Dog Sleeps with Nose Covered: Why Does My Dog Cover His Nose When Sleeping?

Okay, so, the other day, I noticed something kinda weird about my dog, Buddy. Every time he’s settling down for a nap, he does this thing where he covers his nose with his paws or buries it under a blanket. At first, I thought, “Oh, that’s cute,” but then I started wondering, “Why does he do that?”

So, I started to watch him more closely. I paid attention to when he did it, what he was doing before, and if anything specific seemed to trigger it. It wasn’t just when he was sleeping in his bed. Sometimes he’d be on the couch, or even just lying on the floor, and he’d still cover his nose. I took notes each time he did this action.

• First time: Buddy curled up on the sofa, tucked his nose under his paw after yawning.
• Second time: He buried his snout under a blanket while napping in his crate.
• Third time: After a long walk, he plopped down on the rug and covered his nose with both paws.

After a few days of this, I had a bunch of notes, but no real answers. I decided to do some digging online. I typed “why does my dog cover his nose when sleeping” into the search bar and scrolled through a bunch of articles and forum posts. Some folks said it was about warmth, others thought it was a security thing, kind of like how they feel safe in a den. There was even some talk about it being a way to block out drafts.

I compared what I read with my notes on Buddy. The den thing kinda made sense. He does like to burrow under blankets, and sometimes he’ll even try to get under the pillows on the couch. It’s like he’s trying to create his own little cozy space. I thought back to when he was a puppy, and how he used to snuggle up close to his mom and littermates. Maybe covering his nose is a way of recreating that feeling of being all snuggled up and safe.

I also noticed something else from my notes. Sometimes, before covering his nose, Buddy would do this little snorting thing. Not like a sneeze, but more like he was trying to clear his nose. One of the articles I read mentioned something called “reverse sneezing,” which is apparently a thing some dogs do. It’s like they’re trying to suck air in through their nose really fast. I wondered if that had anything to do with it.

So, I kept observing Buddy, this time paying attention to the snorting too. I noticed a pattern: the snorting often happened before he covered his nose. I started thinking maybe the snorting was irritating his nose, and covering it was his way of getting some relief. Or maybe, like the articles said, it’s a comfort thing. He feels secure when his nose is covered, like he’s back in the den with his mom and siblings.

Conclusion

After all this watching and reading, I think it’s a mix of things. Buddy probably covers his nose for warmth, security, and maybe to soothe his nose after a snorting fit. It’s like his own little ritual to get comfy and feel safe before he drifts off to sleep. It’s pretty darn cute, and honestly, it makes me feel good knowing he’s got his own way of feeling secure. I guess it’s just one of those little quirks that makes him the unique, lovable goofball he is. I might not have all the answers, but I definitely understand him a little better now.