How Much Do Golden Retrievers Sleep?

Golden Retrievers make good family pets because of their loyal, calm, and friendly nature. These double-coated dogs are known for their high energy levels and tendency to play.

They, therefore, need lots of sleep to relax their bodies and support their overall well-being.

You may have then wondered ‘how much do Golden Retrievers sleep?’ Well, a healthy Goldie needs between 12 to 14 hours of sleep each day. That’s almost half a day spent in bed.

Come along with us in this post as we explore the sleeping needs of Goldens and highlight what you need to do to provide them with high-quality sleep.

How Many Hours A Day Do Golden Retrievers Sleep?

It is widely common for an adolescent or adult Golden Retriever in good shape to sleep for 12 to 14 hours every day.

The younger and older ones will definitely need more time in bed. A healthy Golden Retriever puppy can spend between 18 to 20 hours of their day resting and sleeping.

A senior Golden Retriever, 7 years old and above, in good health, would require between 16 to 18 hours of sleep each day.

Creating A Healthy Sleeping Habit for Puppies and Adults

Golden Retrievers, just like all other dogs, have diverse sleep duration and behavior depending on their health condition and activity level. It is normal for them to take a longer afternoon nap to cool down and settle their bodies.

You, therefore, need to create an easy and workable schedule to help your dog in developing good sleeping habits.

This will ensure that they get enough rest which is important in improving and maintaining their overall health.

Puppies and adults have different sleep requirements and you, therefore, need to factor that into consideration when creating a schedule for your gorgeous Goldie.

A Goldie with no clear routine will remain alert to wait on other fun activities that may come their way. They will struggle to stay awake in anticipation of the next action from you until you sleep.

How To Create a Sleeping Routine for Your Golden Retriever

Dogs are creatures of habit, and they respond well to a solid routine when they know what is expected of them.

These are some of the tips you can have to induce your furry friend to a good sleeping sequence:

1. Bedtime and wake-up time

The first thing you would want to do is to set a consistent sleeping time and waking time for your lovely pup.

If you decide on 9 pm, let it be that for the rest of the time. Don’t toggle between 9 pm, 8 pm, 10 pm, and so on.

Your Goldie will get confused and may not know the expected night time they’re needed to step in bed for a deep snooze.

Do the same for wake-up time. You need to find out the most suitable time that your dog wakes up reliably and build on that.

2. Rest after eating

You should avoid feeding your Goldie large chunks of food immediately before bedtime. Offer them their portioned food and allow at least 2 hours for digestion before proceeding to sleep.

Taking them to sleep immediately after eating may induce your furry friend to digestion discomfort and this may lead to disruptions in their sleep pattern.

How To Create a Sleeping Area for Your Golden Retriever

You should choose a quiet area for your Goldie to sleep in and not always share a bed with them or place them on the couch. Your dog will be more relaxed when they have a place to call their own.

If you have a Golden Retriever puppy, then you can start with a suitable crate or playpen for their sleep and training.

Puppies need to be trained for playpens, make sure you go through the proper training.

Also, make sure to add a bed, a warm blanket, and several toys in the crate to give your puppy more reasons to sleep in the area.

An adult dog on the other hand would do better on a comfy bed that is easy on their joints.

After you have found the right bedding for your dog, you need to decide on where exactly you need them to stay. Is it in an enclosed room or a specific corner of your house?

Puppies will do better when they sleep close to their human guardians but older dogs can curl up and get drowsy in a variety of places within the house.

You can be guided by observing the places where your dog loves to go when they get tired and want some alone time. That’s where they found it to be less disruptive and probably with no sounds.

Make sure your desired location can easily be accessed by the dog and all members of the family.

How To Improve the Quality of Sleep for Your Golden Retriever

Taking the right measures to improve the quality of sleep for your Golden Retriever is a good step in ensuring they get well rested.

The following are some of the things you can do to get started:

1. Proper nutrition

Offer your Goldie a healthy and balanced diet that meets all their nutritional requirements. Good feeding will certainly improve your pup’s overall health and give them a relaxed mind to sleep tight.

A poorly-fed dog will be twitchy and worried during the night and this will throw a nib into their emotional health.

2. Provide daily exercise

Make sure to provide your dog with plenty of physical stimulation such as walks and runs during the day. This will burn their energy.

You can plan for a minimum of 30 minutes of daily engagements but be sure to adjust the duration and intensity based on your dog’s capabilities.

A tired dog is most likely to fall asleep faster and get enough rest through the night. A hyper pup will have lots of pent-up energy and this will make it difficult for them to even get drowsy.

