On our site we know that if your dog is your best friend, you will surely have fun not only sharing moments with him, but also that many of the things he does make you funny and curious, and that sometimes turn out to be intriguing to humans.
Despite all the centuries that he has undergone a process of domestication, the dog still retains his own instinctive behaviors, which he displays in his daily routine. One of these behaviors is the one that sometimes makes you wonder why do dogs roll over before sleeping, so in this article we clarify that question. Keep reading!
Dogs run around for safety and instinct
Dogs still retain many habits from their ancient ancestors, the wolves, so it is not uncommon to see them performing actions related to certain behaviors that have more to do with wildlife than with the comfortable existence they they carry in human homes. In this sense, your dog may be turning before bedtime as a way to remind himself of the need to spot for any insects or wild animals that might be hiding in the dirt and that it could attack him by surprise.
As if that were not enough, the idea of giving circles is also to flatten the space a bit with respect to the rest of the terrain, thanks to which a kind of hole would be created in which your dog could protect his chest and thus your vital organs. In addition, this gesture also allows you to determine which way the wind is going, because if you are in a warm climate you will sleep with the wind blowing towards your nose, like a way to stay cool, whereas if you live in a cold climate you may prefer to do it with the wind at your back, as a way to conserve heat from your own breath.
On the other hand, circling the place where you want to sleep also allows to spread your scent in the place and mark your territory, warning others that this space already has an owner, while making it easier for the dog to locate its resting place again.
For convenience
Just like you, your dog also wants to rest in the most comfortable comfortable position, so it's normal for him to try to soften the surface you want to sleep on with your paws, to have a softer bedNo matter how comfortable the bed you have bought for him is, his instinct will lead him to want to make it even more pleasant to sleep in and, therefore, it is not surprising that you see your dog tossing and turning before going to bed. Likewise, it is also possible that you observe your dog scratching his bed for this same reason.
When to worry?
Although turning around in the sleeping place is normal for dogs, it is also true that if it becomes an obsessive attitude, in which your dog does not finish going to bed, may be due to some concern you feel or a stress picture you are feeling. We recommend you go to your veterinarian to be able to determine the root of the problem and solve it in time, as well as consult our article on obsessive disorders in dogs to be able to finish answering the question why your dog spins before going to bed.
