Many people enjoy sleeping with their dogs. It allows you to bond and can even provide a more relaxing sleep. Your dog may prefer to sleep facing you or with his back to you.
Dogs can change sleeping positions just like people, but if you are worried your dog may be suddenly sleeping with its back to you, you may be curious to know the reason for the change.
Why do dogs sleep with their bum facing you? Dogs sleep with their backs to their owners because it’s their natural instinct and the way they would sleep in the wild. This allows them to face a different direction than you, so you both can watch for signs of danger and protect the other if necessary.
If your dog is suddenly sleeping with his back or bottom to you and you want to learn more about the reason why read on.
9 Reasons Why Dogs Sleep Facing Away From You
The way a dog sleeps can say a lot about how he’s feeling and the way he feels about you. It can also simply be the way he feels the most comfortable.
1. Natural Pack Mentality for Protection
In the wild, dogs sleep in packs, and they all turn in different directions. Being able to face the different directions means that they can see danger coming from all sides.
If one dog sees something, he can alert the others so they can get up and be ready to defend the pack.
2. Sign of Trust
If your dog is willing to turn his back on you to sleep, it means he trusts you.
He must feel safe with you next to him and knows that you would never harm him and would protect him if danger were to come from behind.
3. Demonstrating Submission
Dogs who are submissive to their owners are more likely to sleep with their backs to them. When dogs want to be dominant, they will often face their owners.
4. To Avoid Eye Contact
Some dogs do not like to make eye contact. They may feel intimidated by their owners or may have done something that makes them feel ashamed or wrong.
If your dog turns its back to you to sleep, it could be because he doesn’t feel confident enough to look you in the eyes.
Many people aren’t aware of the fact that making direct eye contact is considered to be a threatening gesture in the world of canines, but it’s true.
If your dog prefers not to meet your eyes or often turns away from your face, don’t be offended; he’s just doing what comes naturally.
5. To Prevent Becoming Overheated
Dogs can easily become overheated and will pant heavily to cool off, which is not very conducive to sleeping.
They can also feel hot when they feel your body heat on them. Turning their backs to you allows them to have more room to move and keeps them cooler.
6. To Show Unhappiness
Sometimes your dog will sleep with his back to you to let you know he is unhappy. When a dog wants to be close to you and faces you, it means he is pleased with you.
When he turns away, it can mean he is upset or sad about something.
7. Not Feeling Well
If your dog is sick, he may not be as social and may not feel like facing you when he sleeps.
If your dog normally sleeps facing you and suddenly starts sleeping with his back to you, he may not be feeling well.
8. To Be Near You While Avoiding Contact
Dogs like to be close to others, but they don’t always want to be touched. If your dog is sleeping close to you but won’t face you or touch you, it could just be his way of bonding with you.
In the wild and in multi-dog households, dogs often sleep near each other, but they rarely sleep touching each other.
9. Not Sure They Are Welcome on the Bed
Your dog may not be sure if he is allowed in your bed with you and may sleep while turned away in hopes that you won’t say anything to him.
He may also be anxious about sleeping with you and feel more comfortable turned away.
When To Be Concerned About Your Dog’s Sleeping Behaviors
Your dog’s sleeping behavior can tell you a lot about his physical and mental health.
Anytime you notice a change in these behaviors that appears suddenly or with other symptoms and problems, it could mean your dog is not feeling well, is anxious or upset about something, or is trying to tell you something.
Related Questions:
Why Do Dogs Sleep So Close to You?
Dogs sleep close to their owners because they are protective of them and feel comfortable being near them. In the wild, dogs sleep closely together in packs for warmth, protection, and companionship.
Do Dogs Sleep All Night?
Most dogs sleep for several hours at a time, but they do not commonly sleep straight through the night.
During the night, they may get up and change positions, walk around, or just lie down and rest with their eyes open. This allows them to stay alert and helps them monitor the area for danger.
Final Thoughts
Dogs have different sleeping positions just like people, and they may be comfortable sleeping in different ways.
If your dog prefers to sleep with his back to you, it’s no reason to be concerned.
If he has always slept facing you and has recently started to sleep with his back to you, it could be a sign that something is wrong, and you should monitor your dog closely for other signs of problems or symptoms of illness.
