Why does my dog sleep on my head?
Most dogs have a comfortable position to sleep – a sleeping habit that they have inculcated from puppyhood. If you allow your dog in your bed, chances are that it lays at your feet or sleeps parallel to you, or cuddles close to your body.
My small dog – a Pekingese – has an adorable habit. She sleeps on my husband’s head!
It is very cute but my husband and I wanted to know the reason behind this peculiar behavior. So, we talked to a famous dog behaviorist in our city.
The following write-up is a gist of what we have learnt in the process. If you too are wondering ‘why does my dog sleep on my head?’, we have the answers for you!
Why Does My Dog Sleep on My Head?
How many times have you laughed at how your dog sleeps?
We often do. Fify, our Pekingese has many adorable positions. One of them is sleeping over my husband’s head. Is she dreaming? Is she simply seeking warmth? Does she do it for comfort and protection? In any case it is important to understand your dog’s sleeping habits. After all, our dogs can get very grumpy if they do not get adequate sleep.
Turns out that Fify slept on my husband’s head for comfort, warmth, and security. She probably feels the safest with him. And since he works 8-10 hours on most days, she curls up with next to him every night and particularly on weekends to ensure that he stays by her side.
In the next section, I will tell you the exact reason as to ‘why does my dog sleep on my head’ as explained by the dog trainer.
Also Read: Why Does my Dog Lay On Me?
Why Does My Dog Sleep on My Head? 7 Reasons Behind this Adorable Habit!
Here are some common reasons ‘why does my dog sleep on my head?’
1. Dogs are pack animals
In the wild and even in a litter, dogs do everything together. Right from hunting, to feeding, to sleeping, they do all activities together.
Although we have domesticated dogs for thousands of years, they still have the pack mentality very much inherently fixed in their DNA. That is why your dog still likes to huddle close to you at night. Just like some puppies sleep atop each other, your dog may lay on you night after night.
2. Possessiveness
Most dogs are incredibly possessive of their ‘humans’. When a dog sleeps on your body or on your head, it is to mark that individual as its property. It is as if your dog is saying: ‘this human is mine! Everyone else, back off!’
3. To protect their ‘human’
All dogs inherently have watch-dog and guard-dog abilities. If your dog consistently sleeps on your head, it could be that it is trying to protect you. Even small dogs like my Fify forget their small size and strongly believe that they are protecting their humans instead of the other way around.
4. For security and protection
Most small dog breeds are inherently very anxious and clingy. Some breeds like Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Shih tzu, and Dachshunds are known to have separation anxiety.
If you leave your dog home alone all day, chances are that it may feel anxious you might leave it again at night. Sleeping on your head might help enhance its secure feeling. It is also to ensure that even if you do leave, your pet would know about it.
5. For warmth
Dogs also need warmth. Many small dog breeds often have very little body fat which makes them feel cold not only in winters, but all year round.
Resultantly they like to huddle close to their pet parent for body heat. When they lay near your head, your hair provides them with warmth and is also the closest thing to fur. That is why your dog might sleep close to your head.
6. Your dog needs a pillow
Many dogs need a pillow to sleep. They like their head elevated slightly. Our other dog – a Cocker Spaniel – needs a thin pillow and he is a side-sleeper. Buy Fify typically uses my husband’s head to rest her body. She does this on most nights. We have giver her own dog bed and a pillow, but on some days she simply prefers my husband as a snuggle pillow.
7. It is just a habit
Sometimes, pet parents unknowingly encourage this adorable sleeping habit in their dogs.
As a puppy, your small pet may have lain upon your head and that might have been too cute to resist. So, it might retain the habit in its adulthood too. Nothing wrong with it. After all, you should let sleeping dogs lie.
Why Does my Dog Sleep on Me and Not on my Partner?
Your dog wanting to sleep with one member of the household can mean that it has bonded closely with that individual.
It is just your dog’s way of showing love and affection and that it simply likes that person’s company.
Don’t get me wrong: it isn’t that your furry friend does not like or love the other members of the household. It simply means that it prefers that individual because their personalities and energy levels match.
Sleeping by your side also means that your dog trusts you and wants to show you its loyalty and devotion. It is also a way of showing you its protection and that your dog is ready to go to any extent to guard you.
What Does it Mean When Your Dog Puts its Head on Your Head?
We will never know what is going on in a dog’s head but we could say that the following reasons could trigger your dog to place their head on your head or body:
1. Possessiveness
Most dogs will possessively place their heads on your head when they are possessive of you. This is their way of claiming you as their property.
