Seven things to try to stop your dog from snoring

Snoring is one of those things that many people have to deal with-either because they snore themselves, or sleep within earshot of someone that does! Some dogs too will snore as well, and this can be just as inconvenient as it can also be when your partner snores, potentially leading to a lot of restless nights spent lying awake listening to the low rumble!

There are almost as many different potential causes for snoring in dogs as there are dogs that snore, and because nobody has yet found a sure-fire way of stopping people from snoring successfully either, it is not always possible to stop it from happening in dogs-but in some cases, there are things that you can do or attempt that are specific to your own dog and the cause for their snoring that will help to stop or lessen the problem, making sleep more pleasant for everyone!

It is a good idea to talk to your vet about your dog’s snoring before you try something new, particularly if the snoring is a new thing that has only cropped up recently, as your vet may wish to check your dog out to make sure there is not an underlying problem leading to the issue. But after you have done this, check out our list of seven things you might be able to try to stop your dog from snoring, or at least reduce the volume of it!

Read on to learn more.

Weight loss

First of all, the vast majority of dogs in the UK are overweight to some degree, to the point that we are so used to seeing overweight dogs out and about that many people are unable to identify a healthy weight in their own dogs!

Being overweight can cause or exacerbate a huge number of health problems and potential issues that can lead to health conditions or discomfort, and snoring is just one of them.

For some dogs, working to get them back down to a healthy weight will be sufficient to stop them snoring altogether, and even for dogs for whom their weight is not the sole or main cause of the snoring, losing a couple of the extra pounds will generally ease the snoring somewhat anyway.

Surgery for brachycephalic dogs

When it comes to the types of dogs that are most likely to snore, brachycephalic ones top the list-these are dogs that have short muzzles and flat-looking faces, such as the French bulldog and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

For many brachycephalic dogs, their short muzzle does not cause any major problems-albeit all dogs of this type will tend to be a little more prone to overheating and becoming breathless faster with vigorous exercise or hot weather-but some dogs who have very exaggerated faces may well not only snore, but have problems breathing due to the structure of their muzzles too.

In some cases, a surgical procedure may be required to correct some of this exaggeration and enable the dog to breathe more easily, and this will usually greatly reduce problem snoring too.

Getting environmental allergens under control

Many dogs are sensitive to environmental allergens such as pollen and other things that they come into contact with regularly, and allergies too can make snoring worse. Look at ways to get your dog’s allergies under control and try to keep the level of household allergens to a minimum, and this will often help to ease your dog’s snoring too.

Other allergens

As well as environmental allergens, some dogs are allergic to other things, which can be harder to work out-such as certain food ingredients or substances, all of which serve to cause allergic reactions such as sneezing and runny eyes, and general discomfort.

Once more, working with your vet to tackle and reduce the impact of these allergens can help to reduce snoring.

Avoiding air pollution

Second and third hand smoke are as big a threat to pets as they are to people, and yet many people overlook this and don’t pay it much mind.

Smoking around your dog, particularly in the house with them, will lead to not only discomfort and an increased risk of problems such as lung cancer in your dog, but can also make your dog’s breathing laboured and heavy, which when asleep, will manifest as snoring.

Fresh, cool air

A hot, stuffy room is not conducive to sleep for anyone, and the same is true for your dog-being too hot or not being able to get enough fresh air can make dogs snore, so strike a balance between fresh air and a cool sleeping environment, and keeping your dog warm enough.

Your dog’s bed and support

Finally, choosing an orthopaedic bed or adding a pillow to your dog’s bed can often help to change your dog’s sleeping position or provide them with more support, both things that can help to reduce or eliminate snoring.