Dog Sleep Supplies for the better sleep of puppies and adult dogs. Sound sleep supplies include beds, blankets, pillows and houses.  Our supplies are only part of the solution of ensuring your dog has healthy sleeping patterns. Two of the best tools come from understanding why sleep is important and how to observe abnormal behaviours. Support sound sleep for your puppy.

Why consider your dogs sleep?

We always feel better after a good night's sleep, and your dog is no different. Dogs sleep more than we do; depending on their age and activity level, they may snooze for up to 14 hours a day.  Puppies will usually sleep more than this. Also, some medical problems such as an underactive thyroid gland will make an elderly dog doze more than usual. Other dogs may be wakeful through the night and this is a common feature of dementia in older animals.

Over the years, scientific studies of humans and animals have suggested that a lack of sleep is bad for our health. Although there are no specific examples of the beneficial effects of sleep on our dogs, it's fair to say that their brains and bodies have a lot in common with ours. It’s very likely that sleep is as important to them as it is to us.

Sleep and Your Dog’s Health

Sleep appears to be involved in making sure the immune system functions properly, and a lack of sleep may leave your dog more susceptible to illness and infection. In fact, a study involving rats found that those that were sleep deprived died within only a few weeks.

If you’ve been involved in dog training, you may have noticed that your dog doesn’t seem as switched on when they are tired. A lack of sleep can certainly affect their memory and their ability to learn.

Apart from the effects on the body, a lack of sleep can leave your dog feeling cranky and short-tempered.

How Dogs Sleep

Have you ever noticed your dog twitch, whimper and paddle its feet while asleep? They are in the REM (rapid eye movement) phase of sleep, and their brain is extremely active even though their body is completely relaxed.  It is quite possible that your dog is dreaming during REM sleep because their brainwaves are similar to those of people during a vivid dream.

Your dog also has periods of non-REM sleep, which is a lighter type of sleep. They are easier to wake during this sleep, because their mind is less active. 90% of your dog’s sleep time is spent in non-REM sleep.

Dogs can suffer from the same disorders of sleep patterns that people do. They may have narcolepsy, where they are extremely sleepy for most of the day, and short nosed breeds such as Pugs may suffer from sleep apnoea.

Help Your Dog Get Enough Sleep

To make sure your dog gets plenty of sleep and feels good while they are awake, you need to make sure they are comfortable.

• Give your dog a bed to sleep on. Some people choose to share their own bed with their dog. If that’s not for you, there are a variety of soft pillow beds and mats that you can purchase for them.

• Make sure your dog’s bed is sheltered from the elements. If they are an inside dog, they won’t have to worry about cold draughts or excessive sunlight. Outside dogs need to have a shady place to sleep that is out of the wind.

• Don’t let children or other pets disturb your dog when they are asleep. If a dog is woken during REM sleep, it can give them a fright and they may snap. Let them rest until they wake of their own accord.