Why Does My Dog Sleep At My Feet? (9 Must-Know Reasons)
You roll over in bed and feel something warm and furry against you. You half open your eyes to see your pup sleeping at the foot of the bed, her head resting on your feet.
It’s a lovely cozy feeling. Unless she hogs the duvet or takes over the entire bed, of course!
But why does she do it? In this article, I’ll explore nine of the most common reasons dogs sleep at their owner’s feet.
I’ll also address the question of whether it’s okay for your furry friend to sleep in the bed in the first place (yes!) and if she’s trying to assert her status and “dominate” you by being there (no!).
Dogs are part of the family
Dogs are often considered part of the family for those of us lucky enough to share our lives with them.
A study by Rehn and Keeling (2016) reports that many dog owners have a strong bond with their pets. Similar, in fact, to the relationship between a parent and child. Many people certainly report feeling the same deep emotions for their dogs as they do towards members of their family or close friends.
From the dogs’ perspective, research shows that our canine friends exhibit similar behaviors toward their owners as those seen in human infants and chimpanzees (Siniscalchi et al., 2013).
So the connection between dogs and humans is both intriguing and multi-layered – no wonder we all like to snuggle up together!
Let’s now delve deeper into some of the possible reasons why your dog likes to sleep at your feet.
#1. It’s warm and cozy
Dogs are naturally drawn to sources of heat and comfort, such as fireplaces, radiators – or your body heat.
When your pup is snuggled up against your feet in your lovely comfortable bed, she’s surrounded by the warmth of your body and all the blankets, pillows, and duvets (or cushions if you’re on the sofa).
What could be better? She can stay all nice and cozy that way.
In winter in Finland, where we currently live, it can get down to about -20 degrees Celsius at night and we often have several dogs and cats wedged up against us when we sleep.
Sometimes you can hardly move. It’s even been known for one of us to decamp to the sofa.
On the plus side, it keeps us nice and warm too – there’s no doubt that dogs make great foot warmers.
Way to save on those heating bills!
#2. Comfort and security
Dogs are social animals who have been found to commonly use their owners as a “secure base” when exploring and interacting with their environment. This is similar to the sense of security children feel with parental figures (Horn et al., 2013).
Therefore, another explanation for why your pooch might enjoy sleeping at your feet is that the location provides a sense of safety.
She knows you’re in close proximity so will feel protected and calm, able to drift into a deep sleep.
Some dogs find physical contact, such as leaning against their preferred human, comforting. It also means they’ll be the first to know if you get up and move.
Some dogs may even get up with you and accompany you on your trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Wild dogs can often be seen sleeping through the night while huddled close to their pack members.
And puppies often curl up with their mother and littermates to sleep. As well as providing warmth, comfort, and security, this also provides puppies a chance to bond with their family and learn important social skills.
For example, puppies who sleep with their littermates will learn how to share resources and resolve conflicts.
In addition, co-sleeping like this can help to reduce stress levels and promote feelings of security.
So it’s not surprising so many dogs enjoy snuggling up close in a safe place with their loved ones at bedtime.
#3. Scent
Dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell to navigate their environment, form social bonds, and communicate with each other.
Whether your dog is on your comfy bed with you or dozing with you on the sofa, any place where you sleep is likely to be a focal point for your unique scent.
Not surprisingly, this is both familiar and comforting and can be quite reassuring for your pup.
Sweaty socks anyone? Cheesy feet? These are also scents your dog might find comforting and like to surround herself with – believe it or not!
#4. Affection
As I said earlier, dogs are highly social creatures that form close bonds with their family members.
Some dogs want to be with you as much as possible and sleeping on your feet is simply a sign your pup is bonded with you and trusts you, as well as another way of showing her affection.
So if your pup is sleeping with or near you – or even right on top of you – just enjoy it and let her stay there if you can! It’s a sign that she’s happy, healthy, and trusts you fully.
#5. Learned behavior
If your dog has ever received attention or yummy treats when she’s been snoozing at your feet, she may have picked up on the idea that this is the perfect place to be.
Dogs are smart, and they quickly learn which behaviors get rewarded. If your dog has been rewarded in some way for sleeping at your feet, she is likely to continue doing it in the future.
In behavior lingo, this is known as positive reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement means rewarding a behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.
Even if you didn’t intentionally reward your dog with treats, petting, or praise, she probably finds sleeping on your feet and being up close and personal rewarding enough to keep on doing it.
#6. Protection
Some dogs like to protect their owners while they’re sleeping. It may even be in their genes.
For example, breeds, such as German Shepherds and Dobermanns were bred for guarding (The Kennel Club, 2022), so may have a natural predisposition to stay close to their owner and protect them when they’re sleeping.
Some owners even report that their furry friend sleeps on their feet facing the door.
In doing so, your pup can be on the alert for any potential danger and respond accordingly.
