog’s behaviour and how they may be feeling. It could lead to them becoming more easily frustrated around humans and other dogs.

Anxiety and similar symptoms have been known to be exacerbated by not getting enough sleep and the vet said this could also be the case for dogs. He added: “It turns out there is some literal truth to the phrase, ‘let sleeping dogs lie’.”