Ever noticed that your dog loves to sleep in the strangest, most uncomfortable and funny looking positions? Since dogs cannot communicate with us verbally, their sleep position can tell you quite a bit about their mood and personality.
Like humans, dogs’ sleeping positions vary from the practical and comfortable to the strange and hilarious. Whether they’re lying spatchcocked in the sun or curled up in a tight little ball, understanding your dog’s chosen sleeping position can provide you with some helpful insight into their overall well-being.
Dogs who sleep on their side are comfortable with their surroundings since they are leaving their vital systems exposed and are unable to get up quickly like they can when sleeping in other positions.
This position could also mean that your dog is in a deep slumber and should not be disturbed, as they are likely to reach the REM stage of sleep which is restorative.
The number one reason dogs face their bums towards their owners when they’re sleeping is that they love and trust you. This sleeping position also makes your pup feel safe because he knows you’ve got his back (literally). Moreover, some dogs will do this because they are trying to mark you with their scent.
In the ” curl up” position, the dog rolls up. It’s a safe pose because it covers all internal organs and strategic points like paws or tail. Most likely, your dog is sleeping in the curled up, nose-to-tail snowball position when the temperatures start dipping. Indeed, this sleeping position is the best way to conserve heat.
Dogs lying down with their arms spread out in front of them and their legs kicked out flat behind their butts prefer to sleep in the “Superman” position. Typically, energetic dogs and puppies will take power naps like this so they’re ready to spring into action as soon as they’ve recharged. And on a hot day, lying belly down on a cool surface like tile or hardwood can help them cool off.
Dogs who sleep on their backs with their legs up in the air don’t have a care in the world. Sleeping this way helps your furry friends cool off in the summer or after extensive exercise, since they are exposing their belly where the fur is thinner as well as the sweat glands on their paws.
This position is a sign of comfort as all the muscles are relaxed. You'll likely see your dog sleep in this position mostly when he's indoors in his safe haven and around people he trusts.
A FREE phone consultation is available for all dogs.
We do appointments by scheduling only as we are not open to the public. No dog is permitted on our property without undergoing a complete behavior assessment and temperament test.
"We recently adopted a 2 year old American Stafford Terrier. She is a very rambunctious 50 lb girl. When visitors would come over she would jump all over them and we couldn’t stop her. We reached out to Dillon at Full Potential K9 for help. Dillon came to our home to assess our girl and it was amazing. He had her listening to him immediately. We initially signed up for a 2 week board and train. After the 2 weeks Dillon brought her home to show us her progress. He did wonders with her and we agreed that she needed an additional week to solidify her training. He brought her home after the 3 weeks and she was a different dog obedient wise. We had a family member come over and visit before Dillon left to see how she would react. He gave a command for her to stay on her bed and when they came in the door she didn’t move but you could see that she was happy to see the person, tail wagging. They went over and greeted her and she remained on her bed. He explained the continued work that will be necessary. Dillon is very professional and knowledgeable about training and you can see that he cares about the dogs. We appreciate all the help he has given us and highly recommend his service."
