My Dog Is Getting Harder To Wake Up : (7 Clear Facts)

Owning a dog has always been a pleasure for almost every human, however, these loving pets are often the reason why owners get confused. Many wonders have queries regarding their pet dog, which includes one of the most commonly asked questions about dogs deep sleeping.

Many owners often complain “my dog is getting harder to wake up, what to do?”. If a dog is finding it hard to wake up, it can be possible that the dog is getting older and losing its hearing and catching expression abilities. When a dog is getting older, another reason why they may not wake up would be that they need more rest than when they are younger because their body requires more energy to perform daily tasks.

So, when a dog is getting older, dogs waking up hardly is normal.

My Dog Is Getting Harder To Wake Up

Why is my dog is getting harder to wake up? If there is a dog in deep sleep, hard to wake up, it can be possible that they are getting older and their senses are not as sharp as they were once.

As dogs get old their hearing, sense of smell and eyesight diminish, which will automatically lead them to become slower and they may find it hard to respond to quick situations.

To answer: Why is my dog is getting harder to wake up? A senior sleeping dog refuses to wake up would need more sleep because their physical and cognitive ability diminishes which requires more rest than it would have been when they were younger.

As a result, old dog deep sleep and would sleep more than when they were younger and owners may say my dog is getting harder to wake up.

Why Is My Dog Not Waking Up But Breathing?

Many owners complain that my dog wont wake up but is breathing. What should I do? Most probably it is because they are sleeping very deeply that they are not waking up but breathing.

However, sometimes it can also be linked to digestive or respiratory problems. If the owner feels that their dog may be ill, they should consult a vet.

My dog won’t wake up but is breathing, is it normal? When a dog deep sleep won’t wake up can also mean that the dog is in a coma, they may not wake up but still be breathing. When a dog is in a coma, they need to be under the surveillance of a vet.

The owner should always keep in mind that a dog not waking but breathing can mean different things in different situations. The owner should carefully assess the situation and act accordingly.

Why Is My Dog Sleeping So Deeply?

Why is my dog is getting harder to wake up? If a dog sleeping deeper than usual, there may be many factors that could be the reason. The owner should carefully read and observe what is the current state of their pet and take action accordingly.

Health

The first reason to question why my dog is getting harder to wake up is that a healthy dog will be a well-rested dog. However, if the dog is having some sort of illness, it may affect the quality of their sleep.

An illness may cause a low quality of sleep, which can further lead to more complications and further health issues. So, owners must consult the vet, if their pet is not healthy.

Size

The second reason to question why my dog is getting harder to wake up can be that the dog is larger and it would sleep more than a smaller dog because bigger dogs tend to strain more energy than some dogs, so they sleep more than small dogs.

Breed

Australian Shepherd, Siberian Husky and Great Dane, or any other working dog may sleep less than other breeds of the same size because these breeds are trained to stay awake for long and difficult tasks lie down less than breeds that are not bred for difficult tasks.

Other dogs, such as the English Bulldog, are prone to sleep apnea if they are overweight. Short-nosed dogs, such as Rottweilers, Mastiffs, and pugs, are also prone to sleep apnea.

Environment

Another reason to question why my dog is getting harder to wake up? It is considered that the dogs kept outdoors would have different sleeping patterns than dogs living indoors. Some dogs prefer boxes, while almost all older dogs prefer to sleep on a soft spot. The owner needs to choose bedding and sleeping conditions that are suitable for older dogs.

What Do You Do When Your Dog Doesn’t Wake Up?

My dog won’t wake up, what should I do? If the dog deep sleep won’t wake up, the owner should gently sit near their dog, without being too loud, then gently and softly start petting their pet, so that the owner doesn’t startle their pet.

If possible the owner should leave their dog to wake up on their own. If a dog will wake up by themselves, they will wake up more fresh. A dog disturbed from sleep can be lethargic and even irritated sometimes.

The owner can create a tracking sheet to track the sleeping pattern of their dog. If the dog is sleeping for abnormal hours, the owner should consult a vet because it can be something serious. However, if the dog is sleeping normally, then the owner should not disturb them during their sleep time.

Do Older Dogs Need More Sleep Than Younger Dogs?

Yes, an older dog would require more sleep than a young dog. As a dog grows old, their physical and cognitive ability often diminishes with time. This natural process of growth will automatically increase the sleeping time of dogs.

Dogs will start sleeping more and often sleep more deeply to conserve and retain more energy which is required by their body to do daily tasks.

In short, a dog that gets older would require more energy in doing the same work that they were doing when they were younger. This is the reason, their movement also diminishes as they grow old.

The requirement for energy and its pace of consumption is the reason why a dog needs more deep sleep.

Different Phases Of Sleep In Dogs

Just like humans, dogs also sleep mainly in two phases during their sleep time. These two phases, namely, short wave sleep and rapid eye movement, occur in different stages of sleep in dogs.

Short wave sleep

Short wave sleep is the first stage of sleep in dogs. During this stage of sleep, dogs are in light sleep, which means that they can wake up quite quickly, even if there is a little noise. This is the stage where the body and mind of a dog start to relax and shift to the second stage.

Rapid eye movement

This is the second stage of their sleep cycle. A dog can take around 15-25 minutes to transit through both phases of sleep. This is a phase where the owner will also notice that the dog will move their legs, and its eyes will twitch and even groan.

Out of their total sleep cycle, a dog will sleep for around 10-15% in rapid eye movement. If a dog is sleeping for 12 hours, it will sleep for around 1 hour 30 minutes in rapid eye movement.

