Nothing is more calming than watching your dog sleep. Observing his sleeping habits, how relaxed he is lying in front of you and wondering what he is dreaming about. How many photos do you have on your phone of your dog lying deeply relaxed on his bed? Have you ever thought about why he sleeps on his stomach, back or side? And what these sleeping positions say about your dog?
We have put together a few things here; we wanted to know how dogs sleep, what sleeping position do they like and do dogs actually dream?
The different sleeping and lying positions for dogs.
The side sleeper
The side sleeping position exudes a lot of calm and serenity. Many dogs love this position. They feel very comfortable and completely at home in their surroundings. Dogs also like to use this sleeping behavior in the summer to cool down on the cool ground after sunbathing, playing or romping.
Side sleeper position: The dog lies very relaxed on his dog cushion and radiates calmness.
The Fox Roll
This sleeping position is popular with dogs. They lie curled up on their stomachs, with their snout above or below the base of their tail. This position is adopted when the chosen sleeping place is not very big. It is also used when the dog wants to be particularly cozy and when the surroundings are not very warm. When sleeping in this position, the dog naturally protects its body, face, neck and internal organs.
Fox roll position: The dog lies curled up on its stomach.
The stomach sleeper
This is a popular sleeping behavior when dozing. They do not fall into the absolute deep sleep phase. The dog wants to rest, not sleep, and just rustle around a little. The dog usually positions its legs to the side of its body. It can then jump up immediately, full of energy and adventurously ready for fun and action.
The stomach sleeper position is a popular sleeping position for dozing.
The back sleeper
In order to sleep in this position, your dog must be deeply relaxed and have absolute trust in its surroundings. This sleeping behavior is only seen in the deep sleep phase and in very young dogs. A fearful, insecure or traumatized dog will certainly not adopt this sleeping position. We now know that a dog’s sleeping position depends on its condition and environment. So what should we consider when it comes to its sleeping and lying place?
Back sleeping position: To be able to sleep in this position, the dog must be deeply relaxed.
The dog’s sleeping and lying place
Dogs love a pleasant and comfortable place to sleep. The place where the dog lies is pleasant if it is protected from drafts and cold ground. The dog also loves its sleeping place to be protected and preferably with back protection. When it retreats to sleep, your four-legged friend wants to feel safe and well looked after. The dog finds its sleeping place pleasant if it is comfortable. It should not be too hard and not too soft, but preferably a little higher. Of course, the dog always wants and should be with its pack of family. But especially in families with small children or where there is a certain amount of unrest, the position of the sleeping place is of great importance and has a big influence on its sleeping behavior. Find your dog a place a little away from the hustle and bustle. You will be surprised how often it chooses this place to sleep.
Dogs love a comfortable place to sleep, preferably with back support.
Sleeping and dozing of the dog
Dogs doze most of the day. They need a lot more sleep than humans and take lots of little naps throughout the day. The need for rest varies from dog to dog. If your dog takes a little nap, he really doesn’t want to be disturbed and expects us humans to respect that. Your home should be a place for your dog to rest, a stress-free and judgment-free zone. Play, fun and excitement should only take place outside of your house. If dogs can trust that nothing particularly exciting is happening in the house, they fall into a light sleep more quickly. As soon as the dog’s eyes are closed, the nose and ears take over. If you then give him the rest he needs, he will feel safe and undisturbed and will fall into a deep sleep phase within a short time. This deep sleep phase accounts for 20-30% of the total sleep time for an adult dog. This means that your dog needs 5-8 hours of deep sleep, the rest of the sleeping time between 10-20 hours is reserved for dozing, snoozing and relaxing.
The place where the dog can lie down should be comfortable and pleasant.
Do dogs dream?
From what we know to date, dogs dream. If you watch your dog sleeping, you can easily recognize the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) phases. The dog’s eyes move quickly back and forth under closed eyelids. The dog is lying in front of you in a deeply relaxed state, its paws twitch and the dog appears to be walking or running. The jaw moves up and down, the lips tremble and the ears move quickly back and forth or twitch. What your dog dreams about will remain a secret. If the dream phase becomes too intense, you can wake your darling very gently. Don’t let your dog have bad dreams and be trapped in a nightmare.
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