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Cavalier Sleep issues

rtroxel

Well-known member
How many hours of sleep per day do cavaliers need? Our two cavs, Fred and Ginger, are two years old and have been sleeping about 12 hours a day. In the morning we take a long walk in the country (about a mile and a half) and in the afternoons, they charge around the dog pen we built for them. They nap at odd times during the day, but are in their crate at night for about 8 to 10 hours. The past two weeks, however, they having been waking us up at 1:00am, because they're thirsty or need to go outside.

Does anyone here have an approximate idea of how much sleep they would require?

Thanks, as always,

Roy and Jean
 
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BellaMia and Milo are also active during and take a few naps during the day. They sleep all night in their crate for 8 or more hours. Immediately before bedtime, they are taken outside for last potty.

My questions are, do they go potty just before being put in their crate? Are they both waking up or only one of them? If its only one, there may be a medical problem like a UTI or bladder infection and you will need a vet to check.
 
BellaMia and Milo are also active during and take a few naps during the day. They sleep all night in their crate for 8 or more hours. Immediately before bedtime, they are taken outside for last potty.

My questions are, do they go potty just before being put in their crate? Are they both waking up or only one of them? If its only one, there may be a medical problem like a UTI or bladder infection and you will need a vet to check.

Yes, they are both waking up in the middle of the night, and they are often thirsty. (We do live in the New Mexico desert, so that would explain the frequent thirst.)

The routine is: They are fed and brushed around 4:00pm each day. About 20 minutes after they finish the meal, they are let out into the yard, where they relieve themselves. They go to bed between 8 and 9pm, but we let them outside just before that. When we get up around 6am, we let the dogs out again, and they usually have A LOT to discharge.

Around 9am, they go for the long walk, etc.. Being retired, we are able to take care of them, 24/7.

Roy and Jean
 
When you let them out before bed, do you actually see them go potty? Could one dog be waking the other during the night? They shouldn't be getting up, may be a medical problem. Check with your vet.
 
When you let them out before bed, do you actually see them go potty? Could one dog be waking the other during the night? They shouldn't be getting up, may be a medical problem. Check with your vet.

Yes, they usually both poop at the same time,but not always.

We're going to gradually move their feeding time from 4pm to noon. That way, they will have pooped before they go to bed.
 
Our Sophie spends most of the day (and night) sleeping. She works very hard at it and does it well. She is most alert when food is involved, be it hers or ours.

I always have to smile when she is dreaming. All other dogs we've had will do little barks and feet twitching. Our Sophie the Cavalier just always wags her tail, instead, when dreaming. She must be having very happy dreams!
 
If you move their meal to noon, you will probably have them waking you in the middle of the night because they're hungry!:lol: My Cavaliers have all had two meals a day - not more in quantity, just split into two - breakfast fairly early (depending on your timetable) and then supper around 6pm. A lot of people will also give their dogs a bedtime biscuit. I find they are very good at just switching off and going to sleep when nothing very interesting is happening - I think most breeds do this and spend a lot of the day sleeping. My current Cavalier enjoys playing with interactive toys that when knocked around the floor drop out treats (I put part of her daily biscuit ration into the toys, so that she doesn't get fat with extra treats!), but still spends a lot of time dozing in her crate with the door open. And it's normal to sleep after a good walk - could you take them out again (not necessarily for so long) later in the day, which might make them more settled at night?

It would be good to follow up Joyce's advice and get your vet to check out that there's no physical reason for waking in the middle of the night.

Kate and Ruby

PS How are you getting on with Fred's barking?
 
Thanks for the advice, Kate.

Fred's barking has all but stopped - when he's inside the house. If he starts to make noise, I just hold the spray bottle in front of him, and he stops immediately. I don't care if he barks outside the house, while we're walking, because I see that as normal dog behavior.

Roy
 
Thanks for the advice, Kate.
. I don't care if he barks outside the house, while we're walking, because I see that as normal dog behavior.

Roy

That's funny since Bosco almost never barks. I have two Japanese chin who are supposed to be "non-barkers", but one of them barks all the time.

I feed my dogs at 5:30am and 5PM. They sleep the bulk of the days too, and then all night. Dogs are big sleepers!
 
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