10 Reason Why Do Dogs Sleep with their Bum Facing You

by

Having a dog as a pet brings happiness and love at home. But along with these are also some strange and funny behavior that pet parents find weird. Imagine waking up from your sweet sleep and finding your pet’s bum inches from your face! So, you’d wonder, why do dogs sleep with their bum facing you?

One of the most acceptable reasons your dog sleeps this way is because they are comfortable and trust you. It is the first logical reason apart from your being the comfiest spot in the house.

There are other reasons for this funny sleeping position, and we will reveal all of them to you!

Reasons Why Dogs Sleep With Their Rear Facing You

You may no longer find it surprising to see your dog’s butt first thing when you wake up in the morning. Yes, they trust you with their life; your dog feels safe and comfortable with you too. Here are some more reasons for this seemingly strange behavior.

1. Your Dog is Comfortable

Your dog sleeps with its rear towards your face because it is comfortable.

Dogs are more comfortable sleeping when they feel safe. It is one of their primary concerns before resting and being vulnerable at night.

Since your dog considers you as their pack leader, they find comfort and security in your presence. And this is why your dog is comfortable exposing their back towards you.

They know that they will not get attacked from this position, and they are also ready for whatever happens in front of them.

Some dogs can get comfortable and feel safe even when you are not around. However, some dogs will only feel comfortable when you are in the same room with them.

2. Your Dog is Protecting You

Your dog cares for your safety and comfort in the house. They might be protecting you by sleeping with their back facing you.

As soon as they sleep on their back, they are ready to face any fearsome predator or attack that comes towards them. It is why dogs sleep this way during a thunderstorm or when something weird is going around the house.

It could also be a tactic to avoid an attack from any other dog in your neighborhood or the park. If they sleep on their backs, it can be difficult for any dog to contact you when you are sleeping.

3. Your Dog is Avoiding Eye Contact

While some dogs love to look at you and make eye contact, some dogs avoid it.

It is natural for dogs to avoid eye contact because it is a body language that signals aggression between canines.

Instead of sleeping facing you, your dog might prefer to sleep with its rear towards you because they don’t want to look you in the eyes. They feel it as an act of aggression, and they don’t want to anger you.

Dogs that avoid eye contact show respect to you as their pack leader.

4. Your Dog Trusts You

Some dogs will always sleep with their back facing you because they trust you completely.

Some dogs will sleep facing you even when they don’t sense any threat around. And this is because they trust you and consider your safety important than their own.

They value the bond between you and them, and they want to establish more connections with you by sleeping in certain positions. For example, some dogs will turn their heads so that they could see you from the corner of their eye.

5. Your Dog Wants a Pet on the Rear

It is a very common and natural reason why dogs sleep with their butts towards you.

Dogs are loving, caring, and playful creatures by nature, and they love to be petted for good behavior.

That spot in front of a dog’s tail has sensitive nerve endings. Thus, they love having a rub, scratch, or pet on the bum.

It is like having someone scratch your back for you, and dogs appreciate it because it’s a hard-to-reach area for them.

So, when you wake up with your pet’s bum in your face, and their tail is happily wagging, give in and do your pet a loving favor.

But keep in mind that it does not apply to all dogs. Some are not appreciative of a bum scratching and will growl if you do.

Also, be mindful your pet is always asking for a scratch in the area. There might be something wrong with it.

6. Your Dog is Claiming You

Your dog might be sleeping with its rear towards your face because they claim you as part of their pack.

Dogs have scent glands in their tails, and it sets off a distinct aroma. You will notice dogs sniffing each other’s bum as a form of greeting.

This scent is their identification, and sniffing butts lets them know of dogs they’ve met before.

If your dog sleeps with their bum facing you, they might be trying to leave their scent on you.

It’s a dog’s language and its mark on you. It’s like saying that you are their pet parent, and they are your babies.

7. Your Dog Feels Safe

Dogs sleep more peacefully when they feel safe and if there are no threats around them.

Thus, please take it as a good sign when your pet sleeps on your bed with you and with their bum in front of you.

