Photos by: Svetography / Bigstock
Watching your dog trying to find a place to relax can make you dizzy! Have you ever wondered why dogs roll before lying down?
Dogs do some weird things and the reasons behind them aren’t always clear. Your dog may have some quirks of his own, but there is one strange behavior that most dogs display before they lie down. Why do dogs hover around a spot before they lie down? Well, there are a few different factors that come into play for this strange habit.
Your natural instincts are in the dog
Your pooch may look nothing like a wolf, but he is descended from wild dogs and still has natural, portable instincts. Although animal behavior experts don’t agree unanimously, some believe that circling before lying down is a leftover behavior from a dog’s days living in the wild. Before lying down on the ground, coyotes sometimes turn in circles to mow down grass or snow to create a more level surface—it’s just like making a nest.
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Wild dogs have also been known to dig in the ground to create a hole before lying down in it, allowing the ground to help maintain the dogs natural body heat. This may also explain why some dogs scratch or claw on their bedding before going off to rest.
Could spinning be a concern?
You know, sometimes there is no clear explanation as to why dogs do certain things. Sometimes, these are just a dog habit that is made up and there may be no reason why. But if you can’t think of a reasonable explanation for why your dog exhibits a certain behavior, you may want to look into it a bit – especially if it’s a new behavior your dog has recently developed.
It is part of a dog’s natural instinct to hide his pain and vulnerability. If something is wrong, your dog may try to block it because any weakness could make him vulnerable. Since your dog can’t come out and tell you what’s wrong, you must learn to recognize the signs.
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In many cases, when something is wrong, the first sign you may notice is a change in behavior. If your dog wouldn’t normally roll around before lying down, but suddenly starts doing so, you may want to look at this change in behavior a little bit. In some cases, this type of behavior may be a sign of restlessness or restlessness.
If your dog can’t look relaxed and keep rolling and turning, it could be a sign of a neurological problem or it could be causing him to be in pain – arthritis is a common cause. Watch your dog closely to see if he is having trouble getting up and lying down and then decide if you should take him to the vet for a checkup.
Dogs are unique creatures and we don’t always understand why they do the things they do. Since changes in behavior can indicate a health problem, you need to get to know your dog’s behavior enough so that you can quickly identify changes. Don’t worry – it’s easy to do! All you need to do is spend as much time with your dog as possible, and you’ll get to know him as well as you know yourself – or better.
