What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to understand how sleep duration affects the welfare of dogs as indicated by AWAG data.

April 12, 2026Open Access

Assessment of the relationship between sleep and welfare in dogs using AWAG data

Key Points

This research aims to understand how sleep duration affects the welfare of dogs as indicated by AWAG data.
Analyzed retrospective data from domestic dog caregivers regarding estimated sleep duration.
Utilized the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG) to quantify canine welfare.
Examined correlations using Spearman’s rank correlation in R Studio.
Included 77 dogs from various environments: shelters, homes, and as assistance dogs.
62.3% of dogs slept less than the recommended 14 hours per day.
A significant positive correlation (ρ = 0.46) exists between sleep score and cumulative welfare assessment scores (CWAS).
The strongest relationship noted was between sleep score and psychological issues (ρ = 0.92) like fears and anxieties.
Moderate positive correlations were found with reaction to stressors (ρ = 0.59) and mobility (ρ = 0.43).

Abstract

Sleep is a fundamental biological process crucial for physical restoration, emotional regulation, and cognitive functioning. However, there is limited understanding of how sleep affects welfare in dogs. This study explored the relationship between caregiver-estimated sleep duration and welfare status in dogs using retrospective data from the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG). The AWAG is a validated tool used to quantify the welfare of an animal via assessment of factors related to physical and psychological health, the environment and the management of the animal. Retrospective data collected by domestic dog caregivers from 77 dogs with sleep scores assessed between January and March 2025 were analysed. The study population consisted of dogs from shelters (n = 40), home environments (n = 25), and assistance dogs (n = 12). AWAG data were analysed in R Studio to examine correlations between sleep scores and cumulative welfare assessment scores (CWAS), and additionally individual factors were examined using Spearman’s rank correlation. Most dogs (62.3%) are reported to sleep less than the recommended 14 h per day. A significant positive correlation was found between sleep score and CWAS (Spearman’s ρ = 0.46), indicating that shorter sleep duration was associated with poorer welfare. As sleep duration forms part of the CWAS calculation, the association between sleep and CWAS is partially non-independent and should be interpreted with this in mind. Sleep score also showed the strongest positive relationship with fears, anxieties, and frustrations frequency (Spearman’s ρ = 0.92), and moderate positive relationships with reaction to stressors (Spearman’s ρ = 0.59), and mobility and activity (Spearman’s ρ = 0.43). These findings suggest that suboptimal sleep may be linked to poorer overall welfare in dogs, with strong associations with psychological health. While causality cannot be established, these data offer insight into canine sleep for veterinary and animal welfare professionals. Discussing sleep in consultations may provide additional context when assessing welfare, and facilitating good sleep environments may promote better welfare in dogs.

Mark Helpful

Bookmark

Relay

View Full Paper