Who doesn’t love a mastiff? Whether it’s an English Mastiff or a Tibetan one, they are doggies that are fiercely loyal, loving, and cuddly. Speaking of cuddly, mastiffs love to jump on your bed and sleep. They can sleep all night beside you and then all day when you are out.
So, How long do these pooches sleep?
Why do mastiffs sleep so much?
Mastiffs can sleep so much for their breed instincts and different sleep cycle. As they enter deep sleep for a shorter time and stay alert they can get 8 hours of sleep. Then they nap for hours in the day to cover the sleep. Mastiff’s age, size, and health problems can also make them sleep more.
Table of Contents
If you notice that your mastiff spends most of its day sleeping, it is wise to know the exact reasons that make you mastiff sleep so much, so that you know when to worry and when to not.
Different sleep stages:
Mastiffs do not have the same sleep cycle as a human. While we enter our sleep cycles 4 times in one night, our sleep cycles are a lot more stable with 25% of the time in REM.
Mastiffs, on the other hand, will get to the REM, deep sleep fairly quickly, and have only small periods in that stage. Hence, they sleep for 8 hours straight, and later they nap more hours throughout the day.
Breed instincts:
Well, this is a no-brainer. Not all dogs sleep as much as Mastiffs do. This is because genetically, Mastiffs are more laid-back dogs and prefer spending a lot of time indoors, lazing around, snoozing, and cuddling.
This is another reason why Mastiffs should be taken out to play and have regular exercises, as the lazy dogs could get overweight fairly easily.
Age, size, and Temperament:
When a dog gets older, it naturally sleep more than it usually does. The same is true for mastiffs after they have crossed 5 years. Small puppies that are in the growing age will also sleep more.
Other than that, if your mastiff is bigger sized, they would spend a lot of time snoozing as well. Even growing, mastiffs that are exited can get tired and sleep additional hours apart from their regular sleeping hours.
Health:
We naturally sleep more throughout the day when we are feeling under the weather. If your Mastiff does not wake up all day and also shows other signs of health problems, you may have to worry that the increased sleep is due to health issues.
Do mastiffs sleep a lot? Do they sleep all day?
Certainly, mastiffs do sleep a lot. Mastiff can sleep on an average of 16 hours a day. If you see your mastiff has woken up from an 8-hour long slumber, you might want to expect another sleeping sight soon after.
Mastiffs will sleep at night, and then take 3 to 4 naps during the day. If they are older and have health issues, they might even sleep all day. Guarding mastiffs as the Tibetan one will mostly sleep all day. This is owing to their protective nature as they love to guard the house at night.
4 factors that can influence the sleep schedule of mastiffs:
The following are few factors that have an effect on a mastiff’s usual sleep schedule.
Age:
Mastiffs sleep up to 20 hours when they are puppies. When they are in their old age, mastiffs would again sleep most of the day.
Size:
The bigger the mastiff breed, the more it will sleep. Bigger dogs tend to be more immobile.
Health:
If a mastiff is sick and has an underlying health issue, it is likely to sleep more hours.
Diet:
If your dog eats heavy and fatty food, they would likely get more lethargic and sleep in.
How many hours a day does a mastiff sleep?
A mastiff can sleep for 16 to 18 hours a day on a healthy regular day. If your Mastiff is a growing puppy, bigger in size, or getting old, you can expect your canine to sleep for longer hours.
They would sleep for 8 hours overnight and then take 2 to 3 naps throughout the day, totaling 16 hours at least.
Tibetan Mastiff:
Tibetan Mastiffs are more protective of their owner, and have guarding instincts. They sleep during the day for 10 to 14 hours so that they can be guarding their family at night.
Bullmastiff:
Bullmastiffs are a crossbreed between bulldogs and mastiffs. These dogs are large in size and need to be socialized early on because they can be quite the lazy canines as well.
They drool and snooze all through the day anywhere from 12 hours to 16 hours. Even if they sleep for a few hours less at a stretch, they will take naps and laze around during the day.
English Mastiff:
English mastiffs are the friendliest when associated with other mastiffs, which means they would cuddle and sleep with you whenever they can.
It is most likely that they get their 8 hours of sleep at night on your bed. And then during the morning and the evening, they take long naps of 2 to 3 hours at least twice.
Neapolitan Mastiff:
These mastiffs are huge and are mostly considered to be indoor dogs.
Because of the low need for exercise, these dogs can sleep how up to 18 hours a day, both in the morning, evening, and afternoon.
French Mastiff:
These dogs are also known as Dogues de Bordeaux and are known for their ability to sleep for up to 18 hours a day. During their puppy days, they can sleep for 20 hours as well.
Italian Mastiff:
Like guard dogs, they sleep for 10 or more hours during the day and stay awake at night most of the time.
When they are younger, they sleep less as they are full of energy. When older they will also sleep at night due to their age.
Pyrenean Mastiff:
Also known as the great giants, Pyrenean Mastiffs are fond of lazing around and snoozing day and night. These dogs sleep for at least 14 hours on average and can be low on energy whenever they are sleep deprived.
How much should mastiff puppies sleep?
While older mastiffs sleep voluntarily more than they need, puppies that are 18 months to 22 months are in need of at least 18 to 20 hours of sleep.
Due to the rapid changes and development in their bones, mastiff puppies also tend to be more excited and active. Their bone development, along with the active lifestyle exhaust the little ones are bit quickly.
Hence, mastiff puppies might fall asleep immediately after they play for 15 minutes as they become tired. If your mastiff puppy is sleeping all day, all night, there is nothing to worry about as long as they are healthy and active.
How much sleep is too much sleep for a mastiff?
We already understand that Mastiffs sleep a lot and anywhere from 12 to 20 hours a day is normal for a mastiff. They can sleep at night and during the day.
However, if you notice that your mastiff does not wake up at all or hardly, you may want to look into it. If they are sleeping more than 20 hours a day, it is not healthy for the canine.
If they eat, play, take bathroom breaks, they would require a few hours even without any other exercises.
Are mastiffs lazy?
Mastiffs can be considered to be lazy dogs that would spend the day sleeping, cuddling, and lazing around if they could. Because they are so calm indoors and need almost no exercise to stay happy, mastiffs are great house dogs.
Nevertheless, because of their lazy nature, you must make sure to take them out for regular playtime and exercise. Otherwise, your mastiff will soon become obese and develop health problems. If nothing, they might become even lazier and sleep longer.
Why do mastiffs snore?
Most mastiffs snore as loudly as a human does. If you sleep lightly, the snoring is loud enough to wake you up.
Since mastiffs have a long palate, the airflow can be restricted, causing the canine to snore. If they sleep on their back, your pet is more likely to snore simply due to the nasal block that gets created.
Bullmastiffs in particular are known for their loud and constant snores, especially when they are sleeping tired and at strength for long hours.
How long does a mastiff live?
The lifespan of a mastiff can vary from 6 years to 15 years depending on the breed, health, and environment.
English mastiffs live for 6 to 12 years while Tibetan guard ones live longer for 12 to 15 years.
Bullmastiff and Great Danes can live from 8 to 10 years.
Final Thoughts:
On a good day, the average sleeping hours for a mastiff can be anywhere from 12 to 16 hours. Puppy and older mastiffs can sleep for even longer. This is simply because of their breed nature and sleeping cycle. Still, age and health, along with their diet and life changes can also have an impact.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can a Mastiff Live in an Apartment?
Are Mastiffs Good with Kids? Are They Good Family Dogs?