How Many Hours a Day Do Dogs Sleep? Normal Sleep by Age and What the Studies Measured

Dogs sleep about 11 hours a day, though many sleep several more or fewer hours. In a Dogs Trust owner survey, dogs averaged 11.2 hours at 16 weeks and 10.8 at 12 months, about 7 of them at night. A 1993 video study found night cycles averaging 16 minutes asleep and 5 minutes awake. In a small EEG study, older dogs slept more by day and less at night.

Key points

• Daytime naps count toward total sleep. Young dogs in the Dogs Trust survey napped a median of 3 to 3.5 hours daily.
• Dogs slept more and fell asleep faster after an active day in an EEG study of 16 family dogs.
• Dogs around 9 or older that wander at night and sleep more during the day may have cognitive dysfunction, notes Cornell's veterinary college. 
• Your vet first checks for discomfort and other illnesses.
• Contact your vet about sudden, lasting changes in sleep amount or timing. Bring the one-week sleep log below to your visit.
• A flat-faced dog having a breathing crisis needs immediate veterinary care, advises Cornell advises.

How many hours a day do dogs sleep?

Owner reports suggest about 11 hours of sleep daily. In the Dogs Trust Generation Pup study, a subgroup of 349 dogs averaged 11.2 hours at 16 weeks and 10.8 hours at 12 months.

These figures describe young dogs. None of the studies below establishes a normal sleep range for adult dogs.

Night sleep and daytime naps

Most sleep happened at night. Owners reported averages of 7.0 hours at 16 weeks and 7.3 hours at 12 months. Median daytime sleep was 3.5 and 3.0 hours, respectively.

Why published sleep figures vary

Sleep can be hard to measure at home. The Generation Pup authors note that owners didn’t directly observe sleep and may have confused it with quiet rest. Nighttime estimates were less reliable when owners slept in a different room from their dog.

Individual dogs vary, too. Many dogs in the survey slept several hours more or less than the average.

How much sleep does a dog need?

No study on this page establishes a required number of sleep hours. Get familiar with your dog’s usual sleep pattern rather than relying on one figure, and watch for changes.

What dog sleep studies actually measured

The six studies behind the numbers on this page used different dogs and methods, and each one has a limit worth knowing.

Study (year)	Dogs	Method	Main finding	Limit
Adams and Johnson (1993)	Domestic dogs	Video recordings of the dogs' nights	About 23 sleep-wake episodes in 8 hours; each cycle averaged 16 minutes asleep and 5 awake	Night-time only
Kinsman et al. (2020), Dogs Trust Generation Pup	349 dogs in the sleep-time subgroup	Owner questionnaires at 16 weeks and 12 months	11.2 hours a day at 16 weeks and 10.8 at 12 months, about 7 of them at night	Owners did not watch their dogs sleep and may have counted quiet rest as sleep
Bunford et al. (2018)	16 family dogs aged 1.5 to 7 years	EEG (brain-wave) recordings of sleep	Dogs slept more and fell asleep sooner after an active day; sleep was spread over several bouts in 24 hours	Small group of adult dogs
Kis et al. (2017)	15 dogs for EEG; 53 dogs for the behavior test	EEG after learning new commands; recall tested a week later	Dogs that slept after a learning session did better a week later	Small EEG group; co-funded by Nestlé Purina
Takeuchi and Harada (2002)	4 aged dogs (16 to 18 years) and 4 young dogs (3 to 4 years)	24-hour EEG	Aged dogs slept more by day, were awake more at night, had broken-up nights, and much less REM sleep	Only 8 dogs
Mondino et al. (2023)	28 dogs aged 10 to 16 years	EEG during a 2-hour afternoon nap	Older dogs took longer to fall asleep and spent more time awake; dogs with higher dementia scores had less non-REM and REM sleep	One afternoon nap, not a full day

Normal dog sleep by age: puppies, adults and seniors

The measured daily totals in this article come from young dogs, averaging about 11 hours at both 16 weeks and 12 months in the Dogs Trust survey. No large measured dataset was found for adult dogs. Senior studies describe sleep patterns rather than daily totals.

Find your dog’s life stage below. The table notes when sources provide no measured figure.

Life stage	What the evidence shows	Typical pattern	Watch for
16 weeks	11.2 hours a day on average (owner reports, Dogs Trust survey)	About 7 hours at night plus a median of 3.5 hours of naps; two-thirds (66.6%) slept in a crate or kennel	Any sudden, lasting change in sleep: call your vet
12 months	10.8 hours a day on average (same survey)	About 7.3 hours at night plus a median of 3 hours of naps; about half (49.9%) slept on a dog bed	Any sudden, lasting change in sleep: call your vet
Adult	No large measured data set for adult dogs	Sleep spread over several bouts in 24 hours, in an EEG study of 16 dogs aged 1.5 to 7	More sleep with dullness, weight gain, or feeling the cold, common hypothyroidism signs listed by Cornell
Senior	In a 24-hour EEG study of 8 dogs, aged dogs slept more by day and woke more at night. In a nap study of 28 dogs aged 10 to 16, older dogs took longer to fall asleep.	More daytime naps and more broken nights	Night wandering with more day sleep from about 9 years: ask your vet about cognitive dysfunction (Cornell)

Sleep in puppies and young dogs

Owners in the Dogs Trust survey reported about 11 hours of daily sleep at 16 weeks and a similar total at 12 months. The most common sleeping spot shifted from a crate or kennel to a dog bed.

