Do Great Danes Sleep A Lot? (Answered)

Great Danes sleep a lot, spending the bulk of their day sleeping. Large dogs generally are heavy sleepers, leading them to be deemed lazy. They don’t sleep deeply, but they sleep most of the day.

The larger the dog, the longer it will spend sleeping daily. With Great Danes being the largest dogs known to man, it is fair to estimate that they would sleep the most.

On average, a Great Dane sleeps about 14 hours a day. Each Great Dane is unique and will likely have a unique sleep pattern, but they all sleep for long hours in the end.

They don’t necessarily sleep for 14 hours at once but will spend several sessions asleep, especially when bored. Your Great Dane’s sleep pattern and schedule can all be affected by their daily activities, especially those that are physically demanding.

Interestingly, most people believe that Great Dane sleeps a lot because of evolution. The early breeds of Great Danes were allowed to sleep a lot so they could be in prime condition on hunts.

Great Danes Sleep Schedule:

While each Dane is unique, they tend to have a similar sleep pattern, usually based on age. Age is the primary difference between most Great Danes and determines how long they sleep.

Puppies

Puppies need the most sleep, usually because they are growing. This stage lasts about three months before the dog outgrows it, though some may take longer. Much like human babies, the bulk of what great Dane pups do is eat and sleep.

As much as they need a healthy and nutritious diet, they also need an overwhelming amount of sleep.

Around this period, most Great Dane puppies spend up to 20 hours asleep. While it seems smooch, it is what they need, and anything less than 18 hours daily is insufficient. With adequate sleep and a healthy diet, your Great Dane puppy will be active, even a handful at times, but that’s what you need.

Adults

Adults require less sleep than puppies, but they still sleep for a significant part of the day. An adult Great Dane sleeps between 14 and 16 hours daily; anything less is too low.

Once you head off to work and there isn’t much for them to do, they will likely go to sleep. You will still have to make them comfortable, especially if they are home alone or won’t get much sleep.

The adult stage in Great Dane starts roughly around a year, though it is different in each one. After three months, they gradually start sleeping less until they reach adulthood. They are most active in this phase, but ironically, they get the least sleep.

Seniors

In the latter years of their lives, Great Danes sleep more than in their adult phase, but not as much as puppies. As seniors, they may sleep between 16 and 18 hours daily.

Other habits will decrease during this period as well. The amount of rest won’t seem to matter, no matter how much they sleep. This phase lasts until the Great Dane eventually dies.

Any illnesses around this time will also affect how much they sleep and the quality of it. Great Danes age remarkably fast, and some start to show signs of aging around five years. The condition is common with larger dogs, though some small ones seem to defy these odds.

Do Great Danes Sleep More Than Other Dogs?

Great Danes sleep more than other dogs and are amongst the breeds that sleep the most. Not only do they sleep more than most other breeds, but they require it. Great Danes are large dogs, and their large amounts of sleep are necessary for their growth.

The larger the Great Dane, the more sleep it needs. With females being notably smaller than males, they tend to need less sleep.

As each Great Dane is different, their sleep patterns may vary, with some sleeping more than others. Several external factors may govern whether or not your Great Dane sleeps more than other dogs, including the quality of sleep it gets.

It is best to make sure your Great Dane is comfortable and get as much sleep as possible, even if you don’t like the idea.

Fun fact: While they sleep more than most other dogs, they also tend to be more active. The Great Danes are relatively active in the brief period they are awake. The more active one is, the more sleep one will need.

Factors That Influence The Quality Of A Great Dane’s Sleep

While they need a lot of sleep, how much they get is insignificant unless the quality matches the quantity. Several factors affect the quality of a Great Dane’s sleep. You can significantly improve the quality of your’s with the right changes.

Some of the factors that affect the quality of sleep a Great Dane gets include:

Climate

The temperature and climate are probably the most important factors affecting the quality of a Great Dane’s sleep. They don’t have a lot of furs, so temperate regions tend to impair their sleep quality.

