Why do most dogs have to drag the cloth, dig and circle before they lie down/sleep comfortably?

Question

Why? no pranks please....

Answer 1

It's just a bedtime routine. Like making sure your sheet is tucked in. They're making sure that their blanket is where they want it and is comfortable to them. My middle dog has to zig zag back and forth 7 or 8 times before going poo...it's just a routine.

Answer 2

Digging and circling before lying down is a natural instinct dogs have. It's partly to make the ground more comfortable, packing down any pointy grass that might otherwise jab into them while they lie. Of course, a house dog could be going to lie down on a perfectly comfortable bed, but still has that instinct.

Answer 3

dogs are den animals.

Your dog will tend to circle before lying down to sleep As he
would do in the wild, where he would trample down vegetation to
create a bed, typically in longer grass where his presence will
be concealed.

Temperature also influences the way in which a dog sleeps. If
it’s cold, your dog will curl up in a ball to conserve body heat.
(just as puppies do by sleeping together instead of stretching
out).

It’s not unusual for an adult dog to lie on his side while he’s
sleeping, and start moving his legs as if he were running. The
eyelids and whiskers may twitch too at this stage, which is
usually a sign of what we humans call ‘deep sleep’. Dogs
generally spend most of their time sleeping lightly.

Answer 4

Essentially, dogs haven’t changed a great deal from their ancestors, although, of course, selective breeding has made them a lot more civilised so that it is possible to live with them. But they haven’t lost all of the drives and desires their ancestors needed to make them successful hunters. So we have lots of ‘throwback’ behaviour that has been handed down that isn’t much use in the comfortable world of the pet dog, but nonetheless still exists.

Turning round in circles before sleeping is one of these. It was probably originally useful to flatten the bedding material rather than to check for danger. If wolves think there is a threat, they will seldom curl up and sleep soundly, rather they will lay quietly with ears alert ready to catch any sound. Turning round and round helps to pad down whatever you will be lying on, helping to give you a comfortable night’s sleep.

Answer 5

I read a story years ago concerning this.

It has to deal with the dogs sub-conscious brain relating back to the days of dogs in the wild, prior to their being domesticated.

The dog would scoop the leaves/brush (cloth) together in a pile and then circle (tramp down) the leaves/brush, creating a comfortable bed.

Answer 6

It's a habit inherited from dogs' wild ancestors. In order to create a nest in high brush, a wild dog must first trample the brush down in a circular pattern.

Answer 7

Their hardwiring still is accustomed to being in the wild in the brush and that is what has to be done.

Answer 8

They are basically like a little kid and are just trying to get comfy, they like things to be fluffy and cozy just as a toddler would like...

Answer 9

Marie said what I was going to say. d'oh!