PDTE 2011 July Newsletter

Sleeping Dogs!
Winkie Spiers, England
Too often I see in my day to day work dogs
who don’t get enough good quality sleep
and there seem to be a variety of factors
that contribute to this. Quite a few dogs
that I see are stressed or anxious for one
reason or another and can’t settle or relax,
others may be suffering from ill health or a
pain issue, some don’t have any suitable
or comfortable places to be or are crated
for long periods of time. Not enough good
quality sleep can have a detrimental effect
on us and on dogs so it’s worth thinking
about.
Dogs are what’s known as ‘polyphasic’
sleepers, which means that they naturally
sleep multiple times in a 24 hour period for
anywhere from 12 – 18 hours. The time
that a dog will need to spend sleeping will
depend on a huge variety of factors; age,
state of health, type of dog/breed, season/
weather, hormonal state, activity levels,
diet etc and this will vary throughout the
dog’s life. In addition dogs need space to
be able to lie flat out to achieve good REM
sleep, which is something that isn’t always
possible in crates, small plastic beds or
enclosed spaces.
I’ve observed dogs choosing to sleep in a
large variety of places both inside and outside,
and I think a choice suitable for each
individual is hugely important. Often dogs
are given just one place that is theirs and
I don’t believe that is enough. Some dogs
like to sleep where they can see as many
doors and as much going on in the household
as possible, they are nosy and like
to keep an eye on what we are up to from
a safe vantage point. Or at other times
they may like to feel secure in a corner or
hidden away. Within multi-dog households
they need to be able to have the opportunity
to sleep alone and in peace away
from others if they want to, although some
dogs like to be close to each other or us
when they sleep. All individual likes and
dislikes should be considered, and bear in
mind that things may well change. Safety
is essential if a dog is to have good quality
sleep, so ensure that wherever they sleep
they are made to feel safe and that noone/nothing
can interfere with them.
from watching where and when my dogs
sleep at different times of the year and depending
on their mood and energy levels.
In my home my dogs have two sofas to lie
on in our sitting room along with a bean
bag, a large fluffy rug, two dog beds and
some sheepskins. In the kitchen there
are a couple of beds and in the bedroom
there are several different types of bed.
In the garden I put out rugs and blankets
in different places so that wherever I am
they can be with me or somewhere else,
they can be in the sun or in the shade. My
lurchers are more fussy about where they
sleep than my terrier, as their skin and
coats are much finer, but as Dennis my
terrier has got older he now prefers softer
surfaces.
Lying down on slippery surfaces can be
difficult for dogs as they slip getting up and
down, so laminate flooring I find not great
for quality sleep. Equally when travelling in
a car it’s essential to make sure the dogs
have a non-slip and comfortable place
to lie down on a journey, and on a long
journey they need space to be able to lie
flat out if they want or need to. Peace and
quiet is not to be forgotten either; remember
that their hearing is often much better
than ours so keeping the volume down
generally can help both them and us!
Comfortable and good quality sleep
promotes good health and well being and
is as important for us as it is for dogs – are
you getting enough??
Within breeds there will be differences; the
hairier the dog the more it might seek out
cool places, and dogs with finer coats and
thinner skin may need more padded and
comfortable places to be. I find I learn a lot
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