I\u2019m not a particularly morning person, not until I have my first cup of coffee at least, but my dog doesn\u2019t seem to care if I\u2019m moody or quiet.<\/p>\n
The moment he sees me opening my eyes, he starts wagging his tail and his hyper affectionate personality comes through.<\/p>\n
Sometimes this significant contrast between my morning self and my dog makes me wonder:<\/p>\n
Why does my dog get excited when I wake up?<\/p>\n
Dogs can be cuddly in the morning to get warm, or to show you their love and that they\u2019ve missed you. They might be hyper because they’re hungry or they need to pee, but it could also be a sign of anxiety.<\/strong><\/p>\n Let’s figure out why your dog is so excited to see you when you wake up and read a few tips on how to get them to be calmer in the morning!<\/p>\n\n We all face our mornings differently, but as a dog parent, I must admit that there’s no better motivation to wake up than my energized little furball.<\/p>\n But I wonder what could be going through my dog\u2019s head as he burrows under the blankets next to me, or as he jumps up and down full of positivity!<\/p>\n Let\u2019s find out!<\/p>\n The most obvious reason why your dog jumps into your bed early in the morning is that they want to be the first to greet you.<\/p>\n You will most likely get a few wet kisses, a social behavior, and a gesture often associated with love as Dr. Wailani Sung, DVM<\/a> explains.<\/p>\n And you know that there\u2019s nothing cuter than having your canine friend tell you \u201cgood morning\u201d and “I love you” in their own tail-wagging way!<\/p>\n If your dog is an early riser, then it’s safe to assume that they probably wait for you to wake up the moment they’re up. I’m also sure that the second they see you open your eyes they immediately try to show you\u00a0<\/span>how excited they are to finally see and interact with you.<\/span><\/p>\n Your dog can also act more clingy in the morning if you were away for most of the night and they’ve missed your company.<\/p>\n This could also be true for those of you who tend to wake up later in the day, either because you work during the night, or you\u2019ve had a late weekend with your friends.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve trained your dog to sleep in their own bed, or in a crate then your dog may be even more hyper to see you in the morning, because they can finally have your love and attention all to them.<\/p>\n After all, I’m sure most dog parents can\u2019t wait to see their little pooch the moment they wake up!<\/p>\n I\u2019ve noticed that my dog tends to get more excited when I wake up during the colder months of the year.<\/p>\n He immediately borrows beneath the covers<\/a> and stays as close as possible to me. I imagine this has something to do with the house temperature that can drop significantly during the night.<\/p>\n Similarly, your dog might be both happy to see you as well as the warm spot on your bed. If you have an electric blanket or sheet then you can imagine how amazing that sensation must be for your dog, especially if they\u2019re a shorthaired breed.<\/p>\n While this search for your bed\u2019s warmth is a behavior that signals their love and trust for you it\u2019s also an instinctive behavior that your dog could be carrying from their puppyhood.<\/p>\n According to Scientific American<\/a> \u201cwhen puppies are huddling together to keep warm, they are reducing how much of their bodies (specifically surface area) are exposed to the colder open air, and so are reducing heat loss in two ways: via radiation and convection.\u201d<\/p>\n I also want to mention that just like certain breeds can be more sensitive to cold, the same goes for senior dogs. And as your doggy gets older you might notice them searching for that early morning heat they can enjoy next to you!<\/p>\n Your dog might be giving you morning cuddles as an act of pure puppy love, and it could be their way to strengthen their bonds with you.<\/p>\n I mean you can see the love by simply looking at your dog\u2019s eyes. As humans, we bond emotionally through eye contact, and the research published by the journal Science<\/a> has proved that \u201csuch gaze-mediated bonding also exists between us and our closest animal companions, dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n A number of other studies<\/a> have also shown that \u201cwhen dogs and humans interact with each other in a positive way (for example cuddling) both partners exhibit a surge in oxytocin, a hormone which has been linked to positive emotional states.\u201d<\/p>\n Most likely our dogs acquired this type of bonding and unspoken love language through the thousands of years of domestication<\/a> and living together with us.<\/p>\n I also want to mention that the reason your dog might be so excited to see you when you wake up is your smell.<\/p>\n Scientists<\/a> have found that your smell can actually spark activation in the \u201creward center\u201d of your pooch\u2019s brain and your dog will prioritize your smell over anything else. So, don’t be surprised to find them sniffing your bed<\/a> early in the morning!<\/p>\n No matter how much your doggy loves you a growling stomach can get them to act extra hyper and lovable just to get you out of the bed on time for their breakfast.<\/p>\n According to Ryan Llera, DVM<\/a>, \u201cwhen your dog is used to eating at the same times each day, his body becomes conditioned to expect food at those times.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve overslept, then you can expect that your dog may become extra clingy to let you know that they\u2019re hungry.<\/p>\n In some cases, they might start chewing things they shouldn’t chew<\/a> or even throw a tantrum, like this gorgeous Greyhound who really wants an early breakfast!<\/p>\nWhy Do Dogs Like To Cuddle In The Morning?<\/h2>\n
Reason 1: They\u2019re Greeting You<\/h3>\n
Reason 2: They\u2019ve Missed You<\/h3>\n
Reason 3: They Need Your Warmth<\/h3>\n
Reason 4: They\u2019re Showing Their Love<\/h3>\n
Reason 6: They Want Food<\/h3>\n