Why does your dog circle before lying down?
In her book, Why Does My Dog Do That?!, Kate Delano Condax, an obedience trainer, explains why dogs circle before they lie down. This is what she says:
Most dogs will, before they lie down, circle two or three times. Periodically a sleeping dog will wake drowsily, get up, and circle again before going back to sleep. This is not an attempt to get the snakes out of the grass. It is merely a way for the dog to get circulation going on the side on which he has been lying. It also helps the dog to arrange his new position with his head facing north. Most dogs will position themselves facing north when they sleep; studies have shown circulation improves, heartbeat slows, and metabolism improves when the body is aligned with the earth's magnetic field.
After I read this article, I looked over at my two sleeping dogs, and guess which way their heads were pointed? North. Hmmmmm . . . maybe I should try it.
Most dogs will, before they lie down, circle two or three times. Periodically a sleeping dog will wake drowsily, get up, and circle again before going back to sleep. This is not an attempt to get the snakes out of the grass. It is merely a way for the dog to get circulation going on the side on which he has been lying. It also helps the dog to arrange his new position with his head facing north. Most dogs will position themselves facing north when they sleep; studies have shown circulation improves, heartbeat slows, and metabolism improves when the body is aligned with the earth's magnetic field.
After I read this article, I looked over at my two sleeping dogs, and guess which way their heads were pointed? North. Hmmmmm . . . maybe I should try it.
