by Sasha Riess | 19.03.26. | Wellbeing
Have you ever wondered how much sleep your dog truly needs? Experts explain that the amount and quality of a dog’s sleep can be one of the clearest reflections of their overall health and emotional balance.
If your dog sleeps a lot, that doesn’t mean they’re lazy — quite the opposite. It often means that nothing is wrong — that they feel safe, content, and fully at ease.
How Many Hours of Sleep Do Dogs Need?
Dogs sleep much more than humans — on average between 12 and 16 hours per day. Puppies and senior dogs can sleep even longer, while active adults tend to rest in several shorter cycles throughout the day. Unlike people, dogs don’t have one long block of deep sleep. Their rest consists of many light naps and quick recovery phases — moments when their body restores energy, balance, and calm. When they’re not eating, walking, or playing — they sleep. It’s not laziness. It’s nature.
Sleep as a Sign of Safety and Happiness
A calm, well-balanced dog doesn’t feel the need to be constantly active. If your dog sleeps peacefully and takes frequent naps, it’s usually a beautiful sign that they feel safe and loved. Dogs with a consistent rhythm — regular meals, walks, and gentle human presence — rest deeply because their nervous system trusts the environment. Even stray dogs, who live in uncertainty, will nap as soon as they find a quiet and sunny spot. Sleep is their way to save energy and survive.
Even a stray dog knows peace — the strength of a simple life.
When Too Much Sleep Might Be a Warning
While sleep is a sign of security, excessive or unusual sleep can sometimes point to a problem. Pay attention if your dog:
These can indicate underlying issues such as joint pain, anemia, hormonal imbalance, or even depression. In such cases, a veterinary check-up is essential.
How to Help Your Dog Sleep Better
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Provide a quiet, comfortable sleeping area away from noise, drafts, and constant movement.
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Keep feeding and walking routines consistent — dogs find peace in predictability.
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Avoid waking them suddenly — interrupted sleep affects their mood and immune system.
Sleep as the Mirror of Trust
If your dog sleeps a lot, it’s usually not a problem — it’s a compliment. A sleeping dog is a trusting dog. Their rest is proof that they feel protected, understood, and free from fear. A healthy, happy dog doesn’t need to stay alert — because they know one simple truth: you are there, watching over them.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that rest is a sacred state of recovery. When a dog sleeps in your presence, they are giving you their ultimate trust. Explore our philosophy: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 29.01.26. | Emotions
For years she did everything right, but her dog’s bloody diarrhea stopped only when she stopped lying to herself.
In the previous column, the story of Marija and her dog was shared—a case of chronic diarrhea lasting for years that stopped only when she stopped living against herself. That story left an open question: was it coincidence, or a repeating pattern that appears when unspoken truth within a system is suppressed for too long?
This column continues where the previous one ended. It brings the story of Snežana and her dog Bobi, and of a decision that had been postponed for years.
When Protocols Are Not Enough for a Dog’s Health
Snežana was not a woman who ignored problems. On the contrary, she was one of those who try everything, follow guidelines, and seek knowledge. When Bobi developed bloody diarrhea, she reacted immediately with veterinarians, analyses, and therapies.
When medical solutions proved temporary, she turned to a different approach. She followed rituals, adjusted nutrition, and changed ingredients used in cooking. Alongside this, she regularly attended online workshops of the Harmony Order.
Yet, despite everything being technically done correctly, Bobi’s symptoms did not disappear. There were short periods of improvement, but the blood always returned. It was as if the cause was not in what the dog was eating, but in what he was living inside.
The Harmony Order and the Unspoken Truth in the Marriage
From the outside, Snežana’s marriage looked stable—life abroad and professional success. There was no visible chaos, only a relationship of long silence. She believed enduring was the same as love, refusing to admit she could no longer live that way.
In such conditions, a woman often loses contact with herself. But the body does not understand the concept of cost; it responds to reality. The dog, sharing the same emotional climate, responds even faster. A dog’s health and the owner’s truth are inseparably connected.
Through the Harmony Order workshops, Snežana realized that a dog cannot be stable in a space where the central figure lives in constant inner conflict.
A dog’s health and the owner’s truth are inseparably connected.
A Decision That Changed the Nervous System of the Whole System
At the final workshop, Snežana shared her realization. She understood she could no longer lie to herself; if she wanted to help her dog, she first had to help herself.
The decision to divorce was not impulsive; it was the end of long-term denial. When she finally made the decision, everything changed. After the divorce, Bobi’s bloody diarrhea stopped almost overnight. The food remained the same. No new protocol was introduced. Only the life dynamic changed. The chronic tension disappeared, and as the woman’s nervous system calmed, the dog’s nervous system followed.
What Does the Health of Our Pets Tell Us?
This story does not claim that every health problem is caused by human relationships. It speaks of something more subtle: that sometimes symptoms do not withdraw until what continually creates them is changed.
In the Harmony Order, everyone has their place. When a woman stands in her rightful place, the dog no longer needs to carry what is not his.
This is not a story about divorce. This is a story about honesty. It is about the moment self-deception ends. The dog recognizes it first—not through words, but through the body.
It was never about the chips. It was always about the truth.
