For the first time in ages, I’m gonna be at my parents’ place for more than a few days. There’s loads of dogs here, and I can relate to them very well indeed. The only thingthat is a “mystery” is how the sleep works. Basically if I do anything I can wake any number of dogs up if I like, and they don’t seem bothered. And from previous experience when younger it was basically assumed that dogs will sleep whenever, but the number of these dogs now is possibly getting such that better understanding is needed by me. I can’t find much online, how do dogs work out sleep etc?
I’m not sure what the question is, or the situation that prompted the concern.
Aside from that, I’m all ready to talk about dog sleep!
Why do you feel that you need to understand their sleeping habits?
As I understand it, dogs tailor their activity to what’s happening around them. If you are up and about, they’ll be up and about, if you are mellowing out, they will mellow out. It doesn’t matter if you wake them up because they get plenty of sleep through the day.
Hmm… never heard the phrase “let sleeping dogs lie”? Our dog has about a thirty second window where he doesn’t know where he is. If you try and pick him up too soon, he will become a snarling, snapping beast. Like a 1/8th size Cujo, except don’t confuse the size for a lack of lethality. Blood has been drawn.
For a fun time, look up “narcoleptic dogs” on Youtube. When they get too excited, they pass out.
Richard Pearse: sounds about right. I’d imagine the behavior is similar to a dog pack having to wake at the same time and sleep light both to protect against danger and to not be left behind.
Well, Simple Linctus, unless you’ve got some over the top fear of dogs, you’re going to be the alpha of the pack. They’ll do what you do.
One thing I strongly recomend is find out their feeding schedule from your parents and stick to it.
Also, ask your parents if the pups need to be seperated come feeding time. You’d be surprized how some dogs can seem like the best of friends, but when that food comes out; look out! You’ve got a Cujo on your hands.
Gunner the Great Dane specializes in sleep! He seems to get what Deane owners call the Zoomies, he goes spastic for ten minutes or so, running around like he’s on fire, then he’ll stop, plop down and sleep for an hour. When 11pm hits, he picks himself up, walks into our bedroom, plops down on his bed and starts to snore. He really just seems to fit in sleep whenever nothing interesting is going on, but like others have said he does seem to follow our lead. He goes to bed at night when we do and wakes up every single morning at 6:29, one minute before our alarm goes off. I know the alarm is about to ring because I can feel the slurp of a Great Dane tongue on the side of my face!