20/11/2025
Older dogs sleep harder and longer. Some senior dogs sleep so deeply they now miss most household sounds due to hearing loss, cognitive changes, and general fatigue.
It can look alarming the first time you see it.
In general, let sleeping dogs lie. Protect their rest and don’t wake them unless you have a good reason too.
If you’re worried they’re “too still,” watch their chest rising and falling or listen for snoring. These are normal signs of deep, healthy sleep. No need to wake them.
If you gently touch them and they don’t wake immediately, that’s normal too. Ageing changes everything about how they rest and they can be slower to respond.
Why might you need to wake them? For medication, a meal or your vet has recommended keeping them awake and alert during certain hours. I need to gently wake Bunny before I leave the house as she has hearing loss and relies on seeing me leave to avoid distress if she wakes when I’m out.
When you do need to wake them, do it gently. No one likes being jolted awake, least of all an old dog whose senses might be fading and it can be dangerous to startle them.
Ways to wake them kindly:
•Approach from the front so they can sense you.
•Offer your wrist close enough for them to pick up your scent.
•Use touch gently and predictably, not suddenly.
•Let their body have a moment to register you.
In my own home, when I come in and Bunny is sleeping, I often just sit nearby. She no longer hears the garage, the door, or even Ona’s excitement. Usually, within a few minutes, she stirs because she catches my scent but it can be 10mins or before she stirs.
Old dogs sleep deeply because they need to. Our job is to protect that rest, be thoughtful about when we interrupt it, and meet them where they are in their seniorhood.
