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Are Dogs Nocturnal? Why is My Dog Awake at Night?

If your dog spends a lot of time awake at night, you may wonder if dogs are nocturnal by nature. We answer that and more!

Despite napping throughout the day, most dogs sleep restfully at night, sticking pretty close to their owners’ sleep habits. But if your dog struggles with excessive energy and wakefulness at night, figuring out how to manage their sleep schedule can be a challenge.

Waking up to your pooch staring at you in the morning can be a little unnerving—you may wonder whether they’ve been up for a long time, just watching you sleep. Some dogs may also seem unwilling to go to bed at a reasonable time, which can be very frustrating. 

Dog owners whose pups have difficulty establishing a nightly sleep schedule may wonder — are dogs nocturnal?”

Dogs are not innately nocturnal; rather, their sleep routines tend to mirror those of their owners. However, some dogs may stay up later, wake up earlier, or get up throughout the night. If you notice your dog regularly awake during nighttime, you may want to investigate further. 

When Do Dogs Sleep?

Dogs are considered to be social sleepers, meaning they sleep when their “pack” (including humans) sleeps, regardless of the time of the day. This usually makes their sleep behavior diurnal, or active during the day. Though they may have needs or impulses that cause them to wake up in the middle of the night, generally any sign that their owner is going to bed is an indicator to the pooch that it is also their bedtime. 

In comparison to domesticated dogs, wolves and wild dogs tend to be more nocturnal or crepuscular (active during dawn or dusk). These animals tend to sleep or rest during the daytime and be active or hunt at night, twilight, or early in the morning.

For dogs to be considered nocturnal, they would need to be more active at night than in the daytime, which is usually not the case. There may be some situations in which a dog switches to a more nocturnal lifestyle because their owner is more active at night, but generally, dogs are more active during the day. 

Are Certain Dog Breeds More Likely to Be Nocturnal?

Although dogs tend to sync sleep patterns with their owners, some dogs may be more likely to stay up throughout the night. However, this does not mean they are nocturnal. Working dogs that were bred to guard livestock—such as the Anatolian Shepherd, Komondor, Great Pyrenees, and Tibetan Mastiff—may adjust better to night wakefulness. 

That said, even dogs who traditionally stayed up throughout the night are able to learn to sleep according to their owners’ preferences, though their natural inclinations may mean they will need a bit more training to build new habits. 

nocturnal dog awake at night

Differing Sleep Needs

Dogs typically need more sleep than humans do. While humans require an average of 8 hours of sleep, dogs will sleep for about 12 hours per day or longer. 

In addition to this sleep time, many dogs also spend a portion of the day resting—not necessarily sleeping, but not being active, either. Larger dogs tend to sleep more compared to smaller dogs, and working dogs tend to need less sleep due to their higher activity levels. 

Like humans, dogs experience slow-wave sleep and REM sleep. During short naps, dogs may be more aware and may not reach a REM cycle. 

During longer periods of sleep, dogs are more likely to enter REM sleep and may dream. Though dogs cannot tell us what they are dreaming about, their body language during sleep certainly seems to confirm that many dogs experience dreams, especially during long naps or nighttime sleep. 

It is important for dogs’ quality of sleep that they are able to experience REM sleep. Just like humans, when dogs do not get enough deep sleep, they may become less able to focus, more tired, and more irritable. For this reason, it is important to make sure your dog is getting enough rest throughout the day and night.

The need for sleep is increased when dogs are puppies and when they are seniors. Though energetic, puppies tire fairly easily and need lots of rest, sometimes sleeping 18-20 hours throughout the day. 

Senior dogs decline in energy as they age, needing more daily rest than younger dogs. It is important to be aware of sudden changes to a senior dog’s sleep habits, though, because those may be indicative of other health problems, such as dementia

If Dogs Aren’t Nocturnal, Why Is My Dog More Active at Night?

Because it is normal for most dogs to match their sleep patterns to those of their owners, disruptions in your dog’s sleeping habits may be a sign that they are experiencing discomfort. While some of the reasons why dogs are restless at night are temporary and will go away naturally, other causes of night wakefulness may require vet intervention. 

