Dogs have several interesting and peculiar behaviors that may seem strange to their human companions. One of these is the act of scratching or digging on the ground before lying down. This instinctive behavior stems from the wild ancestry of dogs and serves important purposes for our canine friends.
It’s An Instinctive Behavior
The domestic dog evolved from wolf ancestors. Wolves in the wild needed to trample down grass, leaves, dirt, or snow to create a comfortable, flattened resting spot. They used their front legs and paws to dig and scratch the ground briskly. This instinct was passed down genetically to our domesticated dogs.
Though our pet dogs have cozy beds, blankets, or carpets to sleep on indoors, the scratching instinct still kicks in when they prepare to lie down. It’s an inborn behavior that doesn’t necessarily serve a purpose for indoor dogs, but the instinct remains engraved in their genes.
It Spreads Out Scent
When dogs scratch the ground before lying down, they also spread out their own scent from sweat glands in their paws. This leaves a scent marker on that spot. Wild wolves and dogs use paw scratching to mark their preferred resting places in the pack’s territory.
Though modern indoor dogs don’t need to mark territory in the same way, spreading their scent still makes their resting spot more comfortable and familiar. The familiar scent provides a feeling of safety and security when the dog lies down.
It’s a Nesting Behavior
The vigorous paw scratching dogs engage in before settling down is also a form of nesting behavior. In the wild, wolves and dogs would scratch down an area and circle around in it to create a comfortable depression or “nest” to settle into.
This nesting behavior provided insulation from cold ground and also allowed wolves to sleep in a curled up, protective posture for safety and warmth. The nesting scratching and circling is a natural ritual passed down to our domestic dogs.
It Flattens Out the Area
When dogs scratch at the ground or bedding material before lying down, they are fluffing it up and flattening it out to make a more comfortable resting surface. Scratching and digging loosens up material and allows dogs to create the perfect spot to settle in for a nap or sleep.
Soft furnishings like dog beds are already flat and smooth, but dogs have an instinctive need to dig in and scratch them up before circling and finally curling up. This innate behavior goes back to their wolf-like nesting instincts.
It Warms the Area
Interestingly, researchers have found that dogs often dig and scratch more vigorously in cooler weather before lying down. This suggests that an additional purpose is warming up the ground. The action of scratching and digging friction heats up the digging spot, providing cozy warmth for dogs to nestle into.
The constant paw friction on a hard floor or ground generates heat through motion. Dogs then settle into the warm spot they created through scratching. This helps them conserve body heat.
It Spreads Out Bedding
For dogs sleeping in beds or dog beds with cushiony padding or thick blankets, all that vigorous digging serves to spread out the bedding material and make it more conforming and comfortable. The dog’s paws work and aerate the material while scratching in a way that fluffs it up into a cozy nest.
It’s a Dog Ritual
Like many canine behaviors, the pre-sleeping scratching and digging has become a strongly ingrained ritual for dogs. The collective actions of sniffing a spot, pacing in circles, digging, turning, scratching, and finally circling again before lying down have become a standard bedtime routine.
This multi-step ritual of Paw-Scratch-Circle-Fluff-Circle-Lie Down satisfies dogs on a sensory level and gets them both physically and mentally prepared for sleep.
It Releases Energy
Some dog behavior experts speculate that all the intense scratching and digging before lying down helps release pent up energy from the day. This allows for a calmer transition into sleep. The vigorous digging requires physical effort and tire out dogs right before snoozing.
Releasing excited energy through scratching motions results in a more restful sleep. Young energetic dogs may benefit most from this effect, though it seems to be a universal behavior across ages.
It Loosens Up the Bed
Since dogs curl up in tight balls or protective postures when sleeping, they may scratch beds vigorously beforehand to loosen up any packed down areas and ensure maximum softness and conforming comfort before lying down. Balling up puts pressure on bedding material, so scratching and fluffing provides a looser, plusher surface for the dog to settle into.
It Uses Scent Glands
In the process of scratching and digging at the ground or bedding, dogs also deposit sweat and oils from interdigital glands between their paws onto the spot. These secretions are unique to each dog, allowing them to leave their scent before lying down.
This masks any other dog scents on a communal sleeping area with their own individual scent. It also lets the dog smell their own familiar, comforting scent while they are lying in the dug-out spot.
It Makes a ‘Doggy Bed’
Vigorous paw scratching loosens up material and creates a cozy indentation and fluffed-up ridge around the outside, like a custom “doggy bed” within the existing bed or nesting area. This feels comforting and secure since the dog has created their own little den area to cuddle up in.
The action of scratching to create this protected hollow works to satisfy the denning instincts inherited from wild wolf ancestors who slept in dug-out hollows and tunnels.
It is a Displacement Behavior
Some animal behaviorists theorize that excessive or prolonged scratching and digging at bedding before lying down may represent a displacement behavior in certain anxious or stressed dogs. Displacement behaviors are outlets for nervous energy and stress.
If underlying anxiety or another behavioral issue is causing the dog to feel unsettled, the act of repeatedly scratching and digging can be soothing. So in some cases, excessive scratching before lying down may point to anxiety that requires attention rather than a normal sleeping ritual.
Conclusion
When our dogs vigorously kick, circle, and claw at their beds or sleeping area before finally settling in, it may seem like a strange ritual. But this instinctive behavior is deeply ingrained from ancient canine ancestry and serves many purposes for dogs. Satisfying the instinct to scratch before lying down helps dogs feel relaxed, secure, and comfortable enough to drift into a peaceful sleep.