Does anyone else's dog like small tight spaces?

1. 89

   TheKatsMeowposted 10 years ago

   Does anyone else's dog like small tight spaces?
   
   My dog loves to go into small spaces and sometimes she will get stuck trying to fit into these places. Sometimes I will get panicked because I can't find my dog, only to discover she has found a small area to sleep in. It's not because she is scared or panicked, she just seems to enjoy it.
   
   I am wondering if anyone else has a dog that does this and why you think they do this.

   replyreport
2. 0

   JThomp42posted 10 years ago

   Yes, I do. I think the tight, warm spaces remind them of the security of being in a small place in their mother's womb and snuggling their offspring while feeding. This is what I suspect, but I'm no expert.

   replyreport
   1. 89

      TheKatsMeowposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I have often wondered this myself: if it is a reminder of when they were little. Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it

      replyreport
   2. 0

      JThomp42posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You are very welcome.

      replyreport
3. 92

   agilitymachposted 10 years ago

   I have heard it is an instinct to find a "den."  Most wild canines have a natural denning instinct, and this is believed to be a left-over from that instinct (or so I have heard).

   replyreport
4. 83

   tillsontitanposted 10 years ago

   I, too, think it is a security thing.  They feel secure an protected when they don't have to worry about what is around them.  If the space is small and tight no one else will get in.

   replyreport
5. 68

   ptosisposted 10 years ago

   
   
   It is security to find a den. Underneath my table, I have two cardboard boxes at 90 degrees to each other with blankets inside. I also have the same setup next to my bed.
   
   He always wants to go underneath the blanket or sit on me when I'm watching TV.  They just feel secure - wouldn't you? It's like when a little kid hiding underneath the blanket to keep the boogie man away.

   replyreport
   1. 89

      TheKatsMeowposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes of course, this is very true. My only issue is that sometimes she gets stuck in these small places. I am worried she will try to squeeze behind the couch while I am out or be stuck somewhere else while I am away.

      replyreport
6. 80

   maggs224posted 10 years ago

   My dog is quite a large dog but he likes to find enclosed spaces to lie in. When we first  had him we had an outside coal bunker which was no longer in use, and he use to crawl inside that sometimes.
   
   I thought then, as he was a rescue dog, that maybe he was use to an outside kennel, but now I am more inclined to go along with what agilitymach says
   "I have heard it is an instinct to find a "den." and that it is just that they like these small tight spaces because it makes them feel safe

   replyreport
7. 89

   Thief12posted 10 years ago

   My dog used to sleep or spend a lot of time under the car, even if it took her a while to "drag" herself from under it.

   replyreport
8. 53

   kellyksposted 6 years ago

   Yes it is very common for dogs to withdraw and shut themselves in small places. My lab does it mostly at the time when he wants to sleep and I fiddle with him and pick his ears and kiss him and hug him. Well I do so because he is a monster when he is awake but when he is sleepy nothing can beat his cuteness. So yes my dog withdraws under the dining table or under the study table and at times in the kitchen sink area.

   replyreport