3. Set up a comfortable sleeping area

Crown up and kickstart the journey of your dog’s sleep by getting a comfy bed. Scout around and look for a comfortable and supportive bed to give your pup a good place to snuggle during the night.

Go for a bed that can fully accommodate your Golden Retriever and allow for enough space to roll and stretch.

4. Provide mental exercise

Engaging your Goldie in puzzle games & training will stimulate their minds and help them to tire out during the day.

Mental stimulation is good for developing the cognitive powers of your pet by exercising their brain in intellectual games and behavior training. It keeps the minds engaged and builds on their powers to make sound judgments.

They also help in reducing anxiety and in relaxing the brain which leads to improving and creating a good sleep cycle.

5. Establish a routine

Improving the quality of your dog’s sleep is not a one-off event. You need to establish and stick to a clean-cut sleeping routine. This everyday action will help in forming a habit that will improve your Goldie’s sleep.

Create a consistent pre-sleep arrangement and hold on to a few calming activities that will induce your lovely pet to get sleepy.

This could be a short walk to the yard, a gentle round of massage, or a few minutes of cuddling with your pet.

By doing these activities daily before bedtime, your dog will associate them with sleeping and it will help in preparing them for a restful night.

Reasons That Can Make a Golden Retriever Sleep Less

Goldies spend a good amount of time resting. As we have seen, it is not unusual to find a Golden Retriever puppy sleeping for 20 hours in a single day.

But there are some moments when your furry friend might be fighting insomnia. What exactly makes Golden retrievers sleep less? Here are some of the possible reasons:

1. Emotional burden

Mental instability can disrupt a dog’s sleeping cycle just like it does to humans. Goldies can experience stress and anxiety and this would make it difficult for them to have a resounding sleep.

2. Health problems

Dogs suffering from certain medical conditions might be subjected to severe pain that makes it harder for them to sleep well.

Conditions such as arthritis will inflict too much pain on the joints and they could as well find it difficult to lie on a bed.

Senior Goldens may also experience a decline in their sleep because of age-related complications and cognitive decline.

3. Physical discomfort

Dogs need a comfortable place to rest. They may sleep less than usual if they lie on a hard surface such as a bare floor.

This is due to the piling pressure exerted on their bones and muscles which leads to physical discomfort.

If you offer your dog a small bed, they may also be subjected to discomfort which will make it difficult for them to get drowsy.

4. Temperature changes

Environmental factors such as unfavorable temperatures might drive your dog to sleeplessness. Golden retrievers will do well in temperatures between 60⁰ F to 80⁰ F.

If the temperature fluctuates further from this range, then that may cause them to wake up and fail to slumber again.

5. Loud Noises

Golden Retrievers are among the dog breeds that are sensitive to sounds. Unending noises and loud sounds may be a pain to your dog’s ears and this disturbance will certainly keep them awake through the night.

If your dog is suddenly experiencing reduced sleep, you should try to identify the underlying cause and address it with the help of your vet.

Reasons That Can Make a Golden Retriever Sleep More

Your Goldie may sleep more than usual and this could be due to the following reasons:

1. Aging

As your lovely pet becomes older, they have reduced activities and an increased need for rest. This could make them seep more than usual, especially during a long day with a fatigued body.

2. Health problems

Some health problems in dogs will alter their sleep pattern making them doze excessively. This is due to general body weakness and lethargy which makes it difficult for the dog to wake up when expected.

Such conditions include hypothyroidism, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and kidney diseases.

3. Medication

Certain drugs for dogs such as insulin, antihistamines, and anesthesia have the side effects of causing drowsiness. If your dog is on such drugs, you may notice that they would get lethargic after taking a dose.

Always ask your vet for the side effects of the medication prescribed for your dog. Your vet should also advise you on the prescribed amount and time to administer the drugs.

How Do You Put a Golden Retriever Puppy to Sleep?

Putting a Goldie puppy to sleep may not be a straightforward task especially if they didn’t burn their energy during the day.

You can do the following to make a proper sleeping arrangement for your young Golden:

Create a clear pre-sleep routine for your puppy. This could be anything that signals them that it’s time to snooze. Gentle petting can be a good way to stimulate the puppy into sleeping mode.

We recommend that you use a puppy crate to provide a safe sleeping ground for them. The confined space gives your young dog a workable area to feel secure and prevents them from getting into mischief when they should be sleeping.

When bedtime comes, you can guide your puppy and place them in the crate for their sleep. The crate should be furnished with a cozy bed, a blanket, and other essential items for a young dog.

