Dog Insomnia - The What and Why of Dog Sleeping Problems

Just like humans, dogs can have trouble sleeping. Andcausing the snore. See a veterinarian, who should
also similar to humans, dog sleeping problems can beprobably check for allergies as well as assess the
caused by a number of different factors. Here, we'lldog's weight. Obesity can cause snoring in pets.
explore the common canine sleeping problems,For insomnia, however, the situation is more complex.
possible causes of those problems, and ways toOne thing you could consider is whether the dog
address the problems to help your pet sleep better.gets enough exercise. Like a child without recess, the
Whether it means treating an underlying medicaldog may be "wound for sound" come bedtime. Try
problem or buying a waterproof dog bed, takingdaytime exercise to see if this helps.
action to address your dog sleeping problem can beIf not, the insomnia could be caused by discomfort.
good for both you and for your dog.However, even discomfort has many different
Common Types of Dog Sleeping Problemspossible causes:
Almost any dog sleeping problem can be classified• Improper Bedding.If your dog is sensitive or has
into one of two general types of struggle: snoringjoint problems, he or she may really benefit from a
and sleeplessness. (Just like humans!) Let us look atbetter dog bed. Memory foam or orthopedic beds
each of these two problems, and then explore someare a great place to start. A waterproof dog bed is
of the common causes that can prevent a dog fromalso a good idea for older dogs; it keeps things
sleeping well for that reason.cleaner and more sanitary.
• Dog Insomnia is characterized by the dog pacing• Health problems. Things that could make your
at night, most often. It may also whine, try to getcanine uncomfortable include fleas, internal injury,
attention from its owners, or display an excess ofallergies, or a major illness or sickness.
energy (not unlike a child who is 'wound up' because• Mental/psychological issues. If your dog's living
she is actually tired!) Even if you try everything tosituation has recently changed, stress or emotional
keep your dog comfortable (Think dog bed: memorytrauma may cause the sleeping problem you're
foam style), he or she may still have trouble sleepingexperiencing. Also, as dogs age, their hearing and
for a number of reasons.vision deteriorate. They may feel disoriented, which is
• Dog snoring is a bit more straightforward (or atwhy they wander around.
least easier to identify) as sleeping problems go. ThisWhat To Do About Dog Sleeping Troubles
one will certainly not be solved with a nice foam dogFirst and foremost, see a veterinarian. He or she can
bed, so read on to learn what you can do.check for allergies, parasites, joint problems, injuries,
What Can Cause A Dog Sleep Problemsillnesses, and other health problems. This is very
Of course, when you first get your pet, sleepingimportant. If the dog is deemed healthy, get a
through the night may be out of the question. Tocomfortable bed (such as a foam dog bed, etc.) that
use another kid metaphor, this is the same withis big enough for the dog's size.
puppies as with infants. But if the dog, as an adult,Finally, for older dogs, consider installing night lights
develops sleeping problems or seems to get worse,around the house, in case its vision is causing it to
there could be an underlying issue.become scared in the dark.
For snoring, there is almost always a health problem