#7. Genetics
Talking of genes, some dogs have been bred specifically to stick close to their owners – for a variety of reasons.
For example, dogs such as Border Collies, Hungarian Vizslas, Golden Retrievers, Shetland Sheepdogs, and Labrador Retrievers, were originally bred for tasks like herding and guarding sheep, so were required to stay close to their people waiting for their next orders.
And some toy dog breeds, such as Maltese, French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, and Pugs were specifically bred to be lap dogs (The Kennel Club, 2022).
So it could be that your dog is hardwired to stick close to you and take up the perfect spot at your feet whenever you’re dozing.
#8. Fear, anxiety, or stress
Dogs can get scared or stressed about all sorts of things (e.g. loud noises like thunderstorms or fireworks, a new pet in the home, being left alone, or having house guests).
Some dogs are generally anxious, depending on their genetics, their early learning environment, and their life experience.
Older dogs can lose confidence and become more anxious and want to be close to you as much as possible.
It’s the same if you have just adopted a puppy. She may have only just been separated from her mother and littermates and feeling in a rather vulnerable position.
In cases like these, sleeping on her new owner’s feet can help your dog feel less stressed or anxious.
#9. Separation anxiety
I mentioned earlier about the dog who follows you to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
While this may seem cute and endearing, it’s also possible that your pup struggles with being on her own.
Some dogs go into a complete panic when they’re left on their own – even for a short time.
Separation anxiety is common in dogs, with over 75% of dogs across the United States experiencing it to some extent (CertaPet, 2021).
Separation anxiety is extremely distressing for dogs, who feel that they just can’t cope when left alone – even for a couple of minutes.
While there are plenty of perfectly normal reasons that your dog lays across or sleeps on your feet, if you think your dog may have separation anxiety, I recommend you consult a canine separation anxiety specialist as it’s not going to go away on its own.
I’ll list a few of my favorites at the end of this article*.
(Note: other common separation anxiety behaviors include excessive barking or howling, urinating or defecating indoors, destruction of objects or property, chewing shoes, bedding, or clothing, digging, chewing furniture, pacing, and escaping.)
Is my dog trying to dominate me by sleeping on my feet?
Your dog sleeping on your feet has nothing to do with being “submissive” to you as the supposed “pack leader.” Nor does it have anything to do with your dog trying to “dominate” you or gain some sort of perceived status.
All that old-school stuff went out with the ark. Anyone who tells you differently has not kept their canine behavior education up-to-date.
“Trainers who adamantly oppose dogs on the bed mostly fall into the old-fashioned training camp, and often, they also buy into all the dominance stuff that’s been pretty much discredited by behavioral scientists,” says renowned dog trainer and behavior expert Pat Miller.
“The dog who wants to sleep on your bed isn’t trying to take over the world. He just wants to be close to his humans – and comfortable!”
So there you go!
Should you let your dog sleep on the bed with you?
People ask me this all the time! At the end of the day, it’s up to you. Some people like it, others don’t. It’s really just a matter of preference either way and neither is wrong.
If you do let your dog sleep on the bed with you and she loves napping on your feet, know that you’re not alone.
A survey by the American Kennel Club (AKC) found that an impressive 45% of dogs sleep in bed with their owners. And 45 out of 100 dog owners can’t be wrong!
One study claims that human-animal co-sleeping should not be seen as a bad thing, but rather, “socially relevant.” (Smith et al., 2017).
It goes on to state:
- The majority of adults share their beds with a partner or child at one time or another and many sleep with pets.
- Around half of dog and cat owners share a bed or bedroom with their pet(s).
So don’t be discouraged by what you think you “should” be doing. If it’s good for you and good for your pup, go for it!
Having said that, some dogs prefer to sleep in their own bed or elsewhere in the house.
Some dogs move around at night and so may disturb your restful sleep if they keep fidgeting or moving around.
And some dogs might think it’s a game to pounce on your arms or legs if you move around. Others might snore or even bark loudly in the middle of an intense dream, like our Florence, and wake you up.
Others may just be gassy and not terribly pleasant to be in close proximity to!
The benefits of co-sleeping
Another study by Smith et al. (2018), reports that dogs who sleep with their owners are active “for about 20% of the night, with humans 4.3 times more likely to be awake during dog activity than during dog inactivity.”
So in this small sample (five owner-dog pairs), “co-sleeping with a dog appears to result in measurable, but relatively mild, reductions in overall sleep quality.”
However, the researchers point out that this mildly “detrimental impact must be weighed against the benefits of co-sleeping.”
After all, warmth, safety, security, companionship, and comfort are beneficial for humans too, not just dogs.
I’d have to say that out of our adult dogs that have elected to sleep in the bed, Daisy and Bertie would sleep for as long as we did, without moving all night.
Bertie would have his head on the pillow while Daisy would sleep with her front paws across the top of your feet so she’d know if you moved.
