At night Kloe and Koda sleep on their mats next to our bed. Kloe usually on Holly’s side and Koda on mine. In the middle of the night, if I’m awake, I listen to their breathing. It’s peaceful and calming to me to hear my girls breathing in cadence as they lay sleeping peacefully and oblivious to any worries or stress.
Even better is “The Sigh”.
Often times, in the dark of night, I will hear Koda stand up and conduct a routine that her species has done for thousands of years: nesting!
From Google in reference to a dogs behavior as they prepare to nest: Dogs in the wild slept on grass, leaves, and various other natural substrates. In order to create a comfortable bed, dogs would scratch and trample down the area with their feet and paws, flattening spiky vegetation and removing rocks and sticks, to create a comfortable bed. This is called nesting, and it likely wasn’t only about comfort.
And that describes Koda: scratching her mat with her paws, sometimes for as long as 15 or 20 seconds. She then circles a few times, and lies down. As she lies down, there is a long and audible sigh. She is quickly fast asleep and her world, and mine in that moment, are peaceful and calm.
Golden Kali 
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My Finn does that too! I always spread his blanket out in his crate, nice and neat. But when he goes in, he rearranges the whole thing to his satisfaction before laying down. (He does the same thing with our couch pillow when we’re not home, which is how we know he’s up there!)
It’s very interesting that certain behaviors from instinct and evolution are ever present in our pups! Like people they are all different yet much the same in many ways…
One of the best sounds of owning a dog. While Elsa has a similar pattern (several times during the day and night), listening to Norman’s sigh always made me smile. I miss that sound but Elsa’s comforts me now. Happy Monday, Mike. Please give the girls a nice ear rub from me.
Another example of their ongoing therapy for us uprights! Now onto delivering your ear rubs for you.
😍
Ray would often go through the nesting routine when out in the garden, and occasionally inside on his bed. Nigel, however, seems to want to nest everywhere inside, but is currently indifferent to nesting outside! It will be interesting to see how that changes as he gets more comfortable with his new environment and routines.
I loved to hear the gentle snoring that often came from Ray, and await with anticipation to hear what sounds Nigel makes during his sleep!
I wish there was a giant heart on WP for scenes like this!
My two like to take turns sleeping next to me, on Sam’s side of the bed. And they find their way to various comfy spots on the floor during the night. Neither one really likes sleeping on the dog beds. I guess they’re too warm. Usually they are back on the bed by the time I wake up.
Funny how we spend all that money on beds and project how it will be so comfy for them. And then they sleep on the hard wooden or tile floors. That was always Kali, even during the cold months. Best to you and your pups!
Ducky always loved the bed I had for her in her crate…she slept in it at night as protection from hubby’s dementia demons. But it was also her “safe place” during the day if one or both of us had to leave the house.