Why does my puppy prefer to sleep on my gym bag than in her bed?

hatrickpatrick

This might seem a bit peculiar, because... It is!
We have a new labrador puppy, she's been with us for about a week (11 weeks old). Now of course, I had another lab for 13 years so I'm well aware that they all have their own very bizarre rituals and quirks, that's what makes them such epic pets in my view!

This one has me stumped though.
I got home from the gym the day before yesterday and dumped my gym bag near the door as I always do. Luna has a padded basket which is inside an always - unlocked cage for her to sleep in (I don't close it because I don't want her to associate going to bed with waking up trapped).

So I went to the bathroom, 5 minutes later I came in and she was curled up on the gym bad, snoring away
Exact same thing happened last night, came home, dropped the bag by the door, and next thing I know she jumps out of her bed and onto the gym bag, curls up and goes straight back to sleep.

The bag is full of things like shoes, protein tubs and shaker flasks, of varying shapes - so I can't imagine it would be in any way comfortable to lie on for any length of time. Any ideas on why she does this? Anyone else had a puppy which liked sleeping on their briefcase, gear bag or anything like that?

EDIT: That photo wasn't meant to be sideways, sorry... Not sure how that happened O_o

Dunny

Your scent

Beautiful pup

Stheno

Yup, the smell is what is attracting her to it

ABajaninCork

AWW!! She's so cute!

My dog does the same thing. I lay out clean clothes on the bed before I take a shower. His Nibs will jump on the bed and settle himself on them.

Jackets, cardis, hoodies. Same treatment, if they're left on the sofa before being hung up!!

Alun

Our cats do the same, their favourite place of all is the laundry basket full of (dirty!) clothes ready to go into the washing machine.

If you want her to sleep in her bed, you could try putting something of yours, say an old t-shirt or towel, preferably something nice and smelly!, that you don't mind 'sacrificing' in her bed.

westies4ever

awk the wee pet! like the others say - its because it smells of you so its comforting to her.

RubyGirl

Cutie, our guy will sleep on the kid's school bags if there left in the kitchen at night.

Dingle_berry

Yup the cute little pup finds the smell comforting.
My own dog will steal any available item of clothing (preferably well worn socks) and stash them in his bed. You could try putting a sock or two from your gym bag in her cage. But the smell will fade on them and the gym bag will be fresh…

littlebug

mine will sleep on any bags, schoolbags, laptop bags and shopping bags. she'll pull the bag of shopping bags apart to get her favourite, the really rough textured hessian bag. I think she likes the texture of them. Even if I've thrown the shopping bag in under the stairs on top of a pile of shoes she'll go and lie on it in there. Can't be comfortable but she manages to make it look so...

hatrickpatrick

Dingle_berry wrote: »

Yup the cute little pup finds the smell comforting.
My own dog will steal any available item of clothing (preferably well worn socks) and stash them in his bed. You could try putting a sock or two from your gym bag in her cage. But the smell will fade on them and the gym bag will be fresh…

I made that mistake on her second night with us, gave her a sock of mine at night to calm her separation anxiety when going to bed and turning off the lights etc (which she's now perfectly accustomed to)

Because of this, she now reckons any sock of mine is fair game. Regular tugs of war and games of "Catch me if you can" have ensued ever since

meoklmrk91

My fella loves to sleep on my clothes, he has a lovely comfy bed but if I throw my clothes on the floor he will sleep on them instead. He was having an off night the other night, refusing to settle and go to sleep so I threw a pajama top from the night before into his bed and he settled right down.

DeltaWhite

She is the CUTEST thing ever they are my fave dog I have a little yorkie and she just LOVES to sleep on anything with our scent on it so I just put down a fleecy pyjama top and she snuggles up in that

Whispered

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Because of this, she now reckons any sock of mine is fair game. Regular tugs of war and games of "Catch me if you can" have ensued ever since

No sympathy from me, or my OH.

gregers85

Whispered wrote: »

No sympathy from me, or my OH.

great pic!!