Why Do Dogs Scratch Their Beds Before Lying Down?

Many behaviors that we see dogs exhibiting today derive from a time when dogs were not yet man's companion, but were still living in forests as wild wolves. One of the behaviors that puzzles many people is the instinctive habit of many dogs to scratch their beds before lying down.

  1. Dogs Evolution

    • Scientists believe that the process of dogs evolving from wolves began 12,000 to 14,000 years ago. They do not know whether humans purposefully domesticated dogs or whether some wolves began to move towards preferring a life with humans, but the evidence indicates that dogs evolved because of their relationship to humans. Dogs and wolves share an almost identical DNA structure.

    Behaviors to Ensure Survival

    • Animals develop behaviors that increase their chances of survival, and many of the behaviors that dogs exhibit today stem from the habits of their ancestors, the wolves, who would take actions to protect themselves and their pups from predators. Dogs' instincts of eating their feces and smelling each other's private parts provide two examples of self-preservation behaviors which have, over time, become instincts in dogs.

    Bed Scratching

    • Many animals scratch their sleeping area to flatten the grass underneath them and to ensure that no snakes or other dangerous creatures may await them. This instinct in dogs derives from their ancestors, the wolves, doing this thousands of years ago. In addition, this behavior exposes a cooler dirt layer for the animal to cool itself in warm weather.

    Breed Specific Behavior?

    • According to DNA studies, all dogs, from the fluffiest poodle to the largest Great Dane descend from wolves and so, theoretically, have the same instincts. But the instincts that come from the dogs' history as part of wolf packs does not divide up by breed and no one breed has a closer connection to those behaviors than another breed. Many instincts have been bred out of certain breeds or specific lineages through time and disuse.

    Train Dogs to Stop Scratching their Bed

    • Some dog owners might look for ways to train their dog to stop this behavior. Dogs who sleep on the carpet can ruin the carpet, and the lucky dog who sleeps on its owners bed may dig a hole into an expensive comforter. Dog trainers suggest discouraging unwanted behaviors by squirting a dog with a water gun when it exhibits such destructive behaviors, but many dog behaviorists would suggest giving the dog a substitute bed where it can scratch and follow its instincts.