# What's with the digging on the dog bed??



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I don't know, but my Toby does that to every dog bed we tried. After so many destroyed beds we gave up, especially since he actually sleeps at the foot of our bed anyway. He's 7 years old and we took the last bed away when Barkley passed last April 30.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I was going to say it's absolutely normal, especially if your puppy was one of those that was kept in cedar flake type bedding with his litter. But I don't know about the peeing.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Nesting... they are trying to make a nest of course on a dog bed it does not work. Watch with a loose blanket or towel, the pup will wad it up then lay on or in it. Typical behavior for a nesting style dog. Quinn does it.


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## riddle03 (Jun 9, 2005)

My Cooper (2yrs) does this with any bed , blanket or a shirt that is on the floor. We just say he is fluffing it up before laying on it.


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

All 3 of my guys do that..both with their pillows and any blankets they sleep on. Oh, minus the pee of course!!!


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## Looni2ns (Mar 26, 2010)

Well, aside from peeing on it, I'd say it's instinct. In the wild, pre-domestic dog days, dogs pawed the grass, straw, or branches to get things comfortable for a bed. Then, they'll make about seven circles on the bed, and lay down. Of course, the peeing could be related to marking his territory. 

Gracie never could just come in and flop down. It was an entire routine, start to finish. Then, she'd lay there and chew a hole in the corner of the bed cover. Arrrgh.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Brady peed on the dog bed when he was a puppy, and it seemed very purposely, so he was bedless until an adult. I always assumed it felt like something the breeder used as bedding when he was with his litter mates. He too will fluff up blankets to sleep on.

MacKenzie moves her bed to where she wants to sleep. It is not uncommon for me to come home and find it right against the front window. One time she even brought it outside to sleep on the front porch.


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## RKA (Sep 20, 2010)

Thanks guys! Last night we worked on the "place" command, using the dog bed in the family room. He is still of the mind that he wants to dig, but for now the most he will do is SHOVE his nose into the bedding repeatedly. Anytime he was misbehaving or strayed from the bed, I took him over to the gated area inside the kitchen and left him there for a few minutes before trying again. Within 15-20 minutes, he got the idea. He still won't settle down on the bed, but he'd much rather be there than in the kitchen, so whatever it takes! It was funny the last time I gave him an AH AH when he moved from the dog bed and then saw me getting up from the couch to move him to the kitchen. He darted back to the dog bed immediately, turned around, laid down and looked at me as if to say "I promise I'll be good this time!!!".  

Crossing my fingers...hopefully I can convince him nesting is for the birds! The pee-ing, that was between 8-11 weeks. I'm hoping he doesn't revert to that. When we got him they were using some kind of shavings for a bathroom area, so you're right, that's probably why he associated something soft underfoot as a good bathroom area.


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## neo2000 (Jan 22, 2011)

Our last golden, Neo, much preferred sleeping on a tile or wood floor. He didn't use any of the dog beds we bought for him.


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## oakleysmommy (Feb 20, 2011)

cubbysan said:


> Brady peed on the dog bed when he was a puppy, and it seemed very purposely, so he was bedless until an adult. I always assumed it felt like something the breeder used as bedding when he was with his litter mates. He too will fluff up blankets to sleep on.
> 
> MacKenzie moves her bed to where she wants to sleep. It is not uncommon for me to come home and find it right against the front window. One time she even brought it outside to sleep on the front porch.


 thats so cute! they have a mind of their own you wonder what they are thinking at times. my lab has her own bed right near the sofa but prefers the sofa unless her spot is taken she will lay on her bed:


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## DianaM (Feb 18, 2010)

When we first gave Gracie her new bed, she did the digging thing then squatted to pee. My husband and I both yelled NO really loud (not on purpose.. it was just reaction) and it scared the crap out of her! She never tried that one again lol. She still digs once in a while but I think the bed is pretty comfy now where she just climbs in, turns around once and lays down. She loves her bed! Once I forgot to close my bedroom door and she got on our bed, did the digging thing and peed. Thank god we had a waterproof mattress protector sheet on the bed! It saved us a huge nightmare of a mess to clean up.


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