It is often observed by the dog owners that a young dog will sleep in rapid eye movement more than an older dog, which means that the owner is likely to observe more movement during the sleep in young dogs than in older dogs.

Especially when the younger dog has been more active during the day, which, if compared, is more often similar to any regular young dogs’ routine with an adult dog routine.

Why Did My Dog Wake Up Acting Weird?

A dog may act weird after waking because they may find that their environment has changed or they may be feeling anxious, or they may have suddenly developed a stomach problem. Sometimes, it is also possible that the dog had a bad dream, after which they may act weird.

Additionally, sometimes, dogs wake up without having proper rest, which may be another cause of dogs acting weird.

Why Do Senior Dogs Get Harder To Wake Up?

My old dog sleeps very deeply, what should I do?  As dogs get old, waking a dog can get difficult for owners. The need for dogs to get more rest keeps increasing because they are not as healthy as they were when they were young.

A dog unresponsive while sleeping, may find it hard to wake up, because it would need more time to rest.

What To Do If Your Dog Is Difficult To Wake Up?

My dog is hard to wake up, should I be worried? First, the owner should look, if their dog is sick. If a dog is sick, it may be lethargic and may find the dog deep sleep wont wake up. If the dog is sick the owner should take them to the vet and get them treated.

If the dog is getting older, it is a natural process, that an owner can’t do anything about. The owner should just keep checking the health of their dog and make sure they don’t have any disease.

Furthermore, the owner should check if their dog isn’t getting too strained by the physical activity. Sometimes, after being physically active for too long, it may lead the dog to sleep a lot.

My Senior Dog Wont Sleep With Me Anymore?

When a dog stops sleeping with the owner, the owner should look for symptoms that made them stop. First of all, the owner should ask, If their dog looks scared? Are they in some kind of pain? Are there any sudden loud noises? Any changes in the environment in the last few days? Any sudden health changes?

After answering these questions, an owner may find out why their dog won’t sleep. Overall a dog may stop sleeping with its owner when there are changes in the environment or internal factors like a bad mood or any health issues.

Why Is My Puppy Hard To Wake Up?

Why is my dog is getting harder to wake up? Sometimes, puppies can be hard to wake up but A puppy won’t be lethargic, uninterested or lazy. If the owner observes these symptoms, it can be possible that there is something wrong with them. The owner is recommended to consult a vet.

A puppy, after waking up, would be very active, playful and happy, even if they are hard to wake up. If they are not that active, a health issue can be a possibility.

Why Is It So Hard To Wake Up My Dog?

My dog sleeps like he’s dead, what should I do? In general, a dog would wake up promptly, when their owner calls them, however sometimes when a dog is being lazy or if they are too sleepy they may not respond to the owner. It is normal.

My old dog sleeps very deeply, is it normal? Sometimes a dog may not wake up because they are old enough to not hear their owner. After all, as they age,  their hearing is decreased or maybe they aren’t well-rested when the owner calls them.

A sick dog may also be lethargic enough to not respond to the owner. Showing no interest, and lethargy most of the time are some of the symptoms of a sick dog. The owner should consult a vet to get their sick pet checked.

Why Can’t Dogs Wake Up So Quickly?

Why does my dog have a hard time getting up? A healthy dog would be able to wake up quickly as soon as its owner calls them. If the dog isn’t too responsive, it can be possible that they are sick, old or lazy.

The owner should understand what is the cause of the dog not waking up quickly and take action accordingly.

My Old Dog Sleeps Very Deeply, Is He Okay?

Why is my dog is getting harder to wake up? It is normal for an old dog deep sleep for long hours. It isn’t abnormal. An old dog needs more rest than a healthy dog and it also requires more energy to do regular dog things, which automatically increases their requirement for more sleep. When owners complain that “my dog is getting harder to wake up” it is normal for dogs to sleep more when they age.

Furthermore, a dog would also have its hearing, responsive ability decreased as they age, which is another reason why my dog is hard to wake up and the dog may not be as responsive when the owner tries to wake them up.

Why Is My Elderly Dog Waking At Night?

It is observed many times that an old dog waking up too early or wakes up at night. The reason for such an issue can be cognitive dysfunction. This generally happens in old dogs. It can be called a slowly developed disorder, which leads to increased confusion, inconsistent sleeping patterns, reversing day and night etc.

How To Wake Up A Dog?

How to wake my dog up? The owner should gently and softly pat the body of the dog and slowly take its name. The owner should do it very slowly without causing any loud noises or doing it fast. A sleeping dog may even bite the owner if the owner is too loud or sudden.

The owner should also make sure to never wake their pet, if the dog hasn’t received enough sleep, it will make them lethargic, stressed and disinterested in everything. The owner would need to be careful with the dog’s requirements as they get older.

Furthermore, if possible the owner should also track the sleeping hours and timing of the dog. Additionally feeding the required protein and vitamins in consultation with the vet, as the dog gets old, would also help the dog.

Final Verdict – My Dog Is Getting Harder To Wake Up

Many owners are often seen complaining “my dog is getting harder to wake up”, the owners should understand that it is natural for dogs to lose their ability to catch their owners’ phrases as they get old and sometimes their hearing ability is also affected which leads them to not hear when they are asleep.

Dogs wouldn’t be as active when they are old as they are when young. Another reason why a dog will not be able to respond quickly is, that when an older dog is asleep they will require more energy to be preserved, which automatically increases their need for sleep. So a dog may not respond when the owner calls them out.

Overall to answer “my dog is getting harder to wake up”, as a dog gets older, they will need more and more sleep to revive their energy. Furthermore, they would also lose their ability to hear more accurately as they age.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet dog a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️