With a long history as a working dog in a variety of careers, you might find it surprising that the active, boisterous Border Collie sleeps at all!
But whether they live as a pet or as a working or sporting dog, all Border Collies do need to sleep. So, how much sleep a day do Border Collies need? In this article, we will lay out details on this and more.
Do Border Collie puppies sleep lots?
Yes, Border Collie puppies sleep loads! Border Collie puppies have been known to sleep for anywhere from 18 to 20 hours each day, on average, only waking every few hours or so to play and eat.
They love to play Treibball, which satiates their natural instinct to herd, or football for dogs and humans to play together!
How long do Adult Border Collies sleep?
However, when they are a fully-grown adult with a much busier life, Border Collies sleep patterns change greatly.
As a fully-fledged adult, you will no longer find your Border Collie sleeping so much. Instead, their average daily sleep time will likely have decreased right down, from 18 hours to just 12 hours a day!
Of course, Border Collies are bred to be working dogs who round up sheep, day after day. Border Collies who work often spend far less than 12 hours a day sleeping, simply because these Border Collies just do not have the time to sleep.
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How long should Border Collies sleep?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. As we touched upon earlier, working Border Collies manage to get by on a limited amount of sleep.
But when it comes to Border Collies living as pets, experts say that these pooches should get at least 12 hours of rest each day, along with loads of play and walks.
Can Border Collies sleep outside?
Should a Border Collie sleep inside or outside? There is no correct answer to this question either.
The Border Collie does have a thick, warming, insulated double coat, rivalled only by the fluffy wool coat of the flock that this breed guards. With such a coat, Border Collies can be reluctant to spend much time indoors, instead preferring to chill out and spend their time outdoors.
If your Border Collie is like this, there is nothing wrong with letting your pooch spend the night out there. There are a few things you need to think about, though.
Make sure your Border Collie has a warm, sheltered area when they are sleeping outside. This could be a porch area or even a robust wooden kennel. Make sure that they have plenty of warm blankets to keep them cozy and comfortable and access to water.
But do aware that the Border Collie is a sensitive breed, so you may have to take them inside at certain times of the year for their own safety.
This could be around Halloween when there are loads of fireworks, or summer when there are foxes and birds roaming around the street at all hours.
Should a Border Collie sleep indoors?
However, what if noise, extreme weather conditions, or limited access to space make it impossible for your Border Collie to sleep outside?
In this case, it is also fine for a Border Collie to sleep inside, too. A large soft dog bed is all that is needed for your Border Collie to have good-quality sleep inside.
But just like outside, there are also some things that could bother your Border Collie indoors.
Think about which room your Border Collie will sleep in. Appliances, like a TV or fridge, may make a noise when left on standby, which could prompt your Border Collie to start barking.
Even when completely switched off, other appliances like a toaster or kettle could still click, alarming the timid, sensitive Border Collie and sending them scrambling under the table or couch in fright! Make sure they are not too warm, also.
How long should older Border Collies sleep?
When they become a cantankerous senior at the grand old age of 6 or 7, it is not surprising to find your Border Collie sleeping all day at times.
Indeed, when you tot it up, you might find that your elderly Border Collie is resting for 16 to 18 hours – almost as much as a puppy!
If this is true, do not be alarmed, because it is unlikely that your senior Border Collie is truly asleep for all this time. Most of this time, your Border Collie is probably just resting contentedly by your side with their eyes shut or sleeping lightly.
After all, your Border Collie’s day to day life is simply just more taxing now at this stage of their life. After just a short romp around with their favorite toys and balls, you can expect to find a senior Border Collie absolutely pooped for the rest of the day.
How can I improve my senior Border Collie’s sleep?
Perhaps you have noticed your Border Collie becoming reluctant to get out of bed in the morning, or maybe your pooch has even taken over a chair or couch. This can be a sign that your Border Collie is uncomfortable or in pain, or even that they may have arthritis.
Did you know that arthritis is a common condition affecting older Border Collies? Arthritis is especially likely to occur in more active Border Collies too, like Collies who were working dogs or sporting dogs.
If you suspect that your senior Border Collie is suffering from arthritis, you should get in touch with your vet for a diagnosis and further advice.
Whether a senior Border Collie has arthritis or not, it is worth investing in a good indoor bed for them.
This bed should be soft, because an old Border Collie will still run in their sleep as they dream of rounding up sheep, while also firm, to make it easy for your Border Collie to get out of.
Also, a dog bed that is slightly raised is better for your senior or arthritic Border Collie, because a raised dog bed should be easier for them to get in and out of.
What if your senior Border Collie is not sleeping enough? Maybe they bark persistently at night, and scratch to go out frequently?
If this is the case, it could be that your elderly Border Collie is not getting enough activity and exercise during the day.
At this stage in your Collie’s life, it is likely that your pooch may not enjoy the games and activities they used to like as much. However, it is still important to make sure that your Border Collie gets a certain amount of activity each day,
Though it may take longer than it used to, you should still walk your Border Collie a fair distance every day, for at least 30 minutes. This being said, if they want to stop, slow down, or turn around, do still let them.
