Why Does My Dog Like to Dig in My Bed?
Do you have a dog at your home? If yes, then you must have seen his strange nighttime actions. Does your beloved animal confuse you when he gets all excited, starts running around in circles or starts digging in his bed?
Well, if you’ve wondered about why your dog does these peculiar actions or questioned this sort of behavior, then you seem to have spent a lot of time around dogs! Do you want a remedy for pets to stop destroying their beds after scratching them?
Now, we will dig into some facts about why dogs have such behavior, and we will list down some things to make your dog stop his digging habits!
What exactly is digging?
Digging (also known as ‘denning’) is an instinct among dogs in which dogs tend to nudge their beds and snarl in them. Dogs want to get familiar with the places they live in; hence they snuggle and dig to make their homes warmer to get that feel-at-home vibe for themselves.
Why do dogs have such an instinct?
Often times you get to see the wild and destructive side of your dogs, where they dig and snuggle. But how they learned such behaviors? The answer is that they didn’t learn it from anyone; rather, they inherited it from their ancestors. Before, dogs were your cuddle buddies and friends; they used to live in the wild. In order to adapt to wild conditions and find shelter for themselves, dogs have an instinct to dig. This instinct was vital for dogs’ survival back in the days when they mainly used to live in harsh areas. So, to find shelter for themselves by digging the ground, dogs developed ‘digging’ as a habit, which became an innate habit among their generations.
Sometimes, the dogs’ weather conditions were too harsh to live under an open sky. They had to find a shelter to spend rainy days and chilly nights, and this is another reason why dogs dug a shallow hole and layered it with some leaves and dirt. The hole had plenty of space to shield and warm the dogs, and so this place was a dog’s comfort place.
Apart from instincts, there are plenty of other reasons dogs have a habit of digging. Firstly, it’s out of curiosity. Dogs are extremely curious creatures by nature – if they feel something (like a toy or bone) underneath their cushion on their beds, they start digging their beds, trying to uncover the thing that’s lying underneath.
Secondly, dogs use scratching (by their feet) as an indication to mark their territories. Dogs tend to mark a place when they find comfort there, and they want to spend some days living in that area. Dogs in the wild used to have the same practice for marking their territories so that no other dogs or other animals took over their places. So now, when they’re digging something, you might beware of letting anybody else take its place!
And thirdly, dogs can get anxious too, and as a coping mechanism, they start digging their beds or running around compulsively. Sometimes this habit gets repetitive, and it is alarming for the dog owner. When dogs are not calming down, and their compulsive digging becomes quite noticeable for you, it is best to consult a vet because there could be more complicated problems the dog might be facing! Irritation in dogs comes with urination and defecation, and if these are combined with digging, then it’s time your dog needs a checkup.
An interesting thing to note is that when dogs are feeling anxious or insecure, they tend to hide things (like their toys or snacks) from other dogs.
These naughty creatures might sometimes dig simply out of boredom! This is a common habit noted among active dog species such as Labradors. Like some of us, dogs like to keep themselves occupied in one thing or another. So, when they have nothing to do, they make use of their free time for some muscle exercise and start digging their beds! We recommend those dog owners should take up the responsibility of providing them a safe space to play, relax, and stretch out so that they’re not found digging their beds!
Lastly, digging behavior is also prevalent among pregnant female dogs. When she’s close to whelping, she might start digging to make herself comfortable. She will stay in one area until she’s well sheltered along with her baby and chooses to switch places when things start becoming uneasy for her and her offspring.
How to prevent this nuisance?
Even if you are a die-hard dog lover, sometimes your dogs can do things that will make you freak out. One annoying habit is that they scratch and dig beds, and the fur stuffed in the mattress is all over the place, which means you have to clean it up, and that’s additional work for you!
Make them comfortable!
To reduce this misbehavior, you should look for comfortable beds for your dogs. Some dogs are high maintenance and like to sleep in soft beds. If you’ve given them a bed made of cheap bedding material, then it is highly likely your dog will spend the night scratching and digging in his bed, trying to get cozy.
A softer bed will ensure a sound good night’s sleep.
Give their nails a good trim!
An alternative way is to get your dog a good manicure! Yes, they deserve it if their digging habit is getting out of control. A good manicure will get your dog’s nails trimmed, which will cause less damage to their beds when they scratch them. Furthermore, trimmed nails will ensure your dog’s good hygiene and save your wooden furniture from getting scratch marks! If your dog has sharp nails even after trimming, then you should file them every week.
Be their playing buddy!
Additionally, you can invest in your dog’s playtime activities. If your dog is developing a habit of digging as a playtime activity, you should try to distract them by taking them out on walks and giving them toys (without sharp edges) to play with. Play games with your dogs like hide the treat or hide and seek so that they don’t invest their time digging just for passing the time.
The dogs who lived in the wild are long gone, but the instincts were developed and passed on to their later generations. So, arrange good playtime activities for your dogs, take them out for a walk, or if things get severe, then take them to the vet to avoid their destructive behaviors because those will cause a nuisance for you!
