Winter cuddles

One of the many reasons I love the colder months is for the comfortable close cuddles. My Dane lady is pretty cuddly year round, but when it’s cold she takes it to another level. During the summer she wants to be close, so she’ll sleep with her head on my chest or legs, and if we do really cuddle usually I wake up to her with just her head on me again because she got hot. But not in the winter months. We are spooning as close as we can get under the blankets, and we stay that way all night long ☺️. She will even wake me up is I roll away from her or if I’m being a blanket hog in my sleep. So I’ll roll back towards her and lift the blankets. She flops down beside me and scoots as close to me as she can get. The only downfall is it makes it extremely hard to get up for work in the mornings with such a cuddly girl at your side.
 
My best guess is that colder air tends to hold less water, making it less humid. With the humidity level lower you're less likely to sweat profusely, a matter of fact the dry air will suck away a lot of your outter moisture. In the wild when fall and winter arrives a dogs metabolism will actually slow down and the canine will look for ways to consume less energy (since food sources would be less available.) A good way to conserve body heat is by cuddling with other canines and mates in a borrow.

And while a house canine that regularly gets food and a warm place to live no longer need to conserve energy for the winter, this behavior is likely a left over from their ancestors.
 
My boy definitely cuddles more in the winter. When it's cold enough he'll spend the entire night curled up against my back. No other time of the year does he even spend more than a couple minutes on my bed. Never knew if it was him trying to keep himself warm, or instinct to try to help keep me warm. Probably both.
 
It is only when it starts to get colder/drier that my mix comes to sleep on the bed. Otherwise, only my German Shepherd will sleep on my bed when I do. And that's probably got more to do with her feeling safer there than warmer with her personality.

Considering the mix likes to sleep outside during this time of year as well, it might just be my room is the coldest in the house and the bed is the softest spot in the room.
 
Cooper like to sleep with me if I let him but he is usually just at the bottom of the bed or next to me while I'm under the covers or on bus dog bed in the corner of my room if I decide to drag it in but he doesn't sleep in my room all the time. He kind just decides to take my lead and if he is allowed he loves to do it
 
2 male/1 female blonde Afghans here. Absolutely divine to cuddle and that hair is SO soft especially this time of year.
 
My girl always sleeps on the bed with me, but now it's getting colder she's started getting under the covers for snuggles, but only for 30 minutes when going to bed and sometimes in the morning. I think either I move around too much, or she gets too hot and climbs out.

My boy likes his space so doesn't sleep with us, but occasionally he will come sleep on the bed if it's particulaly cold.
 
Duke is a Saint Bernard. He is only happy sleeping in the coolest corner of the house. He might get up on the foot of my bed for... 5 minutes before I go to bed. Then again for a few minutes when my alarm goes off.
 
SilverServal said:
I've noticed my dog prefers sleeping closer in the winter, even if the thermastat isn't any different. Curious if this is a husky thing, anyone else have seasonal behaviors with their furry friends?
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Absolutely! Dogs and other furballs are very aware of the weather outside, and when the temp dips (and where I live, it dips to 20 or more below) they 100% den up with their trusted friends. This past winter, me and my little guy worked out that the best orientation for sleeping is back to back, his head by mine, his tail by mine, and the warmth in both of our back muscles helps both of us sleep better and wake up feeling more loved, healed, and flexible.

Also, sometimes I put the blanket over both of our heads while the wind is whipping around outside, and we just fall asleep snoot to snoot. It's like being a kid again, only instead of a game boy I have a furry snoot to kiss.
 
My Doberman girl loved to cuddle especially in the winter. My Gshep boy isnt the same. But when it's cold he does get slightly more cuddly. Especially when camping. Helps me to keep warm too
 
I love the cold months, that's one of the reasons. At this time, all my dogs are in bed, we can barely fit. I don't heat much because they keep me warm.
In the summer, only a few come to me in bed, just for half an hour. I don't like summer.
I had only one dog who slept next to me all summer long, she had circulation problems and was cold.
 
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