Why does my dog sniff me when I’m sleeping?

If your dog has been sniffing you, while you sleep, this post will show you a number of possible reasons why and what you can do about them.

So, why does my dog sniff my while I’m sleeping? Possible reasons why your dog sniffs you while you sleeping are that it wants something from you, it is being affectionate, it is making sure you’re ok, it is marking its scent onto you or that it naturally sniffs its environment.

There are a number of possible reasons why your dog sniffs you, while you sleep, and it could be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.

Why does my dog sniff me while I am sleeping?

Below are a number of possible reasons why your dog does it and what would make each of them more likely.

It wants something from you

The reason why your dog sniffs you while you sleep could be that it wants something from you and it is trying to remind you to give it to your dog. This would be especially likely if it does it more before it has been fed or exercised.

Nature

Dogs will naturally smell things a lot so that they can find out about what other animals have been around. The reason why your dog smells you when you sleep could just be that it is naturally smelling its environment. This would be more likely if it does not only smell you when it does it.

It is being affectionate

The reason why it does it could also be that it is being affectionate. This would be more likely if it also wags its tail and gets you to pet it when it does it.

It wants to see that you’re ok

Another possible cause is that your dog wants to see that you are ok. This would be more likely if your dog sniffs you when you sleep at an unusual time such as during the day.

It is marking its scent onto you

Dogs have sweat glands on their noses that they can use to mark their scents. Your dog might also be doing it in order to rub its scent onto you. This would be more likely if it also rubs its nose on you when it does it.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.

If your dog has always sniffed you while you sleep

If your dog did not always sniff you while you sleep, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as sleeping at a different time when your dog is hungry or sleeping in a different location causing your dog to investigate.

What is different when your dog does not sniff you

If your dog does not always smell you when you sleep, it would also help to consider what is different when it does smell you. For example, if it only does it when you are sleeping during the day, it could be because your dog finds it unusual and it is seeing that you are ok.

How to get my dog to stop sniffing me while I am sleeping?

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Get it to stay elsewhere

One option would be to get your dog to stay in another room when you are trying to sleep. By doing so, it will not be possible for your dog to come and smell you.

Avoid rewarding it

It might be the case that your dog has learned that it gets rewards for sniffing you while you sleep. Instead, it would help to avoid giving it things such as attention or treats when it does it and to reward it when it does not sniff you instead.

Let it do it

It is not uncommon for dogs to smell you when you are sleeping. If your dog has not been behaving unusual in other ways, it would likely be normal behavior. In this case, it would be the easiest option to let your dog do it and to move it when it is bothering you.