Why does my dog sleep on me and not my husband? This is probably one of the questions that bugged wives more than any other. The majority of pet owners are women, so this article will be focusing mainly on female-dog/female-owner relationships.
Why does my dog sleep on me and not my husband?
There are many reasons why dogs sleep on their owners. There are even more reasons why dogs sleep on some owners and not others (like your husband). What you need to understand is that dogs do not think like humans, they do not analyze the situation, or make compromises with themselves. Dogs act on instinct. It’s simply what feels right for them. Read more: Top 10 Most Intelligent Dog Breed
Some reasons why your dog may prefer to sleep on you are:
1) Your bed is bigger than your husband’s bed
This does not mean that your bed is better, but it means that the surface area available for sleeping is greater (your dog has more room to stretch out). Dogs like having a little bit of extra space when they are comfortable because it means that they can rest more. Dogs that feel ‘crowded’ will move about until they find a bit of extra space (which is usually found by sneaking onto their owner’s bed).
2) You make good sounds when he sleeps on you
Dogs like to know where you are in case there is danger (in case they need to protect you). When your dog sleeps on you, he can hear and smell you which makes him feel safe. If your husband snores or talks in his sleep this may be disturbing for the dog (he doesn’t know it’s not directed towards him), and if he’s at the opposite end of the bed he can’t hear or smell you.
3) You smell like his pack
Your dog considers himself to be a part of your family, and by sleeping on you he is asserting his place in the pack hierarchy (making sure that everyone knows who’s on top). When your husband sleeps on you, this makes your dog feel as though someone else is asserting pack superiority (which causes stress in your dog).
4) You are kinder to him when he sleeps on you
Your pet may be acting out of a sense of gratitude, or simply basking in the glow of your adoration. When you sleep with his blanket next to your face and talk about how soft it is, or that your dog is so cute, it makes him feel happy. When you sleep with your husband’s blanket, he may feel as though he has done something wrong (that he’s failed to make you happy).
5) You’ve trained him well
Perhaps you tend to give rewards when he sleeps on your bed (praise or treats), so he is rewarded for positive behavior in the house. Perhaps you also give rewards when he sleeps on your husband’s bed (praise or treats), but this reward isn’t as rewarding to him because it doesn’t happen when you are in the bedroom, and there is nothing that makes him feel like he’s earned it (like when you sleep with his blanket).
It’s important to understand that dogs do not think like humans, so you need to stop asking yourself questions like – Why does my dog sleep on me and not my husband? , because dogs simply do what feels right for them, the reasons are based around pack hierarchy, the surface area available for sleeping, extra security (hearing/smelling owner), smell, adoration, gratitude, and training.
Tags: dog care, pet care
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