Recently, I saw a plastic bag at a thrift store. Think it’s like a heating pad my dog might use for epilepsy. I covered him with two other blankets and tucked him in tightly to make it look like his bed. The next time I went to visit him, he pulled off the new blanket, dragged it halfway into the room and left it there. I saw him curled up, sleeping on his old blanket.
I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of rituals before bed. Most of them have become so used to their actions that they now have their objective abilities. For example, regardless of the temperature, I have sheets and towels that need to be in a certain order. If I’m not at home, I wake up more often than when I’m in my own bed. Comfort makes a difference in my ability and quality of sleep. Do our dogs have similar bedtime rituals? Let’s answer a few questions about dog nesting behavior, including:
- Why do dogs circle before lying down?
- Why do dogs scratch the floor?
- Why do dogs dig in bed?
Why do dogs walk in circles before lying down?
Sometimes his turning radius is as tight as his 3-by-2-foot dog bed in the winter, and at others as wide as a spot against an outdoor fence in the summer. No matter the time of year, it never ceases to amaze me when I watch my dog walk around his chosen sleeping spot. What motivates him to turn around before he stops? As a bedtime ritual, walking around brings out the dog’s comfort in a number of ways. Long before dogs could get into our beds or have their own dog bed, the circle was a way to establish both safety and comfort. In the wild, patrolling a chosen spot is a dog’s way of ensuring that there is no place for them to sleep. Stepping on tall grass or leaves creates enough of a commotion to dislodge any creatures that may be lurking there, such as snakes, mice or insects.
Landscapes are also protective. Dog paw prints have a few lesser known or advertised features. They are one of the few places on a dog’s body that sweat. More important to the topic at hand, dog’s nails also feature scent glands. Doing a few laps around the favorite sleeping area – whether it’s dirt or a suitable bed – familiarizes it with the dog’s scent. If you’ve ever seen an old western movie where a group of pioneers “surrounded the wagon”, the surrounding dogs can perform a similar protective role. This gives the dog a chance to explore the area before settling.
Why do dogs scratch the floor?
This question has many variations; One of the most popular and confusing questions for indoor dog owners is, “Why do dogs scratch the carpet?” This is a question that has puzzled mankind forever. The dog is inside, always! The surface it scrapes, whether it’s carpet, tile or hard wood, is not irreversible. We get frustrated because the carpet has been torn or reworked and other surfaces may need to be patched or patched, or worse, retain marks.
Cat owners buy their pets cat litter and scratching posts, but such small items are available for our puppies and dogs. Some breeds or breeds of dogs, including terriers and hounds, are well-versed in digging and burrowing, whether for prey, protection, or scent detection. If your dog is an aggressive type, but he spends a lot of time alone and indoors, he is being asked part of his identity. Giving him more time outside, in the yard or at the dog park, can help him meet his basic needs.
The dog sleeps comfortably. Marking and comfort are two reasons why dogs dig and scratch their beds. (Image via Pixabay)
A dog that licks the carpet may do so as part of preparing for sleep. Dogs don’t care about the quality of your building materials. Like tossing and turning in circles, snoozing serves many useful purposes, at least one of which is related to sleep. It can be part of a bedtime ritual, associated with his favorite resting place. Walking around in circles a lot makes the place smell like a dog. Scratching can play a similar role, physically marking and communicating. Dogs are creatures of habit just like we are. I’ve seen my own dogs repeat the whole process: scratch, circle, and rest.
Why do dogs dig at their beds?
Digging, like barking, is another bedtime behavior that dog owners notice. This is another habit or behavior that cat owners use, even if they don’t know why. A wild animal that digs in the bed and grinds. Just as dogs scratch and dig to establish a comfort zone, without worrying about the effect it will have on your bed, couch, or carpet, cats grind in places of theft. their strength, even if that means piercing your leg. As the enthusiasts among us keep quiet and laugh about it, a dog digging a garden is understandable. After all, the world is good and dogs can play until they are satisfied. Dogs can tell the difference between the floor outside and your favorite duvet, your bed, or the floor of their own box. The composition of the use of dog beds is less than practical.
Does your dog circle, scratch or dig on his bed or near his bed?
After doing research for this article, I discovered why my own dog had to throw away his new blanket to support his messy nest. It is precisely because the old ones are ugly and worn. I have seen him surround them and trample them many times. I saw him carving them with his hands and digging them out again and again.
In fact, he has used these things well enough to make them his bed. My frustration with my dog dragging a new warm blanket is not his problem. It was something foreign that stepped into his comfort zone. It was only after he spread this new one in his mouth, opened it with his hand, and gave him his own head that it would be used.