Why Does My Dog Sleep With His Tongue Out?

Loving, goofy and fiercely loyal, dogs really are man’s best friend.  You have probably had plenty of laughs and few concerns over just how goofy your dog is.

Some of your dog’s odd behaviors can be explained by their personalities, others by their pack mentality and other behaviors by just silliness.

Being a responsible dog owner means looking into behaviors you aren’t familiar with to make sure it’s not an indication of a medical or other type of problem causing your dog to act odd.

So, what about dogs who sleep with their tongues out?  Why do dog’s sleep with their tongues out?  There are a few reasons that could be why your dog is sleeping in such an adorable but goofy way.

Breed

You can catch any breed of dog sleeping with their tongues out.  However, there are some breeds that are much more likely to do so. 

Dogs with flatter faces or shortened snouts, such as Pugs and French Bulldogs simply don’t have as much room in their mouths for their tongue. 

Due to their tongues being relatively larger to their mouths than other dogs, this will cause them to have their tongue out much more in general, including while they sleep.    

Some breeds, such as Boxers, can develop wry mouth, where one side of the jaw is longer than the other.  This makes it difficult for them to keep their tongue in their mouth.

Hanging Tongue Syndrome

While this is a scary name for why your dog is sleeping with her tongue out, it isn’t always something so bad.  Some animals, including many dogs, simply like to have their tongue out of their mouth more often than not. 

When these dogs sleep, they could just be blepping, or perhaps even have their tongue hanging all the way out. 

In addition to new medications, there are also some medical issues that could lead to hanging tongue syndrome in dogs, though you are most likely already aware of them if they affect your pet dog.

Missing teeth or other dental problems, an enlarged tongue or injury to the face or jaw could all be medical causes of hanging tongue syndrome. 

If your dog suddenly develops hanging tongue syndrome, and you don’t know the cause, you may wish to consult your veterinarian.

Your Dog Fell Asleep While Relaxed

We’ve all seen it before, a perfectly content dog with his or her tongue hanging out of their mouth.  When dogs are relaxed, their tongues will often hang out of their mouths. 

If your dog falls asleep in this position, it’s likely their tongue will stay out as they snooze. 

Your Dog Is Hot or Dehydrated

Dogs don’t sweat way us humans do, instead they regulate their body temperatures by hanging their tongue out.  Dogs also hang their tongues out when they haven’t gotten enough to drink.

Your dog can fall asleep with either of these issues going on as well.  If do you suspect your dog is dehydrated, you should take the time to research the issue and correct it.

Dogs Are Silly

Sometimes dogs are just…dogs.  They are all cute and lovable and at times down right silly.  Your dog might be sleeping with his or her tongue out for no reason at all.

Maybe it slipped out while they were sleeping.  Maybe they were playing, decided to rest and fell asleep in a funny position.  Often times with dogs we just have to shrug our shoulders. 

The joys of owning a pet aren’t just loving it unconditionally but also laughing when appropriate.

Summary: Why Do Dogs Sleep With Their Tongues Out?

They sure do some odd things.  But why do dogs sleep with their tongues out?  There are many reasons that a dog will sleep with his or her tongue out.  Usually, it is caused by one of the following.

Some dogs are a breed with a flat face, short snout or are more likely to have wry mouth.  All these situations make it hard for a dog to keep their tongue in their mouth.

Hanging tongue syndrome, which can be caused by several things will lead to dogs sleeping with their tongues out.

If your dog falls asleep while relaxed, hot or dehydrated, odds are his tongue will be out of his mouth while he sleeps.

Dogs do things that we find weird and silly all the time.  For some dogs there is no reason they sleep with their tongues out, other than being goofy of course.