Just like you, your dog will have a favourite sleeping position – this could be curled up in a ball on the sofa, or sprawled out on their back!
The position your dog adopts when sleeping can reveal a huge amount about their personality, physical state and mental well-being. Read on to discover more about each sleeping position.
Curler
As the name suggests, the curler is when your dog wraps up into a small ball when sleeping. Studies have shown that dogs will instinctively adopt this position to conserve their body heat.
Further studies have also revealed that this position is also a way of protecting vital organs, rather like us adopting the ‘foetal position’. Dogs probably adopted this position in the wild when they had to sleep with the risk of predators.
Legs In The Air
When dogs sleep on their backs, with their legs in the air, it implies they are confident and relaxed in their environment. When dogs expose their bellies it often means they are behaving submissively.
This position could also mean they are warm… Dogs sweat through their paw pads so raising them in the air could be a method of cooling down.
Back To Back
As the name suggests, back to back is when your dog lays with their back to you. This sleeping position can often be seen in puppies when they are still with the litter and their mother.
When your dog sleeps with their back to you, it is a sign they see you as a family member and potentially one of the pack.
Superman
This position is quite possibly one of the cutest things a dog can do. Sometimes referred to as the ‘sploot’ – dogs stretch their front legs forward and stretch their back legs out behind them, almost like a Superman pose!
Dogs are said to do this when they are in a playful mood.
Sideways
When dogs lay on their side it is often because they are 100% comfortable in their environment… This affectionate position proves you have a very relaxed and content pooch.
Lion Pose
Rather like the ‘sploot’, the lion pose is not a position that would trigger a deep sleep, instead it is seen as more of a resting position. The dog will have tense muscles to prevent them from falling into a deep sleep. You may exhibit your dog in this position if they are wary of something or a little stressed.
Laundry Time
You may have witnessed this first hand… Especially if you leave piles of clothes on the floor. Dogs love to be close to us – they crave our scent and of course our scent is all over our clothes. If you find your dog curled up in your clothes, it is probably because they long to be close to you and they truly love you.
Round & Round
Have you ever wondered why your dog circles multiple times before settling? Dogs instinctively trample the area to acquire the optimal comfort position – rather like us plumping our pillows!
