Does your Shih Tzu like to sleep with you? Well, every dog breed has different sleeping patterns, and so does the Shih Tzu.
An AKC survey shows that more than forty percent of pet owners agree that their dogs sleep with them. Newborn Shih Tzus may sleep twenty-two hours a day, whereas when it grows up to be a year old, its sleeping needs will reduce to twelve to sixteen hours a day.
The Shih Tzu might also prefer to sleep in its owner’s bed. If that’s what your Shih Tzu does, this article is a must-read. We will discuss why your Shih Tzu likes to sleep with you, why does it sleep so much and all Shih Tzu sleeping questions bothering your mind. Are you ready?
Lets begin!
- Why does My Shah Tzu Like To Sleep With Me?
- Why Does My Shih Tzu Sleep So Much?
- Is It Normal That My Shih Tzu Sleeps A Lot?
- Shih Tzu Sleeping Positions Meaning
- Why Does My Shih Tzu Snort?
- Why Does My Shih Tzu Shake?
- Why Does My Shih Tzu Snore?
- Is it a problem if my Shih Tzu sleeps with me?
- Will I get a good sleep with my Shih Tzu in bed?
- Potential Health Issues
- To Sum It Up: Shih Tzu Sleeping Too Much
Why does My Shah Tzu Like To Sleep With Me?
Shih Tzu loves to sleep, but if your Shih Tzu prefers to sleep with you, it may have various reasons. Some of the reasons maybe they are feeling lonely, feeling cold, your bed smells good, feeling left out, etc. Let’s discuss these reasons in detail!
Feeling Lonely
Dogs have sharp senses and a place of affection. They do not like when the owners leave them alone. Shih Tzu owners will have to allow their pups to sleep with them if their dog feels lonely. Who else to accompany than the dog owner?
If you do not want that to happen, you must never allow your Shih Tzu to sleep with you. Because if it happens once and your Shih Tzu likes it, it will want to sleep with you again. It will become hard for you to disallow your dog to distance yourself.
Feeling Cold
Do you think dogs feel cold? Yes, they do; these dog beds can never be as comfy as the owner’s bed. Also, the Shih Tzu’s body heat may not be enough to warm itself as the combination of the owner’s body heat with the dog itself will be much better.
Although you cannot try to create a sleeping space for your dog, you can at least create a warm bed for your Shih Tzu. Remember to include as many soft and warm cloth, including the warmest blanket, so that your Shih Tzu feels no need to enter your bed for the heat.
The Owner’s Bed Smells Good
Humans, as owners, can be pretty attractive. All the luxury and the comfort they have, why don’t the dogs? The scented candles and the clean washed sheets are attractive for the dogs.
If you have all these fragrances and comfort, your Shih Tzu will love to sleep next to you daily. Also, if your Shih Tzu sleeps a few times in your bed, it might love to continue doing that feeling like its own space.
You can try to make your Shih Tzu’s bed as attractive as possible so that he avoids moving elsewhere and always considers his bed the comfort zone. Make sure to keep their bed warm and full of fragrances they like.
Feeling Left-Out
It will not be an issue if the owner is single, but if the Shih Tzu owners have a bed partner, this might be an issue for the dog.
They will feel left out if you are with your partner. They will want you to give them affection rather than your partner.
There is no solution to this kind of left-out, so you will have to shut the door to avoid your Shih Tzu getting into the bed with you.
Why Does My Shih Tzu Sleep So Much?
It is ok if your Shih Tzu takes longer naps as they love to sleep. If you notice a change in your sleeping routine, such as sleeping too much, it might not be normal.
There can be various reasons why your Shih Tzu is sleeping so much, such as:
They Must Be Sad
One of the reasons why your Shih Tzu is sad maybe because it is sad. You must find a reason for their sadness, as it may be due to loneliness, boredom, etc. So, If your Shih Tzu is sad, it might be sleeping more than usual.
Aging Signs
If your Shih Tzu is getting old, it might begin to sleep more. But sleeping all the time cannot be a reason for being old; it might be something more serious. Consulting a vet is necessary if that’s the case.
Health Concerns
The Shih Tzu might be ill, so it must be sleeping more. It can have diarrhea, due to which your Shih Tzu must also be vomiting, leading your Shih Tzu to sleep more than usual.
Change of Weather
The sleeping pattern of your Shih Tzu will change will the weather conditions. Winters are warmer, and no one, including the dogs, can stop themselves from sleeping more.
Whereas if it’s summer, your Shih Tzu must do the same again due to heat.
Is It Normal That My Shih Tzu Sleeps A Lot?
Yes, it is normal for a Shih Tzu to sleep more than humans. But sleeping a lot may also have other serious reasons. A newborn Shih Tzu will sleep longer than adult dogs, such as sixteen to twenty hours of sleep.
After your Shih Tzu grows up a bit, it will learn new habits and activities; also, the sleep duration will decrease. You can expect a one-year-plus Shih Tzu to sleep twelve to sixteen hours daily.
These sleep timings are not exact as it also depends on the activities your Shih Tzu is doing and how much sleep is necessary for them. Some of them might be too active, whereas others may not. You must observe your Shih Tzu’s routines to judge if the sleeping time is normal.
Shih Tzu Sleeping Positions Meaning
If you wish to learn what a Shih Tzu’s temperament is, you must judge its sleeping position. Shih Tzu’s sleeping positions tell more about their personalities. Some of the sleeping positions are:
Sleeping Sideways
Sleeping sideways is a common sleeping position in humans as well as dogs. This sleeping position means that your dog is happy. They are calm in nature, and also they are carefree. You can consider it as a position of a short nap, but it might not be entirely accurate for all Shih Tzus.
