Why Do Dogs Like to Sleep Under the Covers?

One of the dogs’ cutest behaviors is seeing them cover and tuck themselves into blankets. If your cute pet has been sleeping under the covers, you might wonder why and what you can do about it. This article will show several possible reasons and what you can do about them.

Your dog sleeps under the covers because it is more comfortable and feels safer. Since there are many possible reasons, it would help to consider what would make each of them more credible. It should be easier to figure out what to do once you have a good idea of the reason.

Reasons why your dog love to sleep under the covers:

1. Transferable Feature

The first dogs humans domesticated were known for their strong urge to sleep under covers. This is why most of these dogs were bred in well-sheltered homes. Modern dogs might have inherited this quality from their first-generation antecedents.

Besides being brought up in comfy shelters, dog breeds like Terriers and Dachshunds have an intuition to chase prey that burrow in the ground.

Moreover, specific breeds such as Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes may like to sleep under the covers as their ancestors burrowed under the snow to hide from wolves.

2. Protecting Instincts

Your dog might also prefer to get under the covers to save from danger. Your bedroom is likely the safest room in the home. But your dog might see it differently. In the eyes of dogs, the threat is always stalking. It is precisely true for dogs that were developed as security dogs.

Moreover, it’s also essential to note that security is two-way. Sometimes, your dog may seek protection from you, mainly if it’s insecure, threatened, or finds its environment uneasy.

3. Caring Behaviour

Dogs are highly caring, and sleeping under the covers could be one of the ways your furry friend shows love towards you. Treating your dog well by providing all its mental, physical and emotional requirements will develop a strong wish to always be by your side.

4. Attention-seeking Behaviour

Trying to seek your attention is another reason dogs always want to sleep under the covers. Your pup might be trying to attract your attention because it doesn’t like its sleeping environment, and you should do something about it.

It would be best if you tried to verify what could be the issue with your dog’s sleeping place. Make sure that your dog’s sleeping area is both accessible and comfortable.

5. Fear

Fear is another reason your dog might like to sleep under the covers. Fear facets range from disturbing and strange sounds to interfering lights or doubtful movements in the home or near the compound. You should look around your house if your dog looks scared and uncomfortable.

6. Separation anxiety

Separation anxiety is the reason why your dog does this. There is probably a strong scent under the covers, and smelling your scent makes it feel securer. Moreover, it would be more reasonable if your dog only sleeps there when you are gone and feels anxious when you leave.

Signs of separation anxiety include

• Gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea
• Aberrant behavior, like extreme barking, growling, howling or chewing,
• Bowel and bladder incontinence
• Change of timetable
• A tendency to escape
• Pacing

Read Also: 7 Tips To Help Your Dog Deal With Separation Anxiety

7. Looking for Warmth

Your dog might like to sleep under your covers as it looks warm. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is widespread during cold nights and winter. Though puppies have high body temperatures compared to humans, specific conditions may get too cold for them.

8. You have Inadvertently Motivated the Behaviour

Dog habits don’t just develop overnight; they take time. Therefore, you may have inadvertently encouraged your puppy to sleep under the covers.

However, the dog will grow up knowing that the bed is its distinct sleeping area if you never pull your dog away from your bed whenever it comes to sleep.

Another form you could inadvertently encourage the behavior is by drawing the puppy away from your bed using a treat. The thought of getting a treat will keep attracting the dog to your bed every night. Do not forget that dogs interpret yelling as an expression to continue with the line of action.

Way to stop dogs from sleeping under the covers?

Below are some tips that you can follow to stop your dog from sleeping under the covers

Train your dog to sleep somewhere else

With the help of reinforcement training, you can train your dog to sleep in a particular place. You can train them by providing rewards when they listen to your commands. Moreover, to get rid of this dog problem, you could do something such as the following:

• Make the place comfortable for dogs to sleep
• Get your puppy to stand there and give some treat
• Motivate your dog to lay down in their place
• Repeat the process until your dog learns to sleep in that specific place.

There are several causes why your dog sleeps under the covers. However, you can change this behavior by adopting the proper remedy if you’re uncomfortable with this habit.

Moreover, even if you are comfortable having your dog sleep under the covers, you should observe specific things to ensure you and the dog sleep comfortably.

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