Why Does A Dog Circle before Lying Down?

Why do dogs spin around before lying down?

Unlike humans, dogs don't just collapse into bed when they're tired. Dogs spend a lot of time preparing their beds and snuggling up for the night. A sleepy dog will spin around and dance before going to sleep. This bedtime ritual is a bit obsessive, and they won't fall asleep until they've finished their nightly dance moves.

Could there be other reasons why my dog spins around before lying down?

There's another evolutionary explanation for this spinning behavior. Wild canines, such as wolves, foxes, and coyotes, live in packs that include many family members. The entire pack protects its members and is always on the lookout for stragglers. Spinning around allows the pack leader to assess the pack and survey the surroundings for any members that may have been left behind.

Spinning around also gives the pack an opportunity to take one last look at potential predators before going to sleep. Again, this bedtime spinning is actually a form of self-defense.

Every pack has an established hierarchy. Some members are more dominant and others more submissive. Turning before bedtime may also be part of a ritual that determines the wolf's position in the pack pecking order.

Does turning make dogs feel safe?

A more fundamental reason for dogs turning is that wild dogs do not have artificial dog beds or pillows. Dogs make their own beds in nature. To make their sleeping area more comfortable, dogs stroke tall grass and move prickly bushes and thorns before lying down. Dogs dig up rocks and fallen branches. In cold weather, dogs turn to reposition their snow piles.

This "nesting" routine can also detect unwelcome residents such as snakes and insects. In addition, changing the layout of an area by moving grass, snow, or leaves signals other wild dogs in the area that that particular spot is occupied at night.

Do animals regulate their body temperature by turning in circles?

Wild dogs have no control over weather conditions and must endure extreme temperature changes. Since they can't just turn down the thermostat when it's hot or grab a blanket when it's cold, they adapt by "nesting" to regulate their sleeping temperature.

"By scratching and rolling, they can find a more comfortable sleeping temperature."

In hot climates, outdoor dogs scratch the ground to remove the topsoil and grass that retain and radiate the sun's heat. When the topsoil is removed, the cooler soil underneath is exposed. By scratching and rolling, they can find a more comfortable sleeping temperature.

In cold climates, wild dogs curl up tightly together to conserve body heat. The tighter the blanket, the warmer the dog will be. Moreover, other members of the pack will form a tight circle to effectively share body heat. So the bedtime rolling ritual also has a biological basis.

How does drawing a circle help pet dogs?

These are all good reasons why wild dogs would draw a circle before lying down, but what does this have to do with modern domestic dogs who live comfortable lives in the house and yard?

Since comfort is an innate desire, one explanation for why dogs draw a circle before lying down is that they do so to make their bed just how they like it. Unlike humans, a simple pat on the pillow is not enough. But their bedtime ritual doesn't end there: it's a repetition of the movements their ancestors made before falling asleep under the stars.