Why Does My Dog Walk In A Circle Before Lying Down? 

Why do dogs turn around before lying down? One of the cutest and smartest animals is a dog that helps in various tasks with the military and police. They have many habits that they perform routinely. One of their practices can be walking in a circle while lying down.

It gets seen that dogs circle around the bed before sleeping or for having a short nap. This behavior can get related when in old times, a dog uses to make their beds. There was no one to make their beds in older days because they used to live in wild areas where no human get to notice. It is essential to create a comfortable couch during the night to sleep with satisfaction. 

Many dogs have made for domestication purposes so that they can adapt completely to humans and their habits. They can get easily trained for house rituals. But many dogs have wild nature because of their ancestors. Some dogs get trained for performing various tasks, and they also get adapted by many families easily just because of their superior intelligence.

Any owner needs to understand them completely. Otherwise, they can face significant problems while handling them socially or individually. One of the different and unique habits of any dog is that dogs circle around their bed when they have to sleep, or they have to take a nap.

Why do dogs turn around before lying down

In old times, dogs use to make their beds with tall grass and underbrush because there was no one to make their soft and comfortable beds. It depends on them about making their perfect beds with time. Many wild dogs were so independent that they do not like other’s mattresses, but they only prefer their comfort level. They perform one ritual before sleeping was circling before lying down in their beds so that they can get good sleep without having any problem. They prepare their rest by walking around their bed. It was a sign of safety precaution for the whole night. 

It gets said that when any dog roams around their place, they try to flat the floor, which makes any large insect drive out. It has also believed that when they round their home, it makes an indication for other dogs that the place has got claimed, and they can not cross it or uses it in any case. Because in earlier times, dogs used to have a mindset that they live in a wild area, and any attack can happen at any time.

Even, many dogs sleep together in one area that is why it was necessary to indicate to other dogs that the place has got occupied by some other dog. Dogs use to have a good understanding, and they understand by watching the flattened areas due to the circling of any dog around its region. 

Read also: Reasons why dogs run away from home

Why does my dog scratch the bed before lying down?

When a dog scratches at a cushion or bed that simply means that they are making their spot more comfortable, warmer, and safer. until now, domestic dogs have not lost this habit. In houses and apartments, they circle around their beds and can dig it. However, veterinarians warn that the dog’s behavior must be observed. If the dog is circling and digging too often, then this is most likely an indicator of restless behavior. The dog may have health problems such as arthritis or neurological problems. In this case, you should visit the vet with your pet.

Read also: Why is my dog crying

How does circling help with survival?

Most dogs walk in circles before lying down, also as a behavior inherited from their great ancestors: wolves. “Many dog ​​experts believe the ritual of going around in circles before bed is not inherited at all,” veterinarian Lynn Buzhardt tells Southern Living magazine. “However, wolves also have this curious behavior, in such a way that domestic dogs have this genetic predisposition to do so.”

Therefore, we could say that it is an archaic dance that comes directly from its distant relatives, the wolves. What is the purpose of this repetitive movement? Apparently, this act responds to reasons for survival. Walking around in circles before going before lying down in an act of self-preservation that the wolf needs to do in case it has to defend itself from an attack in the wild,” says Buzdhart. “Turning 360 degrees allows you to take one last look at potential predators before going to bed.”

Read also: What do dog’s sleeping positions and habits tell you

Why do dogs circle before pooping and peeing

First, it is a social necessity. They choose a place to leave a message to the rest of the dogs. Messages indicate that this territory is already occupied, and also provide information about other dogs who lives in the same area, are there any among them who are in heat, how long ago the message was left. Animals understand all these thanks to pheromones, ammonia, and secretion from the glands left in the message.

Secondly, in this way the dogs are simply looking for a comfortable and familiar place.

Third, scientists from the German University of Duisburg-Essen and the Czech University of Life Sciences conducted a study in which they examined the places of defecation and urination in 70 dogs of 37 different breeds. Over the course of two years, they analyzed about 7 thousand places and found that dogs have a great sense of direction and magnetic fields dogs prefer to poop and pee by positioning their bodies along the north-south axis of the Earth’s magnetic field and avoiding the west-east axis.

The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Zoology, in the conclusion, it says that according to the behavior of the dog, one can fully navigate the terrain.

Importance of training

But now in a new generation, dogs sleep on fancy cushions and comfortable beds, but they do perform this ritual to save their place. They can not change their behavior in any case because it has come from their ancestors. It is challenging to change their behavior, but it is also not required to change because they do not create any disturbance. They perform this ritual to satisfy their minds so that they can sleep safely. 

It would help if you got comfortable with this behavior, but you can train them for this problem. Dogs will learn quickly; that they are safe without their roaming. They get protection through roaming, but you can teach them with your love, then they will feel very comfortable.