Why do dogs circle and dig in their beds?
by Scotty Valadao - Canine Behaviour Consultant, TTouch Practitioner, founder Friends of the Dog
www.fods.co.za
www.fods.co.za
On being asked the other day why dogs circle, scratch and often dig before lying down, thought it would be a good idea to pass on this info for those that may not know.
Some dogs dig in their beds before settling down, others will circle or scratch and some even seem to head-butt the blankets to get them perfect –while others do a combination of all, or part of these rituals.
Comfort and Habit
Just as we have our own preferences and make our beds in a certain manner such as preferring sheets and blankets to duvets, our dogs seem to have their own preferences to making their sleeping areas as comfortable as possible. The major difference is that we humans do this for our comfort and not to scent the area!
At the beginning of winter I bought a lovely, warm fluffy blanket to put on top of Benji’s bed to keep him nice and cosy in the colder weather. At least that is what I thought! Benji had other ideas and when I came through to the room after tucking in the blanket the way I thought he would like it, he had pulled the lovely new blanket off the bed,discarded it, and was curled up on his bed as it was before – Never mind, the feral cats that have adopted us definitively appreciated the extra blanket and had no hesitation of using it after it had been duly kneaded into the correct shape!
Some dogs dig in their beds before settling down, others will circle or scratch and some even seem to head-butt the blankets to get them perfect –while others do a combination of all, or part of these rituals.
Comfort and Habit
Just as we have our own preferences and make our beds in a certain manner such as preferring sheets and blankets to duvets, our dogs seem to have their own preferences to making their sleeping areas as comfortable as possible. The major difference is that we humans do this for our comfort and not to scent the area!
At the beginning of winter I bought a lovely, warm fluffy blanket to put on top of Benji’s bed to keep him nice and cosy in the colder weather. At least that is what I thought! Benji had other ideas and when I came through to the room after tucking in the blanket the way I thought he would like it, he had pulled the lovely new blanket off the bed,discarded it, and was curled up on his bed as it was before – Never mind, the feral cats that have adopted us definitively appreciated the extra blanket and had no hesitation of using it after it had been duly kneaded into the correct shape!
Circling
It is believed that the dog circling its chosen area to lie down could be based on what their ancestors would have done and served more than the purpose of making the area comfortable. The circling on an area of grass could have chased away insects or even snakes that could have posed danger and as dogs have scent glands in their paws, they would have been marking the area as their own and by flattening the area around them they could have seen danger approaching easier.
Scratching
This is something that dogs do inside which can drive many owners crazy and ruin carpets and scratch flooring. The dog is inside for heavens sake, not scratching out a comfortable hollow in the garden to settle down in! Dogs do not appear to know the difference, this is just part and parcel of what is the ritual for some dogs. It could be that it is connected to the circling above marking a place and making it their own. The Earth dogs, such as those that were bred to dig tunnels to find prey seem to engage in the scratching behaviour a bit more than non-earth dogs.
Digging
This is another ritual that may be done by itself or in combination with Scratching and Circling. Dogs do not only dig a hole to hide their bones, in nature dogs are very much den animals and will dig out a den for themselves to lie in, to give birth in and rear the pups – this can also be for comfort, or even just to cool themselves a bit as the ground below is often cooler. It can be for pure comfort and to imbue their scent on the blankets and really make it their own or to dig a snugly nest to sleep in when weather is cooler.
Whatever the reasons for the above behaviour, watching a dog getting ready to settle down and have a snooze is often an entertaining experience!
It is believed that the dog circling its chosen area to lie down could be based on what their ancestors would have done and served more than the purpose of making the area comfortable. The circling on an area of grass could have chased away insects or even snakes that could have posed danger and as dogs have scent glands in their paws, they would have been marking the area as their own and by flattening the area around them they could have seen danger approaching easier.
Scratching
This is something that dogs do inside which can drive many owners crazy and ruin carpets and scratch flooring. The dog is inside for heavens sake, not scratching out a comfortable hollow in the garden to settle down in! Dogs do not appear to know the difference, this is just part and parcel of what is the ritual for some dogs. It could be that it is connected to the circling above marking a place and making it their own. The Earth dogs, such as those that were bred to dig tunnels to find prey seem to engage in the scratching behaviour a bit more than non-earth dogs.
Digging
This is another ritual that may be done by itself or in combination with Scratching and Circling. Dogs do not only dig a hole to hide their bones, in nature dogs are very much den animals and will dig out a den for themselves to lie in, to give birth in and rear the pups – this can also be for comfort, or even just to cool themselves a bit as the ground below is often cooler. It can be for pure comfort and to imbue their scent on the blankets and really make it their own or to dig a snugly nest to sleep in when weather is cooler.
Whatever the reasons for the above behaviour, watching a dog getting ready to settle down and have a snooze is often an entertaining experience!
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