Why Do Dogs Dig The Floor

Warm temperatures may inspire a dog to dig at the floor in an attempt to find cooler ground.

Why do dogs dig the floor.

Dogs also scratch and dig at the floor before they lie down to make a softer resting place for themselves. The bottom of a dog s paws has special glands that release a territorial scent onto the floor when the dog scratches. This can be a displacement behavior meaning that when your dog cannot perform a behavior he wants to do he instead performs another. An example of this would be when a dog sees a squirrel sitting on a branch he may bark and dig at the base of the tree.

Things such as being scared of a storm or strangers being present in the home can cause your dog to want to escape. Domesticated dogs which scratch the floor prior to lying down might do the act due to an instinct that scratching could lead to a safer and softer resting place. The odor lets other dogs know that they need to keep moving because the scented spot has already been claimed. It s also possible the dog is digging at the floor as a means of entertainment.

Wild dogs would sometimes dig into the ground to enhance comfort by gathering leaves into a pile. This need to escape could result in the scratching and digging at the floor to create an exit point. When a dog scratches at the floor he is claiming that spot as his own. However in the wild dogs would scratch the ground in order to create a temperature controlled and comfortable sleeping spots.

In cooler temperatures dogs may use digging behaviors to build a warm cozy den in which to relax. A dog can dig at the floor because the dog is attempting to dig a hole due to his her instinctive behavior.