Why do dogs circle before lying down?

Many dogs will circle around a spot before lying down to rest. Vetstreet asked veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Sueda to explain this curious dog tendency. read more

Many dogs will circle around a spot before they settle down to rest. While no one can be certain of the exact reason why canines do this, the ritual is likely a residual habit from the days when wolflike dogs lived out in the wild, says veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Sueda, DVM, of the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. read more

Whether the dog turned a full circle before lying down was noted, and those instances where more than one rotation occurred were also noted. The results were rather straightforward. On the smooth surface, roughly one out of every five dogs (19%) turned at least one full circle before laying down. read more

Before lying down, dogs often circle their beds or wherever they've chosen to settle in for a nap. This curious canine behavior dates back to prehistoric times, when dogs literally had to make their own beds. read more