Humans have our nighttime routines. These we do before retiring to bed, so as to ensure that we get the most restful sleep. This might include bathing or washing our face, and drinking a cup of calming tea, among others.

Failure to do any of our customary pre-sleeping habits is sometimes enough to turn our supposedly good dream into a feverish nightmare. Apparently, this is something we share with our dogs.

Here are four common reasons why dogs scratch their beds:

Our dogs, too, have their bed rituals. These might include sniffing, pawing, and scratching their beds. While the first two of these rituals are relatively harmless, the last one—scratching—can sometimes be quite destructive.

But before you reprimand your pup from scratching their bed until it’s all worn out, let’s say, by way of depriving them of their favorite treat, first, you must know the reason behind this canine action.

Domesticated dogs, no matter how cute and cuddly they have turned out, have a lineage that can be traced back to wolves and wild dogs. Now, these animal species are fierce. And since they live in the wild they are always in survival mode.

One way for wolves and wild dogs to ensure their survival is by digging holes that could serve as their shelter. These holes keep them safe from predators and harsh weather.

Most likely, this instinct for survival is still in your domesticated pup’s genes, hence their digging.

Domesticated dogs, just like their genetic ancestors in the wild, are highly territorial animals. This means they are possessive of their place in the wild, or in the case of your pup, their spot in your house.

This could explain why they scratch away at their bed.

From under your dog’s paws, there are glands that give off pheromones. Scratching is one way for these pheromones to be released, which then serve as their territorial mark.

Should another dog wander into their domain, the scent of these pheromones should be enough to ward them off.

Dogs are a curious lot. This is probably one of their cutest attributes. Intense scratching at their beds could be a manifestation of this curiosity. Yes, they might just be investigating something.

As to what it is they might be trying to uncover, possibilities abound. There could be a strange scent emanating from their bed. Or even a strange sound.

Dogs won’t stop unless they know for sure what it is.

If you are an anxious individual, you sure know how anxiety can easily manifest physically. From sweating to fidgeting, the spectrum of symptoms is wide. The same goes for your pup.

An anxious dog will scratch more intensely than usual. Scratching can also coexist alongside other potentially destructive behaviors.

Now that you are aware of the reasons for your pup’s nighttime habit of intense bed scratching, you will be better guided on how to go about rectifying this problem.

Think, however, that unless it’s become outrageously destructive, you must allow your pup to scratch its heart out.

Thank you for reading our article! Please like this post on Facebook below and share it with all your friends. Also, comment below about other reasons why our dogs do the things they do.

Also, below is a quick video summarizing these points.