Why Dogs Turn Around Before Lying Down - VCA Animal ...

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Turning around before bedtime has its origin mostly in evolutionary history where dog ancestors were practicing these habits for health or protection. Wearecommittedtocaringforyourpet–whilemaintainingthehighestlevelofsafetyforourAssociatesandpetowners.Wethankyouforyourcontinuedpatienceandsupport. Learnmore aboutourCOVID-19responseandguidelines. ReadMore Whydodogsturnaroundbeforelyingdown?Dogs,unlikehumans,donotjustplopdowninbedwhentheyaretired.Theyspendlotsoftimepreparingtheirbedbeforesnugglinginforthenight.Sleepydogsturnaroundincirclesanddokindofadancebeforegoingtosleep.Thisbedtimeritualisabitcompulsiveandsleepevadesthemuntiltheycompletetheirnightlydanceroutine.Howdoescirclinghelpwithsurvival?Dogbehavioristsbelievethatadog’sneedtoperformthebedtimeritualofturningaroundincirclesbeforelyingdownisinherited.Canineancestors,suchaswildwolves,didthesamething,anddomesticdogsretainedthisgeneticpredisposition.Evolutionarybehaviorslikethisoneareaimedatself-preservationandarestronginfluencesthatpersistforgenerationsintheanimalkingdom."Dogbehavioristsbelievethatadog’sneedtoperformthebedtimeritualofturningaroundincirclesbeforelyingdownisinherited."Turningincirclesbeforelyingdownisanactofself-preservationinthatthedogmayinnatelyknowthatheneedstopositionhimselfinacertainwaytowardoffanattackinthewild.Somewildlifebiologistsbelievethatwolvessleepwiththeirnosestothewindsothattheycanquicklypickuponathreateningscent.Circlingallowsthewolftodeterminethedirectionofthewindsothathecanbestpositionhimself.Withaquickwhiff,thewolfknowsthathemaybeindangerandisalertedforapotentialattack.Mostdomesticdogsarepetsthatsleepinourhomesorinanothersafe,controlledenvironment.Eventhoughtheyarenotsubjecttoattackbywildanimals,ourcaninefriendsretainedthisevolutionaryprotectivetrait.So,liketheirancestors,ourdogsturnaroundafewtimesbeforelyingdown.Arethereotherreasonswhymydogmaycirclebeforelayingdown?Thereisanotherevolutionaryexplanationforthiscirclingbehavior.Wildcanids(e.g.,wolves,foxes,andcoyotes)travelinpacksthatincludemanyfamilymembers.Theentiregroupisprotectiveofthemembersofthepackandisonconstantlookoutforstragglers.Turningaroundhelpsgroupleadersassessthepackandsurveytheareaformembersthatmayhavefallenbehind.Turningincirclesalsoprovidesanopportunitytotakeonelastlookforpotentialpredatorsbeforebedtime.So,again,thisbedtimerotationisactuallyaformofself-preservationandprotection.Everypackhasanestablishedhierarchy.Somemembersaremoredominantwhileothersaresubmissive.Thebedtimeturningroutinemayalsobepartofaritualthatidentifiesawolf’splaceinthepeckingorderofthepack.Doescirclinghelpmydoggetcomfortable?Amorebasicreasonforcaninecirclingisthatdogsinthewilddonothavetheluxuryofmanufactureddoggiebedsandpillows.Theymaketheirownbedsinnature.Tomaketheirsleepingquartersmorecomfortable,dogspatdowntallgrassandmovepricklyunderbrushandstickersbeforelyingdown.Theyrootoutrocksandfallentreebranches.Incolderclimates,dogscircletorepositionsnowbanks.This“nesting”procedurealsouncoversunwantedinhabitantssuchassnakesorinsects.Moreover,changingthelayoutofanareabymovinggrass,snow,orleavesindicatestootherwilddogsintheareathatthisparticularspotistakenforthenight.Doescirclinghelpwithanimalscontroltheirtemperature?Dogsinthewildhadnocontroloverweatherconditionsandhadtosurviveextremechangesintemperature.Theycouldnotturndownathermostatwhenitwashotorgrabablanketwhenitwascold,sotheyadaptedby“denning”tomoderatethetemperatureoftheirsleepingquarters."Scratchingandturningallowedthemtofindamorecomfortabletemperatureforsleeping."Outdoordogsinhotterclimatesscratchedatthegroundtoclearawaytopsoilandgrassthatretainedandradiatedthesun’swarmth.Removingthetopsoilexposedcoolersoilunderneath.Scratchingandturningallowedthemtofindamorecomfortabletemperatureforsleeping.Wildcanidsincolderclimatescircledtowindthemselvesintotightballstoconservepersonalbodyheat.Thetighterthetuck,thewarmerthedog.Inaddition,otherpackmembersgatheredtogetherinatightcircletoeffectivelysharebodyheat.So,thebedtimeturningritualhadabiologicalbasis,too.Howdoescirclinghelpourpetdogs?Theseareallgoodreasonsfordogstocirclebeforelyingdowninthewild,buthowdoesthisrelatetoourcontemporary,domesticdogsthatleadcomfortableliveswithinourhomesandyards?Thedesireforcomfortisinnate,sooneexplanationisthatourdogscirclebeforelyingdowntogettheirbedsjustthewaytheywantthem.Unlikeus,aquickplumpofthepillowwillnotdo.Buttheirbedtimeritualismorethanthat.Itisarepeatperformanceoftheactionstheirancestorstookbeforegoingtosleepunderthestars.Whatifthecirclingisexcessive?Whilewatchingourdogsturnaroundbeforebeddingdownisamusing,itcanalsobeasignalthatsomethingiswrong.Dogsthatareinpainwillcircleexcessivelyastheystruggletofindamorecomfortableposition.Theymayalsocrouchthenriseseveraltimesbeforecompletelyreclining.Ifyourdoghasdifficultysettlingdownevenaftermakingseveralrevolutions,consultyourveterinarian.Orthopedicdisorderslikearthritisandneurologicaldisorders,suchasspinalcordorbackproblemscanturntheroutinenighttimecirclingintoapainfulexperience.Withproperevaluationandtherapy,bedtimecanonceagainbecomeacomfortingandcomfortableritual.Contributors:RyanLlera,BSc,DVM;LynnBuzhardt,DVM VeterinarianapprovedBehaviorSupportproducts ViewNow FindaLocalVCA We'rehereforyouandyourpet. FindAHospital Search Fetch! VestibularDiseaseinDogs Vestibulardiseasereferstoasudden,non-progressivedisturbanceofbalance.Itismorecommoninolderdogs.Causesofvestibulardiseaseincludemiddleorinnerearinfections,drugsthataretoxictotheear,traumaorinjury,tumors,andhypothyroidism.Whennospecificcauseisfound,theconditioniscalledidiopathicvestibularsyndrome.Diagnosisisbasedonmedicalhistory,clinicalsigns,andtheresultsofbloodandurinetests.Insomecases,diagnostictestingmightincludebloodpressuremeasurement,orradiographs(X-rays)oftheheadtoassesstheappearanceofthemiddleandinnerearsandthetympanicbullae.Treatmentisdirectedattheunderlyingcause,ifonecanbeidentified.Inseverecases,supportivetherapysuchasintravenousfluidsandhospitalizationmayberequireduntilthedogcaneatandwalkonitsown.Theclinicalsignsassociatedwithvestibulardiseaseareoftenmostsevereduringthefirsttwenty-fourtoforty-eighthours.Manypetsbegintoimprovewithinseventy-twohours.Areferraltoaveterinaryneurologistmaybeadvised. DogBehavior--WhatisNormal? Whatisnormalandwhatisnot?Theansweris:whenthebehaviorisharmlessorjustannoying,itisprobablynormal.Whenthebehaviorisdestructive,disruptive,orplacespeopleorotherpetsatrisk,itisnotnormal.Addressingtheproblemsearly,beforetheybecomeingrained,isthebesthopeforavoidingfutureproblems.Dogswillbedogs,butpeoplearestillultimatelyresponsibleforthem. x Petfood,supplements&more. Freeshipping. ShopNow



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