These days (or nights), Roman and Florence sometimes start out on the bed and move quietly in the middle of the night when they get too hot or there’s not enough space.
I haven’t found this to be at all disruptive. In fact, it’s strangely comforting to feel their bulk on your feet, all warm and reassuring!
Having a cat walk across your face, on the other hand, can be extremely disruptive – especially when they dig their claws in to gain traction!
My dog gets aggressive if I disturb her
If you accidentally roll over to change your sleeping position and squash your pup while she’s in a deep sleep, you may give her a bit of a shock and she may lash out in self-defense until she realizes what’s going on.
In which case, no harm no foul.
Resource guarding
However, some dogs may guard their sleeping area as a way of protecting themselves from potential threats.
This is known as resource guarding and is a common dog behavior.
Resource guarding can happen if someone tries to take away (or gets too close to) something a dog values, such as food, a toy, or her favorite chew.
Not only do some dogs guard specific things they are attached to, they may also guard specific areas (such as their bed, general resting area, or front yard) and people they care about, such as their owners.
If your dog starts growling at you or shows any other kind of aggressive behavior such as snarling, snapping, or biting if you try to move her while she’s sleeping or when you get too close to wherever she’s sleeping, you may want to consult with a certified positive reinforcement dog trainer to help address the behavior.
The trainer will come up with a customized plan that works best for your particular situation. Miller (2019) suggests the following:
- Teach “Off”
- Institute a “Say Please” program
- Apply a counter-conditioning protocol
- Consider using operant conditioning
How do I train my dog to love her own bed?
In the meantime, it’s probably best not to let your pup sleep on the bed. Instead, provide her with a nice comfortable dog bed, either in the bedroom or elsewhere in the house, and teach her to love it.
Here’s dog training expert Emily Larlham demonstrating how to do this:
You may also want to consider crate training if your dog is prone to resource guarding – this can help establish a safe space for her while preventing any confrontations over her sleeping spot.
Here’s Emily explaining how to do that:
Final thoughts
Your dog may be sleeping on your feet for any of the above reasons, or sometimes several combined.
If she’s sleeping there because it feels good to her and you love the arrangement just as much as she does, there’s absolutely no harm in keeping things as they are.
Remember, you are one of the 45%!
But if sleeping up against you is causing any problems for either of you (for example, if your pup starts exhibiting aggressive behaviors around her preferred sleeping spot), it may be time to work on gradually changing her routine with the help of a professional.
Sweet dreams!
Looking for more info on your dog’s sleeping habits? You might like to check out a couple of my other articles:
- Why is my dog growling at me if he’s moved when sleeping?
- Why does my dog lick my bed sheets? (10 surprising reasons)
Separation anxiety specialists
*As promised, here are my personal recommendations for specialized separation anxiety trainers. Even better, they all do online consults so geography doesn’t matter!
Resources
- A Multispecies Approach to Co-Sleeping – Bradley P. Smith, Peta C. Hazelton, Kirrilly R. Thompson, Joshua L. Trigg, Hayley C. Etherton, & Sarah L. Blunden
- An Exploratory Study of Human–Dog Co-sleeping Using Actigraphy: Do Dogs Disrupt Their Owner’s Sleep? – Bradley P. Smith, Matthew Browne, Jessica Mack, & Thomas G. Kontou
- Crate Training Basics – Kelly Fahey / Kong Classroom
- Crate Training- Part 1- Dog Training [Video] – Dog Training by KikoPup
- “Like Owner, Like Dog”: Correlation between the Owner’s Attachment Profile and the Owner-Dog Bond – Marcello Siniscalchi, Carlo Stipo, & Angelo Quaranta
- Measuring dog-owner relationships: Crossing boundaries between animal behaviour and human psychology – Therese Rehn & Linda J. Keeling
- Separation Anxiety in Dogs & Dog Owners in 2021 – CertaPet
- Should Your Dog Sleep on the Bed with You? – Pat Miller
- The EASIEST way to train your puppy to go to his bed – Dog training [Video] – Dog Training by KikoPup
- The Importance of the Secure Base Effect for Domestic Dogs – Evidence from a Manipulative Problem-Solving Task – Lisa Horn, Ludwig Huber, & Friederike Range
- Understanding dog–human companionship – Michael J. Dotson & Eva M.Hyatt
- Where Do Dogs Sleep at Night? – Erika Mansourian
- Why does my dog follow me everywhere? – The Kennel Club
NEED A DOG TRAINER OR BEHAVIOR EXPERT? If you need more help dealing with a training or behavior issue, please find professional help from a force-free dog trainer who can consult with you either in person or remotely. GOOD PLACES TO START ARE: - COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers - Pet Dog Trainers of Europe - International Companion Animal Network - Institute of Modern Dog Trainers - Pet Professional Guild All dog owners deserve to have successful relationships with their canine companions!
