Have you ever watched your dog engage in a peculiar ritual just before settling down for a nap or bedtime? They often turn around and around, sometimes pawing at their bed or the floor, before finally lying down. This common canine behavior has puzzled dog owners for ages, prompting questions about its purpose. As humorist Robert Benchley aptly observed, “A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.” But is this circling behavior simply a quirky habit, or does it hold a deeper, more instinctual meaning?
A dog settling down after circling, a behavior often observed by dog owners.
When a reporter recently inquired about the reasons behind this circling behavior, it became clear that while widely observed, the scientific literature surprisingly lacks dedicated studies on this specific canine action. Beyond instances where excessive circling indicates obsessive-compulsive disorder in a small number of dogs, concrete research into typical pre-lying down circling is scarce. This absence of definitive data, however, hasn’t stopped people from formulating various intriguing theories. Let’s explore some of the common speculations and delve into a study that sheds light on this fascinating dog behavior.
Debunking Common Myths About Dog Circling
In the absence of hard scientific facts, several theories have emerged to explain why dogs circle before lying down. Many of these explanations tap into our understanding of canine ancestry and survival instincts.
One popular idea is that circling is an evolutionary holdover from dogs’ wild ancestors. Proponents of this theory suggest that dogs circle to assess their surroundings for potential dangers before making themselves vulnerable by resting. In the wild, this cautious approach would have been crucial for survival, allowing them to identify predators or threats before settling down.
Another related theory posits that circling serves to deter any unwanted inhabitants of the chosen resting spot. By circling and potentially pawing at the ground, dogs might be attempting to drive away vermin or small creatures that could be lurking in the area. This behavior could be seen as a way to ensure a safe and pest-free sleeping environment.
A more practical explanation suggests that dogs circle to prepare their sleeping area for comfort. The idea here is that by turning around, dogs might be trying to uncover any uncomfortable objects like stones, twigs, or uneven ground that could disrupt their rest. This pre-sleep ritual would then be a way to create a more comfortable and agreeable surface for lying down.
The Nesting Hypothesis: Creating a Comfortable Bed
While these speculations offer interesting perspectives, Stanley Coren, a psychology professor known for his work on canine behavior, decided to take a more empirical approach. Driven by his scientific background and a desire to move beyond mere speculation, Coren designed a simple experiment to investigate the “nesting” hypothesis. This idea proposes that dogs circle to create a more comfortable resting place, essentially trampling down and adjusting the surface to their liking.
Coren reasoned that if dogs circle primarily to make uneven surfaces more comfortable, they should exhibit this behavior less frequently when presented with a smooth, even surface. To test this, he devised an experiment using different types of flooring.
The Experiment: Smooth vs. Uneven Surfaces
The experimental setup was straightforward yet effective. Coren and his team used a rectangular exercise pen placed in a large room. They tested two different ground surfaces within the pen:
- Smooth Surface: A flat, densely woven piece of carpet was used to create a uniform and even surface, presumably requiring no additional preparation for comfortable lying down.
- Uneven Surface: A piece of loosely woven shag carpet was placed in the pen without smoothing out any lumps or wrinkles. This was designed to mimic the uneven and potentially less comfortable surfaces dogs might encounter in natural outdoor environments.
A total of 62 pet dogs participated in the study, with 31 dogs tested on each surface type. Owners placed their dogs in the pen, then moved to the opposite side of the room to minimize their influence on the dog’s behavior. The dogs were observed for up to 15 minutes while the owners quietly read or relaxed. Researchers meticulously recorded the dogs’ behavior when they decided to lie down, specifically noting whether they turned in a full circle or multiple circles before settling.
The Results: Strong Support for the Nesting Theory
The results of Coren’s experiment provided compelling evidence supporting the nesting hypothesis. A significant difference in circling behavior was observed between the two surface types:
- Smooth Surface: Only about 19% of dogs turned at least one full circle before lying down on the smooth carpet.
- Uneven Surface: A much higher percentage, 55% of dogs, circled at least once before lying down on the shag carpet.
This stark contrast revealed that dogs were nearly three times more likely to circle before lying down on an uneven surface compared to a smooth one. This statistically significant difference strongly suggests that surface unevenness plays a crucial role in triggering circling behavior.
Furthermore, the study also looked at instances of multiple circles. Only one dog circled more than once on the smooth surface, while a notable 19% of dogs performed multiple rotations on the uneven shag carpet. Anecdotal observations also noted that some dogs on the uneven surface would poke or dig at the carpet before circling, a behavior not seen on the smooth surface.
Conclusion: Comfort and Canine Instincts
Coren’s research provides a valuable insight into why dogs circle before lying down. The findings strongly indicate that one primary reason for this behavior is to create a more comfortable resting area, particularly when faced with an uneven surface. By circling, dogs effectively flatten down and adjust their immediate environment to make it more suitable for rest.
While this study doesn’t definitively rule out other contributing factors like security checks or vermin deterrent, it highlights the significant role of nesting instincts in this common canine behavior. It’s likely a combination of instinctual drives and comfort-seeking behaviors that contribute to the fascinating pre-sleep ritual of dogs circling before they lay down, a behavior that continues to intrigue and endear them to us.
