How long does a Shiba Inu sleep?

Does it seem like your Shiba Inu sleeps too much? Is your dog a real lazy-bones who competes with your cat for the number of hours each spends snoozing? If your dog sleeps a lot and you are concerned, you are not alone.

Shiba Inu breed dogs are known to sleep long and often. They can sleep 12 to 16 hours a day. As for puppies, 18 to 20 hours is typically common. This is normal and you should not worry if your adult Shiba Inu prefers to go to bed occasionally. This is because this breed loves sleep as much as it loves food.

When the Shiba Inu reaches a certain age, he begins to prefer sleeping to playing with toys or other pets in the house. It begins to miss the playful puppy that filled the house with joy. So what can be done to prevent this sedentary lifestyle from causing the dog serious health conditions such as obesity or worse?

How much sleep does a Shiba Inu need?

Newborn

In this very short but rich stage of life, they get plenty of hours of sleep! For the first week of life, Shiba Inu infants sleep whenever they are not nursing. Typically, infants nurse every 2 hours, but even when they do, their eyes are closed and they appear to be eating in their sleep.

As they grow, they begin to spend more time awake. By 3 weeks of age they will have about 2 to 4 hours of active time per day, thus sleeping 20 to 22 hours per day, divided into small bursts of energy and exploration of the world.

Puppy

Puppies grow and change rapidly. They need a lot of sleep to recharge their growing bodies. In addition, several studies show that sleep is critical for cognitive development, even in dogs. From 2 to 5 months of age, Shiba Inu puppies generally sleep about 18 to 20 hours a day. This includes both nighttime sleep and naps scattered throughout the day.

Obviously, the puppy will sleep longer during the night, but he will still need to get up to relieve his small bladder and stretch. He may also have a burst of energy and look like he wants to play. With some patience and guidance, the puppy can learn to sleep through the night by 4 months of age.

Older puppies, about 6 to 12 months old, sleep about 14 to 16 hours over a 24-hour period. At this point, they should be more active and curious during the day and will be better at sleeping through the night for periods of 6-9 hours. They will also take several naps during the day, as well as moments of rest where they seem to be just lying down, but somewhat alert, and moments of high-energy wakefulness where they will want to play and work.

Adult

The adult Shiba Inu normally sleeps about 12 to 16 hours each day.

It is important to remember that this can vary greatly depending on each dog's personality and temperament, as well as the atmosphere and lifestyle of your home. When I asked Shiba Inu owners how their Shiba Inu behaved, they covered all ranges of this 12-16 hour interval. An important factor was the degree of activity and attention span of the owners.

Because Shiba Inu were originally bred to hunt and flush out small game, they like to be active and given a task to do. If your lifestyle is active, so will be yours.

I found it interesting that almost all of the 100 owners who responded to my question about how much their Shiba slept answered that their Shiba slept most of the day. Only a few people told me that their dog was awake for most of the day.

This makes me think that perhaps Shiba Inus tend to sleep more than other dog breeds such as corgis.

Senior

Your Shiba Inu is considered old around age 9, and at this point you will probably begin to see your dog slowly increase the amount of time he rests and sleeps.

It won't happen all at once, but just like humans, as they age they tend to slow down and not have the same energy as a young puppy. Old Shiba Inu sleep an average of 14-16 hours a day, when they reach 12-14 years of age and older, they may sleep up to 18 hours a day.

In old age, your Shiba Inu's sleep patterns may also change. It is normal for Shiba Inu to take more naps during the day and have some waking periods during the night.

If your Shiba Inu has sudden or significant changes in its sleeping patterns, it is probably best to consult your veterinarian.

Your Shiba Inu may wake up more at night because his bladder is aging and he needs to urinate more often. You can try to help him by taking him outside just before bedtime and limiting his water intake just before bedtime.

Is it normal for a Shiba Inu to sleep so much?

It is completely natural for dogs to sleep when they want to. Unlike humans, who have busy schedules, dogs do not have the pressure of constantly feeling the "need" to do something productive.

This allows dogs to listen to the signals their bodies are constantly producing. Therefore, when their bodies signal that it is time to rest, they rest.

This is critical because, just as with humans, sleep is therapeutic and important for mental acuity and immune system functioning.

How to get a Shiba Inu to sleep longer?

If you are having difficulty getting your Shiba Inu to sleep at night, you are not the only one. Whether it is a new puppy or you have just moved into a new home, most owners go through this stage at some point.

Elements that can make this phase difficult can be waking up in the middle of the night, having difficulty settling in, or waking up too early in the morning.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help your Shiba Inu get the nighttime sleep he or she needs.

• Create a routine
• Get your Shiba to exercise
• Monitor his sleeping environment

Create a routine for your Shiba Inu's sleep. Feed him hours before bedtime and allow extra time for him to relax before sleep.

Give your Shiba Inu plenty of exercise. The Shiba Inu is a large dog that needs lots of exercise. So take him for walks or exercises and keep him active so that he can sleep well at night.

Make sure your Shiba Inu sleeps in the right place. Sometimes the place where he sleeps is noisy or uncomfortable. Also, make sure the place is clean. If your Shiba Inu has a comfortable and suitable place to sleep, he will sleep enough during the night. Therefore, he will not sleep all day.

If you notice that your Shiba Inu has sleeping problems, consult your veterinarian. Your Shiba Inu may have a medical problem that hinders his sleep.

Is it good to sleep together with your dog?

Sleeping together with your dog has a number of advantages, but at the same time disadvantages. In this table I try to summarize the list of pros and cons of sleeping with a dog.

In some cultures, dogs and humans have been sleeping together for thousands of years, and for good reason: the proximity of your Shiba Inu helps increase levels of oxytocin, a powerful hormone that will help you relax, unwind, lower your heart rate and feel calmer.

However, the sleep cycles of dogs and humans can be very different. If you or your dog is a light and inconstant sleeper, it may be difficult to get enough sleep if your dog is constantly waking you up.