Have you noticed that your dog, or dogs in general, sleeps most of the day? It seems like when they aren’t begging for another belly rub or slobbering all over the couch, they are lying motionless on their bed probably dreaming about that squirrel that got away. This is because dogs have a much different sleep cycle than humans do.

While most humans are asleep for an average of 8 hours a day, companion dogs sleep an average of 12 hours per day. Dogs tend to spend around 70% of their day either asleep or awake and resting. Only about 20% of a dog’s day is spent fully awake and active according to Petful. Puppies spend an even larger part of their day sleeping, almost 18 hours per day.

Dogs need extra time to sleep because they spend less time in the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep, or the deep sleep stage. REM is where dogs and humans receive the most rest but, while humans spend 25% of their time sleeping in REM, dogs spend only around 10%. During the REM stage, which occurs about 10 minutes after a dog falls asleep, they can be observed slightly twitching, having short and subtle muscle contractions and moving their eyes back and forth underneath their eyelids according to PetPlace.

A dog’s sleep schedule can also largely depend on the amount of activity it takes part in during the day. Service dogs, like police or guide dogs, tend to sleep less than the average dog simply because they have less opportunity to while on the job. Companion dogs, on the other hand, sometimes sleep out of boredom to pass the time during the day. This can be solved by taking regular walks, playing games or playing with a stimulating toy.

A regular sleep schedule is instrumental to the health of your pet. Exercise, healthy diet and a solid sleep schedule are the basic necessities for having and keeping a healthy pet. Make sure to pay close attention to any differences in your dog’s sleep schedule or diet, these can be signs of sickness or other problems and should be addressed quickly.