How Dogs Sleep: 5 Common Dog Sleeping Positions Explained

There is a direct link between a dog’s health and their sleeping habits. While a dog may start napping due to boredom or nod off to rest after high activity levels, spending their day sleeping is how they keep their immune systems, memories, and learning capabilities sharp and strong. Sleep deprivation can adversely affect dogs, making them more prone to health problems and poor moods.

Dogs and humans share a couple of similarities when it comes to sleeping. Like humans, dogs’ sleep patterns also follow a circadian rhythm, and they also experience rapid eye movement sleep, also known as REM sleep, which means they can dream. Dogs can also experience sleep disorders like sleep apnea (at much lower rates than humans).

Additionally, dogs are social sleepers, so their sleep cycles will adapt to their owner’s schedule—which means night-shift workers are more likely to have dogs that are nocturnal.

Dogs are polyphasic sleepers, which means they will sleep multiple times throughout the day, rather than one segment. A single sleep session lasts about 45 minutes for dogs, totaling around 10 to 14 hours of daily sleep.

A dog’s age can influence how often they sleep, as older dogs will have less energy during the day and need more sleep to recover than younger dogs.

Dog sleeping positions can offer some insight into your pooch’s mind. Here are a few common dog sleep positions and what they mean:

1. 1. Sleeping on their side is a sign of trust. A dog that sleeps on its side is exposing their most vulnerable regions, which means they feel safe and comfortable in their environment. Side sleeping is generally a sign of deep sleep, during which their muscles relax, leaving them unable to remain on their stomach, so they slump over.
2. 2. Sleeping on their stomach is a light snooze. Also known as “the Superman,” you may have seen your dog fall asleep in this position: front legs extended with their back legs stretched out behind them. This position denotes light snoozing—dogs stay in this position so they can spring up on their paws at a moment’s notice for playtime. This is a common sleep position for high-energy puppies and dogs.
3. 3. Sleeping on their back has two indications. A dog that sleeps on their back with their paws in the air either feels safe in their environment or is attempting to regulate their body temperature. Since the fur on their stomachs is much thinner than their backs, a dog sleeping on its back may be trying to cool down.
4. 4. Light sleeping occurs in the lion’s pose. Some dogs sleep on their stomachs with their head on their front paws. This sleep position, also known as the lion’s pose, signals that your dog is in the first stage of sleep and can wake easily. This sleep position may transition into the side-sleeping position once the dog’s sleep deepens.
5. 5. Curling up helps regulate temperature. Dogs in the wild will often curl up to protect their vital organs while they sleep. This “donut” sleep position also helps regulate their body temperature, conserving warmth in colder seasons.

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