Older Dog Sleeping.

[maggie01]

If anyone has a senior dog, how many hours a day would you say it sleeps?
I know my dog has health problems and I have spoken to the vet about the hours she sleeps and she doesn't think it is a problem but she has been on the sofa for about 6hrs sleeping. Occasionally looking up but not moving from the sofa.

Is this normal? She is 13yrs 4mnths old.

[FredPuli43]

No, it isn't a worry. Blimey, some of my youngsters sleep like that! They may bestir themselves briefly if they hear anything of interest or if they think food is on immediate offer, but not otherwise. Your dog is old and can't be bothered even with that stimulus, as often as not. It may not feel up to moving much. If it's not in obvious pain or distress and the vet isn't worried, nor should you be though you remember the dog being more active. And, if the dog's life is coming to a peaceful end, well , that's natural too, and , let's face it, the best way to go. While I don't think that is necessarily the case, probably not, there's no harm in it.

[andy-hughes]

I wouldn;t worry at all.

Older dogs sleep a lot more. Young dogs have frantic bursts of energy, followed by deep sleep for a short period. Older dogs do sleep more, partly because, as advised, they can rarely be bothered to investigate noises they have heard loads of times before.

Be aware, that your dog is into her senior years, and you may find one day that she has quietly slipped away in her sleep, which is the best way for her - at home, comfortable, with no pain.

Not trying to be doom and gloom, just that you have to preprare for the fact that the day is going to come.

[RATTER15]

Ive known old folk to sleep that long too, some old folk only wake to eat and then back to sleep again, its not just dogs.

[Dee Sa]

its quite normal Maggie , don't worry.

[ladybirder]

What breed of dog is she Maggie?

[maggie01]

Thank you all.
Ladybirder. She is a shih-Tzu. A diddy one.

I know the time is around the corner and I am preparing myself if it's at all possible.

She still goes for a short walk every day and has a few trips out in the garden.

She is eating ok etc . Like you all say, she has probably heard all the noises before so can't be bothered.