Why do dogs sleep with their heads hanging down? Why do some of them curl up like a ball while sleeping? Read this post to understand sleeping positions in dogs and what they mean for you as an owner.
Table of Contents
Dogs like to run, play, and mingle here and there all day. A healthy dog usually sleeps 12-14 hours a day to relax. Puppies and older dogs may sleep even more than this. A puppy can sleep for 20 hours a day.
You may experience different sleeping positions if you share your bed or couch with your pooch. For instance, your doggo may sometimes sleep by hanging her head down, which is quite weird. Have you wondered why?
There are many possible reasons for it. For instance, hanging the head down while napping lets your pooch see what is happening around her without disturbing other parts of the body.
Moreover, she feels relaxed and comfortable sleeping with her head down on her bed or sofa. There can also be some medical conditions that make her feel better when her head is hanging down.
The article discusses many questions related to the sleeping position of dogs. So you can continue reading the article for more information.
Why Does My Dog Sleep With Her Head Hanging Down?
Here’s a list of reasons why this happens
#1. To Relieve Pressure From The Spinal Cord
You usually stretch your neck at the end of the day to feel nice. It even relieves some of your tension. Your dog also feels the same thing when her necks are a bit stretched.
It improves her overall well-being. Stretching is essential for your dog, just like going out for exercise. So she lies with her head hanging down while taking a nap on your sofa or bed.
#2. She Feels Protected
Dogs sleep in numerous ways. When dogs are tired, they sleep in a position that will enable them to stand quickly when required, or they take the position that allows them to curl up like a ball to protect themselves.
When your dog takes a nap on the sides of her stomach with her head hanging down, then she feels relaxed and does not care about danger.
#3. Your Dog Want To keep an eye on Everything
If you find your dog always keeping her head hanging down while napping, then it may be because she wants to keep an eye on everything without moving from her resting position.
The other sleeping positions will require lifting her head or adjusting her body so that she can see everything around her that your pooch does not like.
#4. It Keeps Your Dog Cooler
If you observe your dog hanging her head down while napping in the summer months, then it may be because she wants to keep her head cool.
#5. Your Dog Finds The Sleeping Position More Comfortable
Some human beings like to sleep on their back while others want to sleep on the left and right sides. The same happens in dogs. It might be that your dog finds it most comfortable to sleep with her head hanging down compared to other sleeping positions. So she sleeps in that way.
What Are The Various Sleeping Positions In A Dog?
Your dog can sleep in nine main positions.
#1. Side Sleeping Position
Most puppies and old dogs like to sleep on their sides with their legs extended like human beings. It indicates that a dog is relaxed, comfortable, and trusts the surroundings.
A veterinary doctor says that dogs usually do it in lion pose, and they sleep on their sides when they are in a deep sleep.
#2. Lion’s Pose
If you find your dog sleeping with her head on top of the paws like a lion statue, then it indicates that your dog is simply dozing. She is not in a deep sleep and at any time ready to play and jump with you or other dogs.
#3. Donut Pose
If you find your dog sleeping but has curled like a ball, she is sleeping in a donut pose. Sometimes your dog’s nose will even touch her hind legs and may drape the tail over the body. It indicates that your dog is either protecting herself from outside threats or regulating body temperature.
Dogs usually sleep in a donut position when you bring them new to your home. It is also a favorite position for some dogs when it is chilly. They try to preserve the heat by curling themselves like a ball.
#4. Cuddler
Are you sleeping with your dog? If yes, your dog can sometimes sleep in a cuddler position which means she sleeps on top of you or any other dog. The sleeping position indicates the love and affection towards you or another dog.
Moreover, puppies have difficulty regulating the heat of their body. So, they try to sleep on another living being, especially the dog owner. Consequently, it has become a learned behavior for them since puppyhood.
#5. Burrower
Have you ever seen your dog search for pillows and blankets? If yes, then your pooch wants to sleep in a burrower position. It indicates that your dog is seeking comfort. So add blankets and pillows to the bed of your dog so that she can feel comfortable and secure.
#6. Belly Up
Sometimes you will find that your dog lies on his back with her belly up and paws hanging in the air. It indicates that your dog is completely relaxed and doesn’t care about the outside world.
Additionally, it allows your dog to exchange the heat of her body through paws and belly so that she can cool herself in the scorching heat of the summer months.
#7. Back To Back
If you find your furry friend lying back to back while sleeping with you, it shows their love and affection towards you.
#8. Cold Surface
If you find your dog lying her belly down on a cold floor or ground, it means that your dog is feeling too hot and trying to cool down. Try to give some cold water to your dog so that she will feel better.
#9. Superman
If your dog lies with his stomach down with back legs behind her, then she is sleeping in a superman position. It indicates that your furry friend is tired, but she will get up and play with other dogs if the opportunity comes.
Do Dogs See Upside Down?
No dogs don’t see upside down. But the structure of a dog’s eye is quite different from that human being.
The retina is the innermost layer of our eyeball. It has two sensitive cells, i.e., rods and cones. The cones are responsible for color perception, whereas rods are responsible for visualizing in dim light.
Your dog has more rods compared to a human being. So, she can see well in the dark. But unfortunately, she contains just one-tenth of the cones compared to a human being. So, they cannot distinguish many colors. She cannot see the colors like green, orange, and red.
A human being with perfect eyesight has 20/20 vision acuity, which enables him to see letters and alphabets at a 20 feet distance. But a dog has 20/75 vision acuity.
A Few Final Words
If you find your dog sleeping with his head hanging down, then it’s normal. You don’t have to worry much about him. They play around all day, which makes her tired. So keep her head hanging so that she can stretch her neck and relax.
Try to make the sleeping environment of your dog as good as possible. You can do this by purchasing a nice sleeping bed for your dog and fill it with her favorite toys and some water nearby.
Thank you for reading we hope we have covered most of your questions. If not, just write to us and we will add your queries to the article. You might also like to read: What Is A Dogs Favorite Color?