Sleep Walking Dog?

Question:
Hi Shannon - I've been enjoying your Lab Brats blog and reading about Dakota and Cheyenne. I also appreciate your links to helpful lab information. I have a 3 year chocolate lab named Gracie. Several times last year she fell out of bed in the middle of the night (yes, she does sleep with me). Occasionally, this year, she will jump off the bed in the middle of the night. When I turn on the light to see what she is doing, she is just standing in the middle of the room. I'll call her name and she'll look at me, blink a few times and then crawl back in bed. I wonder if she is sleep walking. Do you know if dogs sleep walk?

Answer:
Gracie may be jumping out of the bed for fear of falling out of it. For example, when I make any movements in my recliner, Cheyenne will jump up no matter where she may be lying. This is because the recliner had come down on her paw a couple of times when she was younger. To make sure it doesn't happen again, she is quick to get out of the way - even if we aren't bringing the foot of the recliner down.

It seems to me that your Gracie may be doing the same thing. You may move in a certain way while in bed that makes her believe she is going to fall out or be pushed out of the bed. Instead of risking it, she gets out of the way - just like our Cheyenne.

As for sleep walking... it seems the common consensus from all my resources that dogs do not really sleep walk. Is it possible? Sure, anything is possible. However, it is very unlikely. *smile*

Maybe Gracie needs her own bed on the floor next to yours in order to feel close to you but safe at the same time. *wink*