Is it bad if my dog sleeps on his back ?
Is your dog sleeping on his back? He’s cute isn’t he ? don’t wake him up and don’t worry:
Sleeping with his belly up is a sign that your dog or puppy is in a deep sleep, all his muscles are at rest, he feels really safe and confident in your home and maybe he is also just regulating his temperature by exposing his less hairy body part and his pads …
Dogs often have their favorite food, there are others who even have a color they love more than others, why not a position with which they love to sleep !
Let me tell you a little more about this position and the other positions your dog or puppy could take while sleeping.
Dogs show their submissions by lying on their backs
If your dog gets himself on his back, while he is in the company of other dogs for example, this Cockroach Position means that he is not a threat to them, by exposing his throat and belly (his vital parts) and it is a clear invitation to play and its intentions are completely peaceful.
But it’s not always true , this behavior is also natural in certain breeds of dogs such as greyhounds. who are known for Roaching ,It’s often accompanied by a daft expression, known as Derp , and Escaped Tongue Syndrome.
Dogs can put themselves on their backs to regulate their temperature
1- when the dog is cold
It is not rare to see a dog, lying in full sun and exposing his belly, it usually happens when it is cold.
Your dog is therefore taking advantage of the sun by exposing his part of the body where the blood vessels are close to the surface of the skin so that the song warms up and carries the heat to distribute it all over his body.
2- When the dog is warm
To cool down during a heat wave for example, the dog can put himself on his back, exposing his less hairy part and his paw pads.
These two parts of the body will take advantage of the breeze and the wind and at the same time the dog will also sweat through his paw pads which will lower his body temperature as well.
On top of that and on one side its thick fur on the back will insulate it from the heat of the ground and on the other side it will prevent its pads from touching the burning ground and cause the warming of the whole body !
Belly up may be just to Capt your attention
Your dog can use this position, lying on his back, wagging his tail, even Rolling over … all this just to get your attention.
Your dog may have tried this position and you thought it was cute, and if you petted him, he will remember it and repeat it if you don’t pay too much attention to him.
A dog can get on his back if he doesn’t want to play anymore
Sometimes, dogs communicate in a funny way, not to offend us lol.
There are dogs and you may have noticed them in the park ; when they don’t want to play anymore, at the ball throw for example, they go near their masters and get “ feet up”, as if to say : ” thank you but I’m done , that’s it !! , stop throwing me that f… ball, I can’t take it anymore ! ” lol
Arthritis can cause a dog to sleep on his back
If your dog suffers from arthritis, (he doesn’t jump like he used to, he often stays behind …etc ), he may like to sleep on his back to better relieve his joints by relaxing the muscles of his legs when he puts them up in the air.
In this case, it is advisable to change your dog’s bed and to provide him with an orthopedic mattress. (This link will take you to the one I recommend on Amazon )
This mattress will allow your dog to sleep as he is used to and will not have to sleep with his legs up unless he wants to lol .
What should I do if my dog sleeps with his paws up in the air?
Nothing !!! . What you must not do is to wake him up ! Because by adopting this position, your dog is really resting.
Dogs don’t sleep just because they feel like it, but unlike humans, who can sleep just to kill time, dogs only sleep if they really need to rest, if not they will just lie down.
4 other Dog sleeping positions explained
1-If the dog sleeps on his stomach
When your dog lies on his stomach with his head on or between his paws, it means that he intends to sleep very soon if something does not disturb him!
The best thing to do in this case, when your dog is dozing , never disturb or call him and just let him take a nap because he probably needs it.
2- A dog sleeping on his side
This position is the one most dogs adopt when they really want to sleep and enjoy a deep sleep.
This position will leave the 4 legs of the dog free, so he can dream running without any danger because the legs are free to move!
3- Curled up, the wolf position
A dog that sleeps curled up on itself is a dog that may only be cold and wants to keep his body warm.
This position is a so-called survival position, the dog sleeps in this way when he doesn’t really feel safe ! It is a very common position among stray dogs.
4- A dog sleeping on his belly, legs stretched out in front of him ( Sprawled out )
A dog that sleeps in this position is a dog that stays on guard, this position will help him to stand up quickly in case of need.
The dog can also adopt this position if it’s hot and the ground where he’s lying is cool, this will help him to cool down too.
Conclusion
As you can see, the position your dog uses to sleep can say a lot about him, but whatever happens, never wake up a dog who is sleeping without a valid reason !