Sleep in adult dogs

EEG research on 16 family dogs aged 1.5 to 7 describes several sleep periods across 24 hours, without giving a daily total. Compare your dog’s sleep with their own usual pattern, rather than a number from the Internet.

Sleep in senior dogs

Older dogs tend to sleep more during the day and wake more at night. In a 24-hour EEG study, 4 dogs aged 16 to 18 were compared with 4 aged 3 to 4. The older dogs had more daytime slow-wave sleep, more nighttime wakefulness, and much less REM sleep. In a nap study of 28 dogs aged 10 to 16, older dogs took longer to fall asleep and spent more time awake.

In some dogs, this shift goes further. Cornell describes cognitive dysfunction, which may start around 9 years of age or older, turning sleep into night wandering and more sleep by day; the vet section below covers it.

How dogs sleep: short cycles, REM and dreaming

Dogs sleep in several periods across 24 hours, while most people sleep in one long stretch at night, according to an EEG study of family dogs. Dogs’ nights include short cycles of sleep and wakefulness.

A night of dog sleep, cycle by cycle

A 1993 video study of dogs' nights recorded an average of 23 sleep-wake episodes over 8 hours. Each cycle averaged 16 minutes asleep and 5 minutes awake, a rhythm the authors describe as quite different from human sleep.

The table below combines these findings with the owner survey to illustrate daily sleep patterns. These study averages offer context, but your dog’s pattern may differ.

Part of the day	What happens	Source
Night	About 7 hours of sleep in all, in repeating cycles: asleep about 16 minutes, awake about 5, asleep about 16, awake about 5	Dogs Trust survey for the hours; Adams and Johnson for the cycles
Daytime	Naps adding up to a median of 3 to 3.5 hours in young dogs	Dogs Trust survey
Rest of the day	Awake: active, or lying quietly, which owners can mistake for sleep	Dogs Trust survey

Slow-wave sleep and REM

Dogs have two main sleep stages, slow-wave sleep and REM sleep, VCA's veterinarians explain. In REM, the muscles relax, the brain is more active, and the eyes move under the lids.

Do dogs dream?

VCA's veterinarians say they do. Dreams usually begin about 20 minutes into sleep, during REM sleep. Your dog’s breathing may become shallow or uneven, and their muscles may twitch.

Leg twitching is common. In the Dogs Trust survey, 73% of owners who answered the question (761 of 1,042) reported small leg twitches while their dogs slept.

Do dogs sleep at night?

Yes. Most of a dog's sleep happens at night, about 7 hours in the young dogs of the Dogs Trust survey, but it comes in short cycles with brief spells awake rather than one unbroken stretch.

Why do dogs sleep so much?

Dogs’ short sleep periods add up. The 1993 video study found nighttime cycles averaging 16 minutes asleep and 5 minutes awake. Daytime naps add to that total, helping explain why your dog seems to spend so much time asleep.

More activity, more sleep

An active day can lead to more sleep. In an EEG study of 16 family dogs aged 1.5 to 7, dogs slept more after an active day. They became drowsy and entered non-REM sleep sooner, spending more time in both non-REM and REM sleep.

Sleep and learning

Sleep may help dogs learn. A 2017 EEG and behavior study co-funded by Nestlé Purina, found that learning new commands changed sleep brain waves in 15 dogs. Some sleep features were linked to better performance afterward.

In the behavioral portion involving 53 dogs, those that slept after learning performed better a week later. Dogs given an unrelated learning task immediately afterward didn’t improve.

Rest that looks like sleep

Resting is not always sleeping. A dog lying quietly may be awake, and the Dogs Trust researchers note that owners may have mixed up sleep and quiet rest.

Age shifts sleep into the day

Older dogs may get more of their sleep during the day. In a small 24-hour EEG study, older dogs had more daytime slow-wave sleep and spent more of the night awake than younger dogs.

When a change in your dog's sleep needs a vet

Call your vet about sudden, lasting changes in how much or when your dog sleeps. They’ll check for medical causes first. Watch for these signs:

Call your vet if your dog:

• sleeps more and seems dull, less active or bothered by the cold, or gains weight (common signs of hypothyroidism, Cornell)
• is about 9 or older and wanders the house at night while sleeping more by day (Cornell)
• is a flat-faced breed that snores loudly or breathes noisily; signs of airway syndrome can include bluish gums (Cornell)

For bluish gums or a breathing crisis, go to your vet or the nearest emergency hospital immediately. If you’re unsure, call your vet.

Sleeping more, with lethargy or weight gain

Your vet may check for hypothyroidism. Cornell lists low energy, reduced activity, weight gain, and difficulty tolerating cold as common signs. Diagnosis usually occurs between 4 and 10 years of age. Your vet confirms it with blood tests and recommends treatment.

