There are a lot of things I don’t mind about my dog, a German Shepherd. There’s the way they play around, move at home, and even the way they sleep! But as the weeks went by, I got curious about the German Shepherd sleeping habits and if it were any more different than the typical dog.
That’s why I wanted to do my research and see what the healthy sleeping habits of a dog are. If you want to make sure that your dog is sleeping well, then read on! I’ll be showing you all about your German Shepherd and their rest.
German Shepherd Sleeping Habits
While I wasn’t so worried about my German Shepherd’s sleeping habits, I was curious to see if he was getting enough sleep. This is because sleep is crucial and beneficial to a dog’s life, just like us. After all, if we get too little or too much sleep, it can be an underlying illness or lack of energy.
In general, a German Shepherd should have between 12-14 hours of sleep. BUT, this is just an average number and it all depends on their lifestyle, whether they’re working dogs, or usually at home. So if your dog gets a bit less or more of this amount of sleep, no worries!
I’ll be getting into these specific details in the next sections.
The Different Lifestyles and How It Affects Sleep
All our dogs are different, even if they are the same breed. German Shepherds are known for their burst of energy and working attitude. BUT, some are docile and content living life at home peacefully with their owners.
German Shepherds are brought to services such as the military, caring for patients, and even at home, are natural security guards. Because of this, they are either trained or grow to be resistant to sleep. As a result, they sleep less, as they have minimal time to and are busy training, already adapting to the schedule.
But with more sedentary dogs that stay at home and exercise at good amounts daily, they can sleep up to 14 hours. They usually don’t have any specific sleeping schedules or patterns, unless “inspired” by their owners. So expect to see your dog nap for an accumulated 14 hours a night.
Another thing that affects their sleeping habits is their age.
Younger dogs, especially newborns, can spend up to 20 hours sleeping daily. The same goes for more senior dogs, as they are less active and lively as they were when they were young adults!
Is Your German Shepherd Sleeping Too Much?
It’s time to worry if your dog is sleeping OVER 16 hours a day. 14-15 hours is still considered normal, but anything over that can mean something.
- It can mean. Your dog is sick, getting more rest to battle the illness
- They are getting older and have less energy, using their time to sleep more
- If ever they still sleep more despite being a young adult showing no serious symptoms, and you aren’t able to wake them up easily, it’s time to check with the veterinarian
To help keep them from oversleeping, you can set up a consistent sleep schedule for the household, which your dog will eventually follow. Also, keep them engaged with various activities and exercise, such as training sessions, playing games, or walks to the park to prevent them from napping more.
See more: Are German Shepherds Hard to Train? All You Need to Learn
Is Your German Shepherd Sleeping Too Little?
Is your dog sleeping far less than the recommended minimum of 12 hours? Then this might be due to pent up energy your German Shepherd has. That’s why you need to make sure that your dog gets at least two hours of exercise daily.
This helps him wind down and lessen his energy to nap or sleep. If ever the problem persists, supplements like melatonin are recommended, but only if permitted by their veterinarian. This is because sometimes, little sleep can be caused by conditions like arthritis or injuries that make sleeping in one position painful.
Watch out for any sleeping disorders as well and make sure you consult the veterinarian if you notice any changes.
Check out this adorable German Shepherd sleeping and see how they dream and wake up in this video:
Wrapping It Up
Sleep is an incredibly important part of our lives, and this goes the same for dogs! Whether it’s an adult or German Shepherd puppy sleeping habits, it’s important to learn about it as well. This can ensure that they have no sleeping issues and that they can live a healthy life with more energy.
I hope this article on the German Shepherd sleeping habits helped you out! So start learning even more about your German Shepherd, from training him well to keeping him happy.