Spend a few minutes around the crate to make your young dog comfortable and encourage them to sleep. You can play some soft and calming nature sounds to help the puppy fall asleep faster.

If the puppy is interacting with the crate for the first time, make sure to introduce them gradually with positive reinforcement.

6 Golden Retriever Sleeping Positions & What They Mean

Golden Retrievers have lovely and sometimes weird sleeping positions which might leave you puzzled.

Each sleeping style can indicate something that you need to know about them at that particular moment:

1. The Donut Curl

This is a pretty posture where the Goldie curls themselves up forming a ball with their nose tucked in.

They mostly do this when it’s a bit cooler and they are trying to conserve some body heat. They also curl up in this shape when they feel comfortable and secure in their home.

2. On their Back

The Goldens may also sleep on their back, raising their paws out in the air while exposing their vulnerable belly. This position indicates that they are feeling safe and that they have a lot of trust in their human guardians.

Goldens can also get into this position when the heat gets too much. This allows them to cool down their bodies by breezing their thin belly fur.

3. On the side

Your Golden Retriever might sleep while sprawled out on the side in a flat position. This is a good sign that your lovely pup is trying to get comfy in their environment and relax.

They may do this as a first phase of snoozing before proceeding to get some quality sleep on their bed.

4. The Lion pose

The goldens love to sleep in this position which makes them look like lions. They place their head across the stretched front paws while getting ready for a more restful position.

This position might indicate that your dog is bored and they’re trying to induce their body into getting something better to do.

5. The Sploot

This is one of those weird positions where the dog lies flat on the ground to expose their belly to the cooler floor surfaces. They do this when the temperature is high to cool down their body.

They also doze on this position when they feel comfortable and secure being around their caregivers. Golden Retriever puppies are most prominent in splooting than their elderly counterparts.

6. The Seal

Here, the Goldie will place their chin on the ground and stretch out their front paws to the side resembling a seal (sea animal).

This is a comfortable position for the dog to be in and it indicates that they’re being cheerful and ready to take a deep slumber.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I get my Golden Retriever Puppy to sleep at night?

Tire them out! Make sure your puppy gets plenty of physical and mental stimulation throughout the day to burn up their energy.

Make sure to furnish their sleeping area with a comfy bed and keep the crate in a quiet area will little disruptions and no sounds.

2. Why is my Golden Retriever puppy so hyper at night?

Golden Retrievers are high-energy pets and your puppy could get hyper at night because they have lots of pent-up energy.

This would make them restless and more energetic during the night and it could eat into their sleeping pattern.

3. Is it normal for Golden Retrievers to sleep all day?

Although Goldies can spend almost 70% of their day in bed, it is not normal for them to sleep all day. This could be a sign of an underlying problem that could get worse if not handled in time.

Your dog could spend the entire day in bed when they’re too tired and lack enough motivation to get up and go. Make a quick dash to your vet for diagnosis to rule out any medical conditions.

4. Why do Golden Retrievers sleep on their back?

They do this to cool down their bodies during those hot days. This posture exposes their thin-furred belly to the cool breeze. By exposing their vulnerable areas such as the belly, your dog is also showing their trust in you.

5. Where should Golden Retrievers sleep?

Golden Retrievers should have their own designated doggie bed that provides a relaxing and supportive rest. This bed should be placed in a convenient place with fewer movements and away from loud sounds.

6. What kind of beds do Golden Retrievers like?

Memory foam orthopedic beds are ideal for adult Goldies since they combine comfort and joint support to give your pup a restful sleep.

Golden puppies may prefer the fluffy donut-styled beds that give them space and comfort to curl up and nestle as they sleep.

Conclusion – How Much Do Golden Retrievers Sleep?

Goldies need lots of sleep to rest and recharge their bodies for the next day. We are looking at an average of 12 to 14 hours for an adult, 18 to 20 hours for puppies, and 16 to 18 hours for senior Goldens.

You should create a proper routine that provides good quality sleep to your dog and make sure to monitor any inconsistency in their sleep duration.

Remember that high-quality sleep for your dog also means that you will get a good night’s rest with no disruptions.

Written By

Laura Nassoura

Laura is the founder of Furs'n'Paws. She is a also a pet writer and expert with more than 20 years of experience of working with dogs and cats. She developed a very strong love for animals at a young age. Her passion led her to establish a thriving pet sitting and dog walking business in Dubai. As an expert in pet training, behavior, and nutrition, Laura is committed to helping pet owners and pet lovers by offering high-quality information on a wide range of topics.