An older dog awake at night and asleep by day

Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome is a common age-related brain disease, similar to Alzheimer’s in people. It may begin around age 9 or older. Cornell lists nighttime wandering and increased daytime sleepiness among its signs. In a 2023 study of aging dogs, owners of affected dogs also reported trouble sleeping and more nighttime pacing and vocalizing.

Before diagnosing it, your vet checks for discomfort, arthritis, seizure disorders, other illnesses, and vision or hearing loss. For more detail, read about pacing and restlessness after dark.

Loud snoring in a flat-faced breed

Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds include English Bulldogs, Pugs, French Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers. They may snore or breathe noisily because of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Book a vet check for loud snoring or noisy breathing. Cornell also lists bluish gums as a sign. Bluish gums or a breathing crisis need immediate care at your vet or the nearest emergency hospital.

Is my dog sleeping too much?

Compare their sleep with their usual pattern. Call your vet if increased sleep persists or comes with any signs above. A written sleep record helps you show what has changed.

 

A one-week sleep log to bring to your vet

Print this page or copy the table. Complete one row daily for a week, then bring the log to your vet appointment.

Day	Night sleep (bedtime, wake time, times woken)	Daytime naps (number, rough length)	Activity (walks, play)	Anything new (food, routine, medicines)	Other signs (thirst, appetite, weight, snoring, pacing)
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7

How to help your dog sleep well

Give your dog an active day, keep bedtime and the sleeping place the same, and offer a resting spot near you if your dog wants one. Ask your vet to rule out medical causes before you add a supplement.

Plenty of activity during the day

Give your dog real activity during the day. In the EEG study of 16 family dogs, dogs slept more and fell asleep sooner after an active day.

A steady bedtime in a quiet place

Keep bedtime and your dog’s sleeping spot consistent. In the same study, dogs sleeping away from home were less likely to enter REM sleep after their first non-REM phase.

 

If nights are noisy, read about using white noise at bedtime. If your dog still struggles to settle, check the reasons a dog won't settle at night.

A resting place near people

Offer a resting spot near you if your dog enjoys being close. In the Dogs Trust survey, about 87% of dogs in the reported subgroup chose to be near people at both 16 weeks and 12 months. The most common sleeping spot was a crate or kennel at 16 weeks (66.6%) and a dog bed at 12 months (49.9%).

A bedtime chew as part of the routine

Once your vet rules out medical causes, a sleep-support chew may fit your dog’s bedtime routine. HolistaPet’s Sleep Aid for Dogs soft chews come in bags of 30 or 60 and are designed to support relaxation and restful sleep. Ingredients include melatonin, chamomile, passion flower, L-theanine, ashwagandha, valerian root, and tryptophan. Check the amount of each ingredient on the label.

Melatonin is a hormone supplement commonly used to regulate sleep cycles in people. Vets use it off label in dogs, so follow your vet’s directions, advise VCA's veterinarians. Ask your vet before use if your dog is sexually immature, pregnant, nursing, used for breeding, or has severe liver disease. Mention any medicines your dog takes, since melatonin can interact with several. For amounts, see melatonin doses by body weight.

More dog sleep questions, answered

These posts go deeper into questions this page only touches on.

• Sleep problems: Why won't my dog settle at night? Read the reasons a dog won't settle at night.
• Night pacing: Why does my dog pace at night? Read about pacing and restlessness after dark.
• Bedtime: Can white noise help a dog sleep? Read about using white noise at bedtime.
• Melatonin and sleep aids: How much melatonin is right for my dog's weight? Read melatonin doses by body weight.

Sources

1. Kinsman R, Owczarczak-Garstecka S, Casey R, et al. Animals (MDPI), Dogs Trust Generation Pup study. Sleep Duration and Behaviours: A Descriptive Analysis of a Cohort of Dogs up to 12 Months of Age. 2020.
2. Adams GJ, Johnson KG. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. Sleep-wake cycles and other night-time behaviours of the domestic dog Canis familiaris. 1993.
3. Bunford N, Reicher V, Kis A, et al. Scientific Reports. Differences in pre-sleep activity and sleep location are associated with variability in daytime/nighttime sleep electrophysiology in the domestic dog. 2018.
4. Kis A, Szakadat S, Gacsi M, et al. Scientific Reports. The interrelated effect of sleep and learning in dogs (Canis familiaris); an EEG and behavioural study. 2017.
5. Takeuchi T, Harada E. Behavioural Brain Research. Age-related changes in sleep-wake rhythm in dog. 2002.
6. Mondino A, Catanzariti M, Mateos DM, et al. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Sleep and cognition in aging dogs. A polysomnographic study. 2023.
7. VCA Animal Hospitals. Do Dogs Dream? 2024.
8. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Riney Canine Health Center. Cognitive dysfunction syndrome. 2025.
9. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Riney Canine Health Center. Hypothyroidism. Undated.
10. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Riney Canine Health Center. Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS). Undated.
11. VCA Animal Hospitals. Melatonin. 2026.