Dog News

Lazy Scottish pup refusing to get out of bed is all of us on Monday morning

by Amy Drew

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This lazy dog in Scotland has gone viral on Twitter; apparently folks out there really relate to his lack of interest in leaving what looks like a supremely comfy bed.

In the 16-second clip, you hear the dog’s owner saying, “Come on we’ll go a walk, walk, walkies.”

Not even food couldn’t persuade this warm, cozy pup – whose name is Malcolm – to get out from under the covers.

The dog’s owner, Mhairi-Louise Brennan, posted the video of her dad cajoling the dog to Twitter and at press time here, it had more than 260,000 views.

How long CAN dogs sleep?

According to the American Kennel Club, most dogs average about 12-14 hours of sleep per 24-hour cycle. Older dogs tend to need more (just like older humans). They tire more easily and benefit from additional rest to function properly. Similarly, pups (like human babies) tucker themselves out with all the exploration and play and so can sleep quite a bit, as well.

Larger breeds, too, tend to sleep more than smaller ones.

Breed is a factor, as well, when it comes to a dog’s sleep cycle.

Working dogs, often bred to be active in longer shifts with tasks that need their complete attention can spend most of their day active while other breeds, meant more for companionship and sedentary lifestyles, will sleep more.
while dog sleep patterns are similar to humans’ – their breathing slows, their blood pressure drops and their heart rates decrease and generally in about 10 minutes’ time enter the REM (rapid eye movement) phase. This is when you might see them “chasing rabbits,” legs or feet or tail twitching and even whining and making noise.

Interestingly, though, as humans have extended sleep cycles, spend about 25 percent of that time in the REM stage. Dogs only stay here for about 10 percent, due to their inconsistent sleep schedules. Since they have the wonderful, enviable ability to fall asleep easily and rouse to alertness quickly, they need more total sleep than we do to make up for the lower REM rates during their cycles.