Why Do Dogs Dig in Their Beds? Vet-Reviewed Sleeping Rituals

Anyone with a dog knows that they are their best friend, but that doesn’t mean we always understand them. Dogs do strange things, like digging through the trash or barking at nothing. If you’ve ever caught your dog digging in their bed and wondered what they were up to, you’ve come to the right place. Digging in the bed is most likely a reminder of dogs' instincts inherited from their wild ancestors.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at common canine sleeping rituals so you can determine the difference between normal and concerning behavior.

Why Dogs Dig in Their Beds

While your dog’s behavior may seem strange on the surface, there is often an explanation behind their actions. So, what’s the purpose behind digging in their beds? It is an instinct left over from when dogs spent most of their lives outdoors.

When it was time to curl up and go to sleep, not just any old place would do. Wild dogs needed a place that was safe and comfortable to sleep. After finding a good place to rest, some theories suggest that they may dig to remove branches, rocks, or other sharp debris that may be covering the area, but this remains unconfirmed. If the spot is covered in tall grass, by lying on it, they’ll flatten it.

In hot climates, they might also dig to remove the warm topsoil so they can lie on the cooler dirt. In cold climates, shifting the dirt around and creating a burrow helps keep them warm. While most dogs sleep indoors these days (and in much more comfortable beds than those made of dirt), this instinct hasn’t entirely left them. If you see your dog digging in their bed before they snuggle in for the night, that’s just their natural behavior shining through.

Is Digging in Bed a Normal Behavior?

Do you fluff your pillows before bed? That impulse you have to make your bed more comfortable is similar to what your dog experiences when they dig in their bed. It is a perfectly normal behavior that is not something you should worry about.

The only time that you should be concerned is if the behavior seems stress-driven or compulsive. If your dog is spending lots of time digging in their bed and appears agitated while they do so, then this could be an indication that something is wrong. The best thing to do in that situation is talking to a vet.

Other Possible Reasons Dogs Dig in Their Beds

Digging in the bed can be a common behavior in dogs due to their instinct, but not all dogs who dig in their beds are doing so for that reason. Below, we will discuss a few other reasons your dog may be digging in their bed, both normal and abnormal.

Separation Anxiety

Digging may occur in some dogs with separation anxiety. Dogs with separation anxiety may dig as a means to escape confinement and reunite with their owners. Other signs of separation anxiety include excessive vocalization, destructive behaviors, and house-soiling.

These dogs often try to stay close to their owners, even following them throughout the house when possible. They rarely want to spend time alone and become agitated when apart from their owners, even for brief moments, such as when their owner is in the restroom.

Dogs with separation anxiety are often hypersensitive to your departure routine and may become distressed. For example, when you put on your shoes and grab your keys, your dog may whine, tremble, salivate, or become destructive. When you return home, your dog may be exceptionally clingy.

Pregnancy

If you have an unspayed female dog, she may be pregnant or showing signs of a false pregnancy. If that is the case, she could be digging in her bed due to nesting behavior. Typically, this behavior occurs late in your dog’s pregnancy or in case of a false pregnancy, around 6–8 weeks after their season, which coincides with pregnancy timing.

However, if you are uncertain whether your dog is pregnant, common signs include weight gain, changes in behavior, and an enlarged abdomen and pronounced and developed mammary glands towards the end of pregnancy. To confirm for certain that your dog is pregnant, talk to your vet. In the later stages of pregnancy, your dog may dig in her bed because she is nesting.

Nesting occurs when she prepares a space to welcome her puppies into the world. If your pup doesn’t usually dig in her bed but has begun doing so during her pregnancy, the dog nesting behavior could be the reason. While nesting can indicate pregnancy or false pregnancy, digging behavior alone is not a reliable indicator and may have other causes.

Play or Boredom

A common reason dogs dig in their beds is instinct, but it can also become a form of play, especially in energetic puppies. Rambunctious puppies may be prone to digging in their beds more often due to their lively, energetic personalities. At the same time, a dog that is frequently bored may make a habit of digging in their bed to try to entertain themselves.

While digging is a natural and normal behavior, excessive digging due to boredom can become a problem if your dog makes a habit of it. It could cause them to be rough with their belongings, forcing you to replace their bed much more frequently.

To keep your dog from using their bed as a toy, ensure they have plenty of other outlets for their playful behavior. Training and exercising with your dog every day will keep them physically and mentally stimulated, and providing them with a rotation of toys will ensure they are entertained.

Final Thoughts

Dog behavior isn’t always easy to understand, even when it is ingrained into their instincts. As strange as watching your dog digging in their bed may be, the behavior is not typically a cause for concern. As long as your dog is not anxious or compulsively digging in their bed, you generally don’t have any reason to worry.

• See Also: Why Do Dogs Dig? 6 Vet-Reviewed Reasons &  Solutions

Featured Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock