Everyone
has a little bedtime ritual. For children, it's toothbrushing, stories,
and lights-out. For their parents, it might be pillow fluffing or
putting on satin pajamas. For dogs, it's pawing the ground - or the
carpet - before settling in. Some dogs' routines are so precise that
you can tell even before they start moving what they're getting ready
to do. You can just see that look in the eye that says, “Okay, I'm
going to turn around four times, paw six times, lie down, sigh, and
fall right to sleep.”
Sparky
Was Here!
A
thick pile carpet or a plaid cedar bed doesn't need this sort of
treatment, but dogs are creatures of habit. They tend to do the same
things they've always done. Every dog develops a slightly different set
of bedtime rituals, and for the most part, they'll follow these rituals
every time they lie down. Once they get in the habit of pawing or
scratching or circling around before they lie down, they're going to
always want to do it.
Comfort and
ritual are only part of the story. Another reason for pawing is that
dogs are territorial animals, which means they stake out and claim
areas that they consider theirs. One way of marking territory is to
scratch at the ground. In the wild, dogs who happened by would see the
scratch marks and know that the place was occupied. They'd smell the
marks, too. Dogs have scent glands in their paws. Pawing at the carpet
is one way of depositing their personal scent. Female dogs may be
somewhat more likely than males to paw before lying down, especially if
they happen to be pregnant. It's because they have a biological urge to
prepare a safe, comfortable nest for their puppies.
It
Also Feels Good to Scratch!
From
the time they're puppies, dogs will scratch and dig just about anywhere
- on the carpet, in the garden, even on linoleum floors. They're not
really trying to make a bed in all of these places. They just enjoy
scratching.
It
feels great on their paws. If it's hot outside, they'll scratch and get
a little cool dirt under their nails. Before long, they're hooked.
This is why
some dogs spend an inordinate amount of time pawing the carpet or their
beds before lying down.
They don't need to make things more
comfortable
than they already are. They're just enjoying the activity. And since
they find it relaxing, it's a natural prelude to taking a nap. They
don't necessarily have a goal in mind. They do it because it feels
good...do
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