Huskies are known for their seemingly endless amounts of energy, but how much do huskies sleep versus the amount of time they spend playing and exercising?
Adult huskies sleep around 15 hours a day on average, while puppies can sleep as much as 20 hours a day. The amount that huskies sleep can vary greatly depending on several factors such as activity level, age and mental stimulation to name a few.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the factors that affect how much huskies sleep and what to do if you become concerned about your husky’s sleeping habits.
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Why Do Huskies Sleep So Much?
Huskies are a working breed and have lots of energy (this is why they can be tricky to calm down at times). Due to this, they love exercise and other mental stimulation such as training or socialization with other dogs.
All of this comes at a price, however. Huskies need a lot of rest as well as good nutrition to sustain their active lifestyles, which means they tend to sleep a lot.
So, huskies naturally require a lot of sleep, but why do some huskies sleep much more than others?
7 Factors That Affect How Much Huskies Sleep
The reason why some huskies sleep more than others is that there are lots of other factors that influence the amount of sleep they need rather than simply the nature of huskies as a breed.
Let’s take a look at the most important ones.
1. Age
Age plays a big role in how much huskies sleep.
Husky puppies need much more sleep than mature huskies as they use lots of energy growing and exploring the world. Husky puppies sleep have been known to sleep up to 20 hours a day, but this decreases as they age.
Once fully matured you can expect your husky to sleep around 15 hours per day, and as they approach old age the amount of sleep will naturally increase again.
2. Activity Level
Huskies are capable of running over 100 miles per day, which is quite an incredible feat. This means that exercise is crucial, and you should aim to provide at least 2 hours of exercise for your husky each day as this has a direct impact on their sleep.
If you don’t provide enough exercise for your husky in the form of walking, running or playing then they can become restless and sleep less.
3. Mental Stimulation
Exercise is a great way to give mental stimulation to your husky, but other mental stimulation such as obedience training is also crucial for keeping them happy and not restless.
Starting with the basics such as teaching them to sit is a great way to get started, and you can progress from there into more advanced obedience training. This helps to keep them calm and will have a big impact on how much they sleep.
4. Overall Health
Overall health can affect how much a husky sleeps as well. If your husky is struggling with an underlying health problem it may be sleeping more often, which is why I recommend monitoring how much your husky is sleeping and alerting your veterinarian if something changes quickly.
If you’re concerned about your husky’s health, always contact your veterinarian as soon as possible to get them looked at.
5. Weight
It’s a well-known fact that heavier dogs tend to have less energy and become lazier. If your husky becomes overweight it’s very likely that it will sleep for more hours and be less active when awake.
This is why it’s important to stick to a healthy diet (either commercial or raw) with the recommended amounts for the weight of your husky to keep them in shape. An adult male husky should weigh between 45-60lbs (20-27kg), with adult females weighing between 35-50lbs (16-23kg).
I’d like to point out here that overweight huskies are very rare and their weight is heavily influenced by genetics as well, but it is still something to consider when it comes to their sleeping pattern.
6. Medication
Lethargy is a common side effect of medication like opioids that are often prescribed to dogs.
These effects usually last a few days and have no severe impact on your dog’s health, but don’t be surprised if you notice that your husky sleeps more if they are taking medication.
7. Personality
Personality also plays a big role in how much your husky will sleep.
While huskies generally are very active, some can be even more full of energy than others depending on their personality; while others may have a more relaxed nature and sleep more often. I’ve told this story before, but my old English Bulldog used to love exercise as much as a working breed, which shows how much of a difference personality can make.
Husky Sleeping Positions (With Meanings)
Huskies are known for sleeping in some pretty weird positions, but what do they mean?
Sleeping With Other Pets
If your husky likes to sleep close to your other pets don’t be surprised.
Huskies are pack animals, and sleeping close to other pets (or other huskies/dogs in particular) is quite common behavior.
Sleeping On Their Back With Feet In The Air
If your husky likes to sleep on its back with its feet in the air this is a great sign that it is happy and comfortable with its surroundings, not perceiving any threats or on high alert.
It could also be a method to lose heat on warmer surfaces like carpets or heated floors.
Curled Up In A Ball
Huskies sleeping in a curled-up ball shape is super common and often seen when they are sleeping outside.
This position reduces heat loss and is very common when the temperature drops. It’s the classic position that you will find your husky in when it becomes covered in snow and refuses to come inside!
4 Tips For Getting Your Husky To Sleep
If you’re having problems getting your husky to sleep – particularly at night – here are a few things you can do that should make the process much easier.
1. Exercise And Mental Stimulation
Exercise and mental stimulation are key for getting your husky to sleep well.
Provide at least 2 hours of exercise per day, and consider adding obedience training to your schedule to aid in mental stimulation. You don’t need to be exercising or training your husky every day, but you will see a quick improvement in their sleep if you meet these standards.
2. Let Them Go Outside Before Bed Time
Right before you go to bed you should encourage your husky to go outside and do their business.
This greatly reduces the chance that they will need to go outside during the night and encourages them to sleep.
3. Avoid Large Meals Before Bed
Similarly to letting them go outside before bed, you should avoid feeding your husky a large meal right before bed as this can encourage them to need the toilet during the night.
I typically feed my dogs around 4pm and I’ve never had any issues relating to sleep from this.
4. Keep The Temperature Down
Although some huskies have different cold tolerances from others, they all generally prefer colder temperatures due to their origins in arctic conditions.
If the temperature is too high during the night it can unsettle a husky and cause them to struggle to sleep. Avoid using heating at night, and keep temperatures down during the summer by using fans and air conditioning.
When You Should Be Concerned
I touched on this briefly before, but if you notice any sudden changes to your husky’s sleeping pattern then you should get in touch with your veterinarian as there could be an underlying issue that is responsible.
A lot of the time these issues can be under the surface, so you may assume that your husky is fine because you can’t see any issues when in reality they could be suffering from a severe problem such as an issue with an organ.
FAQs
Here’s a collection of some common questions that get asked about huskies and their sleeping patterns.
Do Huskies Like To Sleep Next To Their Owners?
While huskies aren’t the best guard dogs, they are incredibly social and oftentimes like to sleep as close to their owners as possible. This does of course come down to your personal preference, but there’s a good chance that your husky will jump at the chance to sleep in the same room as you.
This can help with separation anxiety and help your husky to sleep better, but it can also decrease your own quality of sleep as well.
Should Huskies Sleep In A Crate?
Keeping your husky in a crate at night is a personal decision.
If your husky isn’t house-trained, then a crate is the best idea; but crates can also be beneficial for mature huskies who may grow to prefer the safe space of a crate at night. Other huskies might not be comfortable staying in a crate through the night, particularly if they haven’t been trained to use a crate when they were pups.
Why Do Huskies Like To Sleep On The Floor?
Huskies usually sleep on the floor simply because it is cooler and allows them to regulate their temperature if it becomes too hot, but sometimes it can just be due to personal preference.
If you’re concerned about your husky sleeping on the floor you can always purchase a dog bed for your husky, but don’t be surprised if they refuse to use the bed!
Can Huskies Sleep Outside?
Huskies can sleep outside as long as the temperature isn’t too high or too low, but whether they will want to sleep outside is a different matter entirely.
For more details check out our guide to huskies sleeping outside here.
