Dogs' Sleeping Positions And Habits Tell You A Lot ... - DogTime

The way your dog sleeps and their sleeping habits can say a lot about what they're ... This position also leaves their limbs free to move during sleep, ... (PictureCredit:GettyImages)Thepositionsdogssleepin,thewaytheytwitchormove,andtheamountoftimetheyspendnappingcanrevealalotabouthowthey’refeeling.Sleepinghabitscangivecluesaboutadog’shealthandhappinessthatyoucaninterpretifyouknowwhattolookfor.Ofcourse,ifyouspotanythingunusualordifferentaboutyourdog’ssleepingbehaviors,youshouldgettoyourvetforacheckup.DogTimerecommendsthisdogbedtogiveyourpupagoodnight’ssleep!Hereareafewthingstotakenoticeof whenyourdogissleepingandwhattheymightmean.SleepingPositions(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Payattentiontothepositionyourdogsleepsinmostfrequently.Yourdog’sfavoritesleepingpositionmightchangebasedonwherethey’resnoozing,whothey’resleepingnear,orifthey’refeelingacertainway.Injuriesorsorenesscanalsocauseadog’ssleepingpositiontochange,soifyounoticeanythingunusualinyourpup’ssleepingposition,keepaneyeoutforsignsofpain.Gettothevetifanythingseemsoff.Belowaresomecommonsleepingpositionsandwhattheymightmean.1.OnTheSide(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Adogwho sleepsontheirsidehastofeelprettysafeandcomfortable,asitleavesthevitalorgansexposed.Dogswhofavorthispositiontendtobeprettyeasy-goingandrelaxed,thoughtheymayswitchtoadifferentpositionifthey’resleepingsomewhereneworaroundsomeonetheyaren’tfamiliarwith.Thispositionalsoleavestheirlimbsfreetomoveduringsleep,soyoumayseemoretwitchingandlegkicksfromadoglyingontheirside.2.CurledUp(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Averycommonpositiondogstakewhensleepingistocurlupinaball,nose-to-tail.It’sacommonpositionforanimalstotakeinthewildtoo,asitprotectsthevitalorgans,helpsconservewarmth,andmakesiteasytogetupquickly.Thispositionrestrictsmovementduringsleep,soyoumayseelesstwitchingfromadogwhosnoozesinaball.Youmightthinkthatadogwhosleepsinthispositionwouldbeuncomfortableintheirsurroundings,andwhilethatmaybethecase,it’snotnecessarilytrue.It’sacommonpositioninfallandwintermonthswhentheweatheriscool,oritmayjustsimplyfeelbetterforaparticulardogtosleepinthatposition.3.SprawledOutOnTheTummy(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Thisissometimescalledthe“Superman”position.Itallowsforadogtopopupandbeontheirpawsrightaway.Youoftenseethispositionwithpuppieswhoneedtonapfrequentlybutalsowanttobereadytojumpupandplayatamoment’snotice.Dogswhosleepinthispositiondon’twanttomissachancetobeintheaction,evenwhilethey’renapping.It’sthepositionofchoiceforhigh-energypupsorpupswhogetsleepyduringplayandjustwanttoplopdownwherethey’restanding.4.OnTheBack,PawsUpInTheAir(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Intheoppositewaycurlinginaballconservesheat,sleepingwithanexposedbellyhelpsadogcooloff.Sincethefuristhinneraroundthebellyandthepawsholdthesweatglands,exposingtheseareasisagreatwaytobeattheheat.It’salsoapositionthatindicatesadogisverycomfortable,leavingtheirmostsensitiveareasvulnerableandmakingithardtogetontheirfeetquickly.Apupwho’ssleepinginthispositionmostlikelydoesn’thaveacareintheworld.It’scommoninsummermonths.5.Back-To-BackOrSnuggledUp(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Youmaycatchyourdogsleepingback-to-backwithyourotherpetsorsnugglinguptoyou,anditmeansthesamething.Yourdogisbondingandshowingthattheywanttogetclosetoyouortheirfurrysiblings.Adogsleepingthiswayfeelsverylovingandaffectionate,andthey’recompletelycomfortablewithwhoeverthey’renappingwith.Tryshowingyourloveinreturnbytakingasnoozewithyourpup.SleepingBehaviors(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Onceyourdogisnapping,youmaygetsomecluesaboutthequalityoftheirsleepfromtheirbehavior.Sleepisimportantforhealingandrepairingthebody,andREMsleep,whichisthedeepeststageofsleep,isthemostrestorative.Payattentiontothesesignsandbehaviorstomakesureyourdogisgettingthebestsleeppossible.1.CirclingAndDigging(PictureCredit:GettyImages)It’sanormalbehaviorfordogstocircletheirsleepingareaorevendigabitbeforelyingdownforsleep.Thisisbehaviorthatcomesfromdogs’wolfancestorswhowouldoftentrampledowngrass,leaves,orsnowtogetcomfortable.Theymightalsodigaholethatwouldhelpkeepthemwarminwinterorcoolinsummer.Dogstendtocircleafewtimesbeforelyingdown,butdoingittoomuchorhavingtroublesettlinginmightbeasignofpain,arthritis,oraneurologicalissue.Consultavetifyounoticeexcessivecircling.2.LightDozing(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Adogmightdozeoffduringthedayifthey’reboredorjustgettingarest.Thisisnotaveryrestfulsleep,andyourdogmayjustbewaitingforsomethingmoreinterestingtocomealong.Watchyourpup’searsandseeiftheyperkupatanymovementorunusualnoise.Thisprobablymeansthatyourdogisstillfairlyalertandlookingforsomethingworthgettingupfor.Maybeit’stimetodosomethingfunlikegoforawalkorplayfetch.3.Twitching,Wagging,OrSoftBarks(PictureCredit:GettyImages)DogstendtomoveabitduringREMsleepwhenthey’remostrestful.Theycouldverywellbeactingouttheirdreams,buttheyaregettinganice,deepsleep.Twitching,tailwagging,legkicks,andoccasionalbarksorgruntsarecommon.Thisisagoodtimetoletsleepingdogslie,asthisstageofsleepisveryrestorativeandgoodfortheirhealth.Movementduring sleepisactuallymorefrequentinpuppiesandseniordogs,andnoonecanreallyexplainwhy.Alesscommonreasonfortwitchingduringsleepisifadogiscold.Thetwitchesarethebody’swayofwarmingup.Ifyourdogiscold,getablanketormovethemtoawarmersleepingplace.4.SignsOfDistress(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Likehumans,dogscanhavenightmares.Ifyourdogseemsparticularlyagitatedduringsleepwithmoremovement,barks,orwhimpersthanusual,youcantrygentlycalmingyourpupdown.Calltheirnamesoftlyandstroketheirbackorside.Usesoothingtones.Yourpupmaywakeupormayjustsimplyrelaxandcontinueonwithamorepleasantdreamafteryou’vecomfortedthem.Ifyounoticeyourdogfrequentlyseemsagitatedduringsleep,youmaywanttoscheduleavetvisittobeonthesafeside.5.Seizure(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Whentwitchinggetsexcessive,itcouldbeasignofaseizurethatrequiresimmediatemedicalattention.Trycallingyourdog’snameandwakingthemupifyoususpectthattheirmovementsareabnormal.Iftheywake,itmayhavejustbeenanintensedream.Ifthey don’trespondtoyourcalls,continuetoshake,orfeelstiff,getmedicalhelprightaway.Youshouldpayattentiontoyourdog’susualsleepinghabitssoyouknowthedifferenceandcantellwhensomethingisoutoftheordinary.AmountOfSleep(PictureCredit:GettyImages)Dogssleepalotmorethanpeopledo.Onaverage,dogsneedabouttwelveto14hoursofsleepaday.Bigdogstendtotakelongernapsthansmallerdogs,andpuppiesneedabout18to19hoursofsleepaday,usuallywakingupforanhouraftereveryfewhoursofsleep.Takenoticeofyourdog’snormalsleepinghabits.Ifyounoticeachangeinhowlongyourdogsleeps,itcouldmeanalotofthingsfromadietarychangetoathyroidproblem.Ifyourdogisspendingtoomuchtimenapping,itcouldbetimeforavetvisit.Howdoesyourdogsleep?Doesyourdogdreamalot?Doesyourpuptakenapsallday?Letusknowinthecommentsbelow!RelatedArticles:WhyDoesMyDogLeanOnMe?WhatDoesYourDogDreamAbout?ProbablyYou,ExpertSaysDoYouSleepWithDogs?SaveSharethisarticleonfacebookSHARESharethisarticleontwitterTWEETMonitoringStringmonitoring_string="c1299fe10ba49eb54f197dd4f735fcdc"