I was astonished to see my Yorkie sleep between my legs as this mystifying behavior was very new to me. My Yorkie is cuddly at times but this new sleeping habit was something that I had no clue about.
If your Yorkie has been doing the same thing then you must be wondering Why does my Yorkie sleep between my legs?
After thorough research, we have come up with several reasons as to why your Yorkie sleeps between your legs that we will discuss at length in this post.
Why Does My Yorkie Sleep Between My Legs? Top 12 Reasons
1. Affection
Yorkies are generally cuddly animals who like to snuggle with you time and again. If they start sleeping between your legs then that means that they feel safe around you and want your love.
Your Yorkie probably just wants your affection and that is why it jumped on your bed to sleep with you. This is a bonding opportunity for you as well as your Yorkie.
2. Trust
Another reason why your Yorkie sleeps between your legs might be it seeking trust and security from your side. Yorkies generally look up to the person that they trust to make them feel safe.
This trust leads your dog between your legs knowing that they will remain safe there. Just the warmth of your touch makes your Yorkie feel comfortable.
You should be proud of yourself, that you indeed did a great job as a dog owner, as your little Yorkie trusts you a lot.
3. Warm and Cosy
Your Yorkie might sleep between your legs to feel warm and cozy near their favorite person. Your body heat transfers to the dog’s body making it comfortable for them, especially in winters.
Their fur can even help you stay warm in cold weather conditions.
4. Inherent Pack Behavior
Yorkies tend to stay in packs for safety and comfort. When your Yorkie sleeps between your legs, it considers you a part of its pack that it can trust for security and comfort. A Yorkie pup tends to sleep like this more often than adult Yorkies.
This pack instinct is activated when your pet feels threatened by the entry of a new person into its life or for some other reason. This is why they need to sleep close to someone they trust to keep them safe.
So, you can see an increase in this behavior if you have gotten a new pet, or if you have guests at your place.
5. Fear
If your Yorkie is around someone that it does not like or is terrified of, then it might seek comfort in sleeping between your legs. The fear may also arise from fireworks or any unwanted noise in the background.
You must provide your Yorkie with proper comfort at such times and calm it down by petting. If you are wondering, why does my Yorkie sleep between my legs, then this might be one of the reasons.
6. Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is a result of separation from loved ones. Dogs experience separation anxiety if they are separated from their family at an early age. Because of this reason, your Yorkie may feel lonely and try to cope with it by sleeping close to you.
Yorkies with separation anxiety tend to follow their owner, even when they sleep because that makes them feel safe.
7. Loves To Cuddle
Yorkies are snuggly animals, I know mine is. If your Yorkie is sleeping between your legs, it might be because they are just in need of some loving cuddles with you.
Yorkie puppies have a tendency to sleep together when they are born for warmth and security. This is why they like to sleep between your legs sometimes.
If you are looking for a detailed explanation about the cuddly behavior of Yorkies, you can take a look at our detailed findings here.
8. Jealousy From Other Pet
Did you bring home a new pet? That might be the reason why your Yorkie is trying to stay as close to you as possible. Your dog is probably jealous of the other pet and the attention that it is getting.
When your Yorkie sleeps between your legs, he is claiming that you are his only. This situation will fade eventually as he becomes friends with the new pet and does not consider it to be a threat.
9. A New Home or Environment
It is difficult for a Yorkie to adapt to a new home or a new environment. If you have changed houses recently, then your Yorkie must be feeling out of place. He is probably trying to feel comfortable by staying close to you all the time.
As your Yorkie will adjust to the changes, he will start sleeping in his own bed.
10. Considers It As A Reward
Your Yorkie might consider sleeping between your legs as a reward for good behavior. He is seeking appreciation from your side. He might feel like he deserves your love and attention for being a good boy.
You can also take a look at this treat which can be given as a reward here.
11. Protective
Sometimes when there are unfamiliar people or pets nearby, your Yorkie feels like it should protect you. With that intention, it crawls between your legs to keep you safe from the unfamiliar people and animals in the room. This behavior comes from the pack’s instinct to save each other.
12. Emotional Support
When your Yorkie feels a little blue or lonely, it might seek emotional support from you by sleeping between your legs. You must provide comfort and care to your Yorkie at such times.
