The expression “having a hard life” is often used when something goes wrong, is hard, unfair, or when life treats you badly. But more than once we have seen our pets sleeping peacefully on the couch all day and we have wished we had a true life as a dog.
The rest of pets (both dogs and cats) causes a lot of curiosity: it seems that they sleep constantly but at the same time they are alert... what are they really doing?
Let's talk about how much, how and where our furry friends should sleep.
The sleep-wake state
Although in our eyes they are lazy and lie down all day, the truth is that they rarely get to have a deep sleep. They spend 50% of the day in a state of wakefulness, that is, alert, and the other 50% in a state of drowsiness .
During drowsiness, only 12% of the time they are in the REM phase (when they dream, make sounds and move their paws) and the rest of the time they are in a very light phase of sleepthat allows them to be alert to sounds and what is happening around them.
Your sleeping positions
Did you know that the posture our little friend has when sleeping has different meanings?
1. Cut into a ball: when a doggie or cat sleeps in this way, what it is doing is covering its vital organs in case of any attack. This means that they feel unprotected, alert and sometimes even sad.
2. Sphinx: this position consists of lying down with the hind legs drawn underneath and the front legs stretched forward, resting the head on them. This also denotes a state of alertness and wakefulness, since this posture allows you to get up quickly in the face of any danger.
3. Side and sprawled: Dogs and cats usually lie down like this when they feel safe in their environment or when they are very tired. It is in this position that they get the deepest sleep, so, since that is rare for them, do not disturb them if they are sleeping like this.
4. Face up: this is their greatest show of trust in the owner, since they are exposing their tummy and their vital organs. This way they relax much more and it serves as ventilation if they are very hot, because their belly has less hair and it cools down better.
Sleep with or near the owner
Dogs are pack animals, social by nature. That's why if the owner is home, they like to sleep near him or her (usually). If they tend to walk away and sleep hidden, that may be a sign that your pet is unwell or sad. They have bad days too! Therefore, it is advisable to always have alittle bedor a cushion for them wherever you go, so they stay calmer.
There is also often debate about whether sleeping with your dog or cat is beneficial or harmful to your health. According to some studies, it was proven that the vast majority of owners sleep better when their pet is with them: this gives them peace of mind, relaxation and, in the winter months, warmth.
Your bed or cushion
Many times they are too good, they hardly ask for anything, they are satisfied with any cushion from the sofa, but we must keep in mind that they also have some needs.
For animals it is essential to have beds, preferably made of cotton and thermoregulatable fabrics, since they tend to be very hot due to their fur. If they can also be anti bacteria, hypoallergenic and anti mites much better: these microorganisms can cause sneezing and allergies.
Furthermore, as they get older they lose muscle mass and their joints and bones are more unprotected, so it is important that they have padded beds.
