.....will go over to their beds, or some other place where they are about lie down, paw at it a few times, then walk around it in a tight circle two of three times, then lie down?
Know it's kind of a trivial, but I've noticed dogs doing it all my life, and these vestiges of primal and/or pack behavior interest me.
2006-12-13 20:11:46 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Yes they did it to squash the grass and do it now to make the spot comfortable and what not, but the one thing that no one has mentioned is that it is also instinctual for them to circle their bed to check for impending danger. In the wild there are constant threats so don't you think that you would check that you were safe at least twice before going to sleep?
2006-12-13 22:15:19 · answer #1 · answered by trippykat666 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pawing is getting the bed itself ready to be slept on, but as for the walking around it, I know they do it, but I don't think that anyone could give a solid undebatable reason as to why they'd do that. Just a dog thing.
To whoever said dogs are stupid, go get your IQ checked, betcha a two day old puppy's would be higher than yours.
2006-12-14 04:33:02 · answer #2 · answered by mandy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's an instinctual thing. when dogs traveled with the nomadic tribes, they would sleep on rough bedding. to make it a little more tolerable, they would paw and scratch at it for a while. then, to find the most comfortable spot, they would circle a couple times.
2006-12-14 04:15:02 · answer #3 · answered by wrldzgr8stdad 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yep it is an inticnt thing. I have seen wolves do it. It is to squash , to check for any thing that looks uncomfortable and to make sure it is sturdy. I have seen my dogs do it in the back yard and actually move things to make it "perfect". May have to do with sent marking as there sent pads are on there feet, base of tail and neck. I have see goats and sheep do a similar thing to so who knows may be some thing God did to amuse us :)
2006-12-14 04:33:14 · answer #4 · answered by Tara 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's instinct. It may be they do that to flatten the grass. They were once wild and lived in the wilderness. Even hundreds of years later they still have their original instincts. Cool right?
2006-12-14 04:16:02 · answer #5 · answered by uknowme 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Believe it or not dogs are just stupid and do stupid things.
2006-12-14 04:14:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