Why does my dog like to sleep on my pillow? Simple reasons you should know!

Okay, so I’ve got this dog, a real sweetheart, but lately, he’s been obsessed with my pillow. Every night, it’s the same story: I get into bed, get comfy, and then bam! He’s right there, trying to nudge me off my own pillow. I gotta figure this out.

First things first, I started watching him. I noticed he only does this at night. During the day, he’s happy with his own bed, the couch, even the floor sometimes. But when the lights go out, he’s all about that pillow life.

• Tried giving him his own pillow next to mine, thought maybe he just wanted to be close. Nope. He sniffed it, looked at me, then went right back to trying to claim my pillow as his own.

Next, I did what any normal person does these days – I googled it. Apparently, it’s a pretty common thing. Some websites said it’s because the pillow smells like me and my dog finds my scent comforting. Others mentioned it could be about warmth or even some kind of dominance thing. Geez, dogs are complicated.

• Tried swapping out my pillowcase for an old t-shirt I’d worn all day. Figured, maximize the “me” smell. He seemed to like it, but still wanted the actual pillow, not just the smell.

Narrowing it down

I’m starting to think it’s not just about the smell. He’s got plenty of my worn clothes he could snuggle with if that was the only issue. So, maybe it’s the elevation? Dogs apparently like to be up high sometimes, makes them feel secure. My bed is pretty high, and the pillow is the highest point.

• Bought him a fancy new dog bed, one of those elevated ones, to see if that would satisfy his highness. Put it right next to my side of the bed. He checked it out, gave it a few tentative paws, but ultimately decided my pillow was still the superior spot.

Experimenting

I started to think about warmth. I like my room a bit cooler at night, and maybe he gets chilly. My pillow is right under the blanket where it’s probably the warmest spot in the whole room.

• Bought a heated pet pad and put it in his bed, thought maybe that would do the trick. He liked the warm pad, but he still made a beeline for my pillow every single night.

Realization

So, smell, elevation, warmth – none of these seemed to be the single, definitive answer. It’s probably a mix of all of them. But then it hit me. He’s not just trying to steal my pillow; he’s trying to be as close to me as possible. He’s a total cuddle bug, and when I’m sleeping, he can’t get pets or belly rubs. The pillow is the next best thing.

• Started giving him extra cuddles and attention before bed, like a little pre-sleep snuggle session. I also started letting him sleep on the bed, just not on the pillow. Compromise, you know?

It’s been a few weeks now, and things are definitely better. He still eyes my pillow sometimes, but he’s mostly content to sleep at the foot of the bed or on his own bed next to mine. I guess it’s just about finding that balance between giving them their space and letting them know they’re loved. Dogs, man. They’re a lot like us, just looking for a little comfort and a lot of love.