Great Danes prefer warmth, and you may notice them curling up beside the fire for warmth. It may also be why they prefer to be indoors rather than outdoors.

The need for warmth may also be why most great Danes crave human contact. While they are emotional dogs that love companionship, the warmth from a human is a welcome benefit. Ensure the Great Dane’s pen is located in a warm area of the house.

Thankfully, technology has made it easier to control the temperature of rooms and improve the quality of your Great Dane’s sleep.

Medication

Medication tends to affect all aspects of the body, not just whatever you are looking to treat. In this way, medication can alter how much sleep your dog gets or the quality of it.

Most medications have warnings about how it affects your Great Dane’s sleep. Alternatively, you can ask the vet how it will alter its sleep before you place your dog on any medication.

Some medications don’t alter a Great Dane’s sleep directly but affect the body, which affects the quality of sleep. They cause discomfort in the body, which will likely keep your Great Dane up more than it needs to be.

There may be alternatives to any medication that causes such discomfort to your Great Dane, so you may want to seek them instead.

Biological Changes

Natural occurrences in a Great Dane’s body can also affect sleep quality.  Aging and illness are natural occurrences that can affect a dog’s sleep quality. A more specific occurrence is pregnancy, exclusive to female dogs.

As her stomach grows, the Great Dane will find it more difficult to sleep comfortably. The same goes with ageing and illness, all of which make dogs uncomfortable.

Luckily, natural processes pass eventually, sometimes requiring some assistance. In the end, the Great Dane will be able to sleep comfortably, but until then, you can try to make it more comfortable.

While it isn’t always easy, it is possible, but the dog may not get the sleep quality it wants until the condition passes.

Making Your Great Dane’s Sleep More Comfortable

Improving the quality of your Great Dane’s sleep is all about making them more comfortable. The more comfortable the dog is, the better the sleep and the more active it will be when awake. Some ways you can improve the quality of a Great Dane’s sleep include:

A Soft Bed

Great Danes, like all dogs, love a soft and comfortable place to sleep. Most dogs tend to dig to create a spot, but you can get a bed that matches this requirement.

Place the bed in your dog’s pen, and they will surely enjoy their sleep each time. Make sure your dog always goes into the pen and lies on the bed when it wants to sleep, starting when it is young.

If you wait too long, your dog may find a spot it likes and prefer to sleep there instead. The bed should be placed in a warm corner of the room, where you can place other needs to eliminate any desire to leave it. The softer the bed, the better the quality of sleep your dog gets. 

Bedtime Routine

A bedtime routine can help improve the quality of sleep your dog gets. Establishing a bedtime routine will help reduce idle time when your dog feels sleepy. Instead, they will settle into the routine and fall off to sleep.

No lying in bed for hours, staring at the house’s walls, or barking incessantly.  Establishing a bedtime routine is easier said than done and needs to be started early to improve chances of success.

When Should You Worry About Your Dane’s Sleeping Habits?

You only need to worry about your Great Dane’s sleeping habits when there is a deviation from the normal pattern. With each Great Dane unique, some are sure to sleep less than expected or more.

Observe your Great Dane’s sleeping patterns and durations; when there is a change, you can worry. The greater the change, the greater your worry; small changes may be down to habit or diet changes that aren’t significant.

Some Great Danes may sleep less than 10 hours a day when they have gotten enough quality sleep, but that is no cause for concern. Before panicking or making rash decisions, contact your vet to find out if something is wrong. Sometimes, a physical evaluation may reveal something and help put your mind at ease.

Changes to Great Danes’ sleeping patterns tend to come with age. Not all drastic changes may be cause for concern, especially when they are growing. When they transition from puppies to adults and later to seniors, their sleeping patterns will change drastically.

Conclusion: Do Great Danes Sleep A Lot?

Great Danes sleep a lot and are amongst the heaviest-sleeping dog breeds. In most cases, Great Danes are considered amongst the laziest dog breeds due to how much they sleep.

Most people don’t realize that the quality of sleep they get is directly proportional to how long they sleep. A Great Dane won’t need to sleep quite as much, with enough quality sleep.