Belly Curl
If your Shih Tzu’s sleeping position is the belly curl, your pup must not be getting a good enough or comfortable sleep. It is difficult for the dog’s muscles to relax in such a position, due to which your Shih Tzu might not get into a deep sleep.
Superman
It is one of the cutest Shih Tzu sleeping positions. This position happens when your Shih Tzu is lying on its stomach, with all four hands and feet stretched out like a superman. This position shows that your Shih Tzu is more active and quick. It returns to the activities it was doing earlier faster as soon as it wakes up.
Why Does My Shih Tzu Snort?
There is a slight difference between snorting and snoring, although they are quite the same.
Snorting refers to a sudden sound that a dog makes through its noise, whereas snoring is the sound that comes when a dog is breathing during sleep.
Are you aware of the brachycephalic breed? Well, Your Shih Tzu is of this breed. The upper jaw of this breed is compressed; also, their skull is compact. Due to these reasons, their upper respiratory system is compressed.
So it becomes normal for a Your Shih Tzu to snort.
Why Does My Shih Tzu Shake?
Is your Your Shih Tzu shaking? It is not a thing to take lightly as it might be a severe issue. There might be many reasons leading your Shih Tzu to shake. Let’s take a look into some of the reasons for shaking:
Catching of Cold
The double coat of your Shih Tzu does not mean that they cannot catch a cold. One of the reasons why your Shih Tzu must be shaking can be due to catching of cold. Consult a vet if that’s the issue.
You can, however, prevent your Shih Tzu from getting cold by keeping your pup indoors while the weather is cold. You must also ensure bathing your Shih Tzu with warm water if it is winter.
A jacket for your Shih Tzu will also work well in winter. But if you cannot normalize your dog’s temperature, you must consider relocating until the weather changes.
Ingestion of Toxins
Not all the chemicals humans inhale work for dogs as, well. The chemicals are cigarettes, and chewing gums can be bad for dogs, so you must keep such toxins away from your Shih Tzu.
These might not be the only ways of toxins; your Shih Tzu may eat the wrong or poor quality food that may cause food poisoning. Your Shih Tzu might be shaking, shivering or vomiting if that’s the issue.
Nausea
Similar to food poisoning, your Shih Tzu might also have nausea. There can be various reasons for your Shih Tzu shaking, one of which can be nausea. It might happen due to overeating, kidney damage, side effects of any medicines, etc.
High Fever
If your Shih Tzu is hot and shaking, there is a high chance it has a fever. Many reasons lead to fever, such as infection, poisoning, inflammations, etc. Some other more common signs of fever in your Shih Tzu might be cough, dry nose, diarrhea, more sleep, etc.
Seizure
It may not be a good sign if your Shih Tzu starts experiencing seizures. You must immediately consult a vet. They may suggest the best seizure control medicines for your Shih Tzu.
Why Does My Shih Tzu Snore?
The cute Shih Tzus will no longer be cute once they start snoring. Some of the reasons why your Shih Tzu is snoring are:
Overweight
Maintaining a healthy diet for your Shih Tzu is a must, so they do not lose or gain weight. Losing weight will cause shedding and other health concerns, whereas gaining even a few more pounds can cause your Shih Tzu to start snoring.
The area of your Shih Tzu’s neck may get compressed when it gains weight. Due to this, it may have breathing difficulties leading it to do more snoring. Reducing your Shih Tzu’s weight at home; otherwise, consulting a vet will help.
Sleeping On Their Backs
Try to make your Shih Tzu sleep correctly because if it sleeps on its back, it may have breathing issues. You shouldn’t wonder why your Shih Tzu is snoring out of nowhere if its sleeping position is backward; it happens because there is blocking in the nasal passage of your Shih Tzu.
Having Allergies
Your Shih Tzu might be allergic to something in the environment. It can stuff up your Shih Tzu nasal passage, from which snoring can start. It can be due to dust, seasonal allergies, etc.
Other Health Issues
Many other severe health conditions can cause your Shih Tzu to start snoring. You must get a vet check as soon as possible if your Shih Tzu continues to snore for longer.
Is it a problem if my Shih Tzu sleeps with me?
For full disclosure, our two Shih Tzu’s have slept in our bed from a very young age, and we have never found it to be a problem. Some Doctors strongly advise against it whereas others don’t see it as a problem at all. It all comes down to personal preference and these are some points you should consider.
Will I get a good sleep with my Shih Tzu in bed?
This depends on various factors however, the two main ones are if they like to snore and are active in the middle of the night. From experience, your sleep will be a little worse if you do have your Shih Tzu sleep in your bed, especially if they snore or are attentive to the door. However, this doesn’t stop us and it’s just the trade-off for having our little best friends there to comfort us in bed.
Potential Health Issues
Another factor is that, like any animal, your Shih Tzu may be carrying some bacteria or parasites that could be transferred to you. Despite this, there is a very low risk of this happening and if you have a healthy pet, the chance of you catching something is very low.
Another factor may be allergies; however, as the Shih Tzu is a hypoallergenic dog breed you won’t have to worry about this being a problem either.
Most doctors and vets say overall it’s OK to sleep with your dog in your bed and having a smaller size dog breed like a Shih Tzu definitely makes it easier on owners.
To Sum It Up: Shih Tzu Sleeping Too Much
Shih Tzu owners no longer need to worry, as this article sums up all your sleeping concerns with your Shih Tzu. The article above covers all the details of why a Shih Tzu may be sleeping more, what their sleeping positions mean, why they snore or snort and more.
Enjoy sleeping with your Shih Tzu!