2. To show love and affection
Some people believe that placing of the head is a canine behavior of a show of dominance. That isn’t the case. In fact; it is a dog’s way of showing love and affection.
3. To seek comfort
Often an upset dog might place its head on your body to seek comfort, warmth, and security. Not only small dogs, even large dog breeds like German shepherd might show such behavior from time to time.
4. To give comfort
Dogs can read your body language and they instantly know when a human is in distress. Your pet might try to hug you and may place its head on your shoulder or head for giving you comfort.
5. When they are jealous of other pets/kids
My dog immediately places her head on my husband when he gives attention to the other dog or to our kid. This is an indication of jealousy and also possessiveness.
6. For attention
Sometimes, your dog might place its head on you to ask you to play or simply for your attention when you are working or watching TV.
Why do Dogs like to Cuddle at Night?
Many dogs do not cuddle during the day but they cuddle at night.
Even hunting dogs in the wild would cuddle and huddle together for warmth, mutual security, and protection. We mustn’t forget that our dog is inherently still a pack animal.
When a dog cuddles with its pet owner, it is a way of showing love and affection. It also may seek warmth and might want to protect the owner.
There are many benefits of dogs and humans cuddling. Of primary importance is the fact that this action stimulates the production of oxytocin love hormone in both humans and dogs.
What Do Different Dog Sleeping Position Mean?
Does your dog curl up in a donut? Does it sleep on its back? Perhaps it sleeps in the superman pose! Here are typical sleep positions in dogs and their meanings:
1. Side sleepers
Side sleeping is usually when the dog is relaxed. Many dogs sleep on their sides when they are fast asleep and in the REM state of sleep. Your dog might dream in this common sleeping position and may even wag or thump the tail or move its legs as if running.
2. Belly sleeping
My dog usually sleeps on her belly when she is awaiting something. She will sleep on the belly outside a closed door, or while waiting for her dinner. It is a position that shows that the dog is lightly resting but is ready to get up and go at a moment’s notice.
3. Donut position
Dogs curl up in a tight little comma or donut position when they need warmth. The donut position also means that the dog is protecting its delicate organs: heart, stomach, etc.
4. Sleeping on the back
This is the dog sleep position which a dog owner will find cute and funny. Your dog’s four legs will be in the air and its stomach is exposed to the air. Most dogs dream when they sleep in this position. Some dogs often move their paws while they are dreaming and some even whimper. You might even see your pet in flat-out bliss through its snoring, muffled barks, and kicks!
5. Back-to-back with another dog
This position means that the two dogs have bonded and they have each others’ backs. They feel safe and protected and they are protecting each other. Often, in multi-dog households, the dogs will huddle together but the alpha or the pack might sleep on higher position or apart from the others.
6. Superman pose
Most young puppies sleep in this position with their hind legs and forelegs spread out and flat on the ground. He just can’t help it; he might even pass out in this position while playing.
Young pups need their sleep. Never disturb your sleeping dog especially when it is in deep REM sleep state; it won’t hesitate to bite. Always call your pet’s name softly and wake it up gently.
Where Should a Dominant Dog Sleep?
There are many different ways in which a dog might show its dominance.
A dominant dog isn’t always aggressive. However, if you ask a dominant dog to get off the bed, it might growl at you. Then there are some dogs that may show passive dominance by acting playful. Even if you pull such a dog off the bed, it might fall back on its back and playfully wrap its legs around you.
It might then do a lap around the room and again jump on the bed.
The important thing is to not let your dominant dog on your bed. Firmly say NO even if it shows the above ‘playful’ or passive aggressive behavior. Give it its own dog bed. If needed, crate it. For older dogs, invest in orthopedic dog bed or a bed with memory foam for greater comfort.
You also need to curb your dog’s dominance from the start. If needed, seek help of a dog trainer and get your pet trained in basic obedience training.
FAQs on Why Does my Dog Sleep on My Head?
Why does my dog have to be touching me when sleeping?
Your dog looks up to you as its protector. So it will touch you for comfort, warmth, and security.
Do dogs know when you are sleeping?
Yes, dogs know humans are asleep because humans give off certain chemicals in sleep. Dogs can also note our REM sleep state wherein our eyelids move rapidly.
Conclusion
Why does my dog sleep on my head?
Most dogs that sleep on their owner’s head do so for mutual warmth, attention, comfort, and security. Some dogs simply sleep on your head to mark you as their property.
We mustn’t forget the fact that dogs are primarily pack animals and that they always sleep together in the wild or in their litters. That is why your dog might cuddle with you as it considers you an important part of its pack.