Your pet feels safe, and they can settle down in your room or your bed. Your pet does not need to be cautious because they feel secure in the environment.

Your pet considers you as their family and believes that you will not hurt them. Thus, it’s fine with them to expose their vulnerable parts to you, such as their back.

They see you as a family and believe that you won’t hurt them.

8. Your Dog Does Not Want to Be Bothered

Dogs are very playful and energetic during the day. Thus, they might want to take some rest until it’s time for their playtime again.

Your dog may take up this sleeping position because they don’t want to be bothered.

They might want to doze off in peace and not want to sleep face to face with you.

They’ve had a long day of playing with everyone, and now they want some peace. So, they turn their back and sleep with their bum facing you.

9. Your Dog Learned it from You

Dogs are very smart creatures, and they learn quickly almost immediately when something proves beneficial to them.

If you smack your dog’s bum every time they sleep with their rear-facing you, eventually, this will stick in your pet’s mind that sleeping like this makes you happy.

Thus, they will continue to sleep in this position out of their desire to please you. So be careful what actions and behaviors you reward your dog with.

10. Your Dog is Tired

Dogs are naturally tired from all the exercise and playtime throughout the day, that they need a place to rest.

Dogs might not want to pass out in the middle of a den, and their fur is too thick for the floor, and they are worried that they’ll be stepped on.

Thus, if they’re too tired and feel safe enough around you, they will sleep where it feels most comfortable.

The first and most logical reason dogs sleep with their rear towards you is for comfort. After a long day of play or work, your dog will typically find the comfiest spot in the house to curl up and rest.

Should You Allow This Behavior?

If it doesn’t bother you to come face to face with your dog’s rear-facing you, then there is no reason not to allow it. However, some pet owners soon find it gross and annoying.

Likewise, your dog’s size can make sleeping uncomfortable for both of you. Your dog may consider you as a haven and can sleep soundly close to you. However, it may no longer be as comfortable for you as to when they are still a puppy.

Veterinarians also advise against these sleeping habits for hygienic reasons. Dogs might have parasites and allergens, which can affect your health and cause illnesses. Thus, consider training your dog to sleep in a crate.

Tips to Stop Dogs from Sleeping with their Bum Facing You

Your dog may be asking for a bum-scratching session, or your pet finds sleeping in this position to be utterly comfortable. But when it is already affecting your peace, you should take action to change this behavior. Here are some tips to help you stop your dog from sleeping with its bum towards you.

  1. Crate Training – Crate training is one of the most effective and useful ways to train your dog. When your pet sleeps in their crate, they will typically stretch out and turn around so that their back is facing the side or door. If you want your pet to sleep with its bum towards you, then place it inside a large enough cage where it cannot turn around when fully stretched out.
  2. Hire an Animal Behaviorist – If you have trouble crate training your pet, hire a professional animal behavior analyst to guide and help you with the appropriate techniques and training methods. Once they’re trained in being comfortable inside a cage, which should not take too long as dogs are extremely flexible creatures, they will no longer sleep with their bum facing you.
  3. Positive Reinforcement – You can also train your dog to sleep in a specific position by acting out certain behaviors and actions. For instance, when your pet sleeps with their head resting on the ground while their rear is against the wall, reward them with praise or treats, then place a cushion on their face so that they cannot turn around and rest their head on the wall.

Conclusion

So why do dogs sleep with their bum facing you? It is because they trust you. They feel safe and comfortable having you near. It may also be because they respect you and they want to protect you.

There are various reasons why dogs act the way they do. Pet parents are left to interpret and understand them as needed. Your pet’s sleeping positions can range from funny to weird, but it is only because they feel there is no threat around, and they can be vulnerable.

If you are no longer comfortable seeing your pet’s butt as they sleep, check out our simple tips to stop the habit.

With this, we hope you have a better understanding of why pets sleep with their bum facing you. By following the tips above, your pet will always feel comfortable sleeping at your side.

MORE DOG BEHAVIORS:

Leave a Comment