Many dogs do experience anxiety, which can be disruptive to sleep patterns. Trying to figure out what is causing your dog to feel anxious and modifying that may help relieve their restlessness, though it is important to know that some dogs will naturally become more anxious in certain circumstances, including in new environments and as they age.

Physical pain can also cause dogs to become restless at night. Itching at night may be a sign of skin irritation; if you notice your dog incessantly scratching, it is a good idea to check for fleas. Pain such as arthritis may cause dogs to lose sleep at night—thankfully, there are many options to help treat this type of discomfort. 

are dogs nocturnal - dog awake at night

Like humans, dogs may experience congestion at night, which can cause them to make unusual sounds during sleep. If your dog is restful but is making strange sounds or lip-smacking noises at night, they may be verbalizing while dreaming or may be dealing with discomfort. 

Although it can be troublesome to get up to check on your dog in the middle of the night, if these sounds are occurring regularly, it is worthwhile to verify whether or not your dog is sleeping or is awake during these disturbances. 

If your dog is asleep, the sounds may be unintentional—but if these sounds are very disturbing to your sleep, you may want to move your dog to a different room at night. On the other hand, if your dog is awake and is regularly making these sounds, it may not be a bad idea to have them checked out by their vet to make sure they do not have a health problem that is causing insomnia and discomfort. 

Puppy Zoomies

Many puppies, and some younger adult dogs, will often get a case of the “Zoomies” at night. While these short periods of intense energy bursts can happen at any time, they seem to happen more frequently at night.

Zoomies are also known as “puppy crazies” or “frapping” (a variation of the acronym F.R.A.P., which stands for Frenetic Random Activity Period. Your pup may randomly start running at full speed in circles, stopping suddenly, and then resuming the activity.

If you’re not prepared for this behavior, you may be very alarmed the first time you experience it. You may feel like your dog is possessed, and that you have no control over the them for this short period of time. Don’t worry, they usually grow out of this behavior!

It’s generally understood that this is simply a release of pent up energy by a dog, which of course is more likely to happen with a puppy who hasn’t fully developed yet and has more frequent play-eat-sleep cycles.

Conclusion

Dogs are not typically night owls, though some may be a bit more predisposed to staying up late than others. Dogs whose owners are more active at night are more likely to be awake later because changes in the owner’s sleep schedule are usually matched by the dog. 

If your dog has always been more awake at night, they may need training to modify their sleep patterns. Dogs who suddenly become more wakeful or restless at night may have health issues that need to be addressed to help them achieve sleep. If this sounds like your pooch, you may need to seek a vet’s opinion to make sure your dog is healthy. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do Dogs See Better in the Dark?

A: It is true that dogs have better night vision than humans do, thanks to their tapetum lucidum. This reflective tissue found behind the retina is also present in cats and many other animals; it works like a mirror, reflecting available light back through the eyes, which helps dogs and other animals see better in the dark. The tapetum lucidum is also what causes many animals’ eyes to appear reflective in dim light. 

While dogs can see much better at night than humans can, dogs still need at least a little light to navigate at night. It is likely that dogs also rely heavily on their other strong senses—including smell and hearing—to find their way around at night. 

Q: How Can I Help My Dog Go to Sleep?

A: While some dogs may be able to adapt to changes in their owners’ sleep schedules, others may find it difficult to adjust and may be awake at less-than-ideal times. If the restlessness is not attributable to a health problem, your dog’s insomnia may be possible to fix with training and patience. 

Some dogs may need more activity throughout their day to appropriately wear them out for bedtime. Sedentary dogs tend to sleep more than working dogs, but this is not always due to a need for sleep—some dogs may nap because they have nothing else to do. 

Helping your dog be physically active is not only good for their overall health, but is also beneficial to their sleep patterns, helping them achieve deeper sleep

If your dog is still struggling to sleep, there may be other options that can help. First check with your veterinarian to verify that your dog does not have health problems that are causing insomnia or other sleep disruptions.If approved by your vet, there are various medications that can help your dog sleep, including Benadryl and melatonin.you may be able to start your pooch on  Benadryl or melatonin intended for dogs. Do make sure to check with your vet first before starting your dog on any medication. 

Chelsea Dickan

Chelsea Dickan

Chelsea Dickan is a long-time advocate for animals, especially those that bark or meow. When she isn't writing, she enjoys reading and watching scary movies in which the dog doesn't die.