Some dogs have totally bizarre sleeping positions. Take my brother’s Lily Biscuits, for example. Sometimes, Lily will sleep curled up into a tight little ball. Sometimes, Lily will sleep sprawled out on her side, with her head dangling off the side of the couch. (We call her Liquid Lily at those times!) Sometimes she sleeps on her stomach, with her nose jammed into the space between the back of the couch and the cushions.
My dog Miko (a German Shepherd-husky mix) used to sleep on his back, one paw curled up to his chest and the other stuck straight out in what we called the Superman Position. I’ve heard stories from other husky owners that their dogs liked to sleep on their backs, too.
And then there’s Moose. Dog of comfort. I think this picture speaks for itself:
When Moosie first came to live with me, he would sleep with one paw touching me, as if to reassure himself that I was there. He doesn’t do that much any more, though he does usually sleep on the bed with me — Moose on one side and Lally on my other side. And Lally talks in her sleep. When she’s dreaming, her feet will start to twitch and she’ll start making little “wuffs” under her breath.
So why do dogs turn around three times before laying down? It’s a habit left over from their ancestors, who used to sleep hidden in the tall grass. Turning around helped trample the grass into a nice, soft bed.
Some dogs like to sleep with their back against something — a wall, a pillow, a fellow fur child, a human. My parents’ dog Becca is like that. She’s always leaning against something.
And here’s a crazy fact for you: dogs sleep anywhere from ten to sixteen hours a day. That means they spend more than half of their lives asleep!