By maintaining eye contact with you your dog is probably trying to make sure you re on the lookout for predators while he s relieving himself.
Why do dogs scratch the carpet before they lie down.
Sometimes it may be as simple as him scratching to dig up that single crumb of food that fell in between the carpet threads.
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Other times it may be an interesting smell that compels your dog to dig at a particular location before he rolls in it much as he would do outside in the dirt.
Dogs have an abundance of natural energy some breeds more than others.
In the wild predators can take advantage of this vulnerable position and having a fellow pack member on the lookout is helpful.
Another funny yet adorable behavior is circling round and round before settling themselves down.
In cool areas dogs may scratch the floor to create a cozy warm den to curl up in.
This behavior is less pronounced in dogs but is still quite common.
But just as we slather on face cream sip a mug of hot tea or prop open a book before bed dogs have their reasons for this pre sleep behavior.
We all have our special bedtime rituals and so do our pets.
In fact there is a general consensus among dog behaviorists that both these oddities among other weird things dogs do are simply old habits inherited from their ancestors.
If you ve spied your dog scratching pawing or even biting at his bed before lying down it may seem like an odd way to settle in for a nap.
Dogs may instinctively scratch the carpet especially when preparing to go to sleep as they like to mark the spot.
Some dogs scratch the floor before lying down to enhance the comfort of their sleeping area.
You may observe that the dog will return to the same spot when he wants to lie down again.
Scratching the floor before lying down also helps dogs find the most comfortable position in which to rest.
Why dogs turn around or scratch their bed before lying down.
There may be simple explanations as to why some dogs may engage in this behavior.
Individual dogs may also have more energy than others for various reasons both psychological and physical.
However in order to correct this behavior it is important to know the causes why the dog is displaying this behavior.
In warm areas dogs may scratch the floor to cool down.
Like cats dogs like to walk around in a circle right before they lie down.
There are many potential reasons that your dog might do this.
If your dog scratches a lot before they lie down or even in general it is possible they just want to release some of this pent up physical energy.
They also tend to claw and dig at their bed before settling in for a nap.
Scratching and digging into bedding a sofa cushion or a chair before lying down is just one of those seemingly oddball things that dogs do.