Is It OK To Let Your Yorkie Sleep With You?
It is common for Yorkies to jump into your bed to stay close to you. It is your choice whether you want to let your Yorkie sleep with you or not. There are pros and cons to both.
If you do decide to let your Yorkie sleep with you, then make sure that you bathe your dog before you let it jump into your bed because it may be carrying dirt or fleas.
However, if you have any breathing problems, then don’t let your Yorkie sleep with you.
Top 5 Ways To Stop Your Yorkie From Sleeping Between Your Legs
By now, your question of Why Does My Yorkie Sleep Between My Legs, must be answered. If you do not want your Yorkie to sleep between your legs then you can try some of these methods.
1. Provide Proper Care, Affection, and Attention
Provide enough love and care to your Yorkie so that it does not feel lonely. When Yorkies sleep between your legs, they are probably seeking attention from you. If you spend enough quality time with your Yorkie, it won’t climb into your bed.
2. Train Him To Use His Bed For Sleeping
If you do not want your Yorkie to sleep between your legs, then you can try training him to use his bed for sleeping. You can carry your dog to its bed when it tries to lay on your legs or you can use the “down” command to put it off your bed.
When your Yorkie obeys your orders, you can treat him with some reward so that he learns not to sleep between your legs.
3. Setup A Comfortable Bed
It is important that you provide a comfortable bed to make sure that your dog has a cozy place to look forward to when it is sleepy. Place the bed in a cool and quiet place where there isn’t much hustle.
If the weather gets a bit cold, make sure that your Yorkie is covered in blankets and has enough pillows to make it feel cozy.
You can also get a ticking clock that will help your dog sleep peacefully in its own bed. The clock will make your Yorkie feel like it is sleeping with its mother. You can check out an amazing ticking clock here.
4. Don’t Encourage Your Yorkie To Sleep Between Your Legs
If your Yorkie gets between your legs, then do not encourage it by petting it or giving it any attention. Point your finger to your Yorkie’s bed to indicate that it needs to sleep in its own bed.
You will need to train your Yorkie to sleep in its bed using positive reinforcement. Check out the training tips for your Yorkie here.
5. Place A Lovable Toy In Your Yorkie’s Bed
You can try placing a toy that your Yorkie loves in his bed so he can interact with the toy and doesn’t feel lonely. Do not put out the toy before bedtime so that he understands that it is a reward for sleeping in his bed.
You can check out this cool toy for your Yorkie here.
FAQs on Why Does My Yorkie Sleep Between My Legs?
1. Why Does My Dog Sleep So Close To Me?
Some of the reasons why your dog sleeps so close to you are for warmth, protection, and attention. When Yorkies are born, they tend to sleep together in packs and that may trigger the instinct to sleep close to you. It is for mutual support and protectiveness.
Another reason why your Yorkie likes to sleep with you would be because it likes your company and wants your love and affection. It means that your dog trusts you and feels safe around you.
If your dog does not sleep close to you, there is no reason to worry. It is probably because it is too warm for him to sleep in close proximity to you.
2. Why Does My Dog Have To Touch Me When I Sleep?
Dogs have different ways of showing their love and by being close to you and touching you, your Yorkie might be trying to show affection.
It is possible that your Yorkie compliments your efforts by snuggling with you.
Since dogs live in packs, they view their leader as their protector, and as the dog owner, your Yorkie views you as its protector. Touching you while sleeping means that it has a sense of security by knowing that you are there right beside it.
It is also possible that they cuddle with you for warmth. Take advantage of this opportunity to bond with your Yorkie and shower it with love.
3. Why Does My Dog Sleep On Me and Not My Husband?
This often happens because you spend more time playing with your dog than your husband. Naturally, your dog gets more comfortable around you and wants to sleep on you.
It can be the other way around as well. If your husband spends more time with your dog, then the dog might want to play more with you when you get home because of your constant absence.
Conclusion
Yorkies have many different sleeping habits that may change according to their mood. You can learn a lot by observing their sleeping position. You can determine the kind of bond you share with your Yorkie.
After reading this post you must be able to answer the question, Why Does My Yorkie Sleep Between My Legs. It is very simple. This sleeping habit portrays the comfort level that your Yorkie shares with you and that you are lucky to have such a loving pet.
