About this Webinar:

How often do you ask about a dog's sleep? Why is this important? This webinar will discuss the importance of sleep for physical, emotional and cognitive health - ultimately, why sleep quality impacts the behaviours we see dogs perform. We will discuss a practical approach to assessing sleep in the dogs we work with and look at a "tool kit" of ideas for improving sleep quality and duration, where needed.

Meet Your Instructor

Carrie Tooley BSc BVetMed MSc PGCVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FHEA MRCVS RCVS and EBVS®


Carrie qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2012 and spent three years in mixed general practice before pursuing her interest in behavioural medicine. She completed an MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour in 2018 from the University of Lincoln and became an RCVS and EBVS European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine in 2025. Carrie's research focus is the impact of sleep on the behaviour of dogs and she is a member of the British Sleep Society and the European Sleep Research Society. The fascinating topic of sleep medicine's relationship with behaviour came to Carrie's attention due to the high proportion of her case load that struggled with arousal levels, in particular after following the advice "this high energy dog needs more exercise".

  • Postnominals: Carrie Tooley BSc BVetMed MSc PGCVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FHEA MRCVS RCVS and EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine
  • Relevant publications:
    • Tooley, C.; Heath, S.E. Sleep, Characteristics in Dogs; Effect on Caregiver-Reported Problem Behaviours. Animals 2022, 12, 1753. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12141753
    • Tooley, C.; Heath, S.E., Emotional Arousal Impacts Physical Health in Dogs: A Review of Factors Influencing Arousal, with Exemplary Case and Framework. Animals 2023, 13, 465. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13030465
  • Pronouns: she/her