Reasons Why Your Dog Sleeps With Their Bum Facing You
Dogs sleeping with their hind end facing you is a behavior that is driven by their instinctual desire for safety and comfort. When a dog sleeps with their hind end facing you, they are making themselves vulnerable and showing trust in you as their owner and protector. This position also allows them to quickly defend themselves if needed, as they can quickly turn and face any potential danger.
In addition, dogs have scent glands in their hind end, and by sleeping in this position, they are able to mark their territory and spread their scent, making them feel more secure and at home. Sleeping in close proximity to their owners also allows dogs to feel comforted and reassured, which can help them to relax and get a better night’s sleep.
Scent Marking
Your dog wants everyone to know that you belong to him. Dogs have scent glands on their tails where pheromones give off an aroma. We can’t smell it, but they can. Another scent tactic is that canines will combine their scent with their owner’s to produce a dog-human pack smell.
Showing Affection
Your pup loves you and wants to demonstrate it. She’s saying, “Let me sleep really close to you while we’re unconscious.” She wants to spend non-waking and waking time near you and bonding with you.
Trust
It’s nice to know that you’re a great pet parent, and your dog trusts you. She knows it’s safe to slumber next to you and even to place her tush in your visage..
Avoiding Eye Contact
Your pooch is telling you that she will not bother you–not even look at you–until you both restore yourselves with a good night’s sleep (or even a nap). She may also be indicating to you that she would appreciate it if you’d let her rest.
Protecting You
Fido has his face positioned away from you so if anyone comes in the room, he can jump off the bed and spring into action to protect you.
Requesting a Butt Scratch or Petting
Her butt may be strategically placed in your face so that you’ll give her bottom a little scratch or pet. She can’t reach her own rear end too easily, so it’s a nice gesture if you accommodate her. For canines, there’s nothing like a good butt scratch (except snacks and love).
Your Pup Feels Safe
If your pup is laying on his side next to you, especially with his organs exposed, he feels safe. He likes to put his tush by your face because he knows you’ll protect it, as he will also guard you.
Doesn’t Want to Bother You
She doesn’t want to disturb your sleep. It’s enough for her to just be near you. She isn’t interacting with you or staring at you, just comfy and close, practically attached to you.
You May Have Encouraged The Position
Canines remember how humans react to things. If you praised him for settling down next to you for the night with his rear end facing you, he’ll do it again. It’s positive conditioning.
Sleeping Pack-Style
Dogs used to sleep in packs, so they are comfortable when they’re close to another dog or person. When dogs were in the wild, they needed to protect their back legs–which are essential to running from predators–so they depended on their pack to guard their hips and hind legs and faced that part of their body to them.
Maybe She’s Just Comfortable Like That
There doesn’t have to be a complicated reason. If Fifi lay down next to you with her butt in your face and decided she was comfy, she may have started a tradition of replicating that position. Dogs don’t like laying face-to-face or chest-to-chest. As such, your pet will curl up with her tush in your face because it’s calming and comforting for her.
Some Breeds Are Bred To Sleep That Way
Some breeds, like Bulldogs and Shar-Peis, are bred to sleep with their rear in their person’s face.
Showing You That There’s A Problem
As with other pooch habits, we have to consider that there may be an issue that Rover wants you to know about. For instance, your dog could have fleas or another parasite crawling around and is drawing your attention to them. If you see a lot of scratching and licking, check for parasites. Another possibility is full anal glands. If he’s dragging his bum on the ground, licking and scratching his bottom, the vet may need to empty the glands.
Avoiding Ventral Contact
Dogs don’t always want to be face-to-face with anyone or chest-to-chest, especially when they need to sleep. Positioning their butt in your face discourages ventral contact.
What If You Can’t Spend Another Night With A Dog Bum In Your Face?
If you don’t like sleeping with a canine bum in your face, you can train your fur baby to turn around by offering treats, petting and praise when she does so. Canines are quite intelligent, so you may be able to teach your fur buddy to move her tush by just gently pushing it away from your face.
Now that you’ve read about all the reasons she has for sleeping that way, you might want to just let her do her doggy thing. If she’s comfortable, and you’re both unconscious, it may not be a problem as long as you don’t perceive it as a rejection or being pseudo-ignored.
Conclusion
In conclusion, dogs sleeping with their hind end facing you is a common and instinctual behavior that provides both you and your furry friend with benefits. Whether it’s for the sense of security, the ability to quickly defend themselves, or simply the comfort of being close to their owner, understanding the reasons behind this behavior can deepen our bond with our canine companions.
So next time you see your dog sleeping with their hind end facing you, take it as a sign of their trust and love, and enjoy the warm and cozy feeling of a canine cuddle.
