# Do wolves turn around before lying down?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-wolves-turn-around-before-lying-down/733009>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 30, 2015, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-wolves-turn-around-before-lying-down/733009 "2015-09-30T03:31:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-wolves-turn-around-before-lying-down/733009/1 "2015-09-30T03:31:12Z")

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Look, I should be embarrassed by this. But I swear to Cece I cannot find this answer tonight.

Do wolves turn around in a circle (or three) before lying down? Is that behavior observed in the wild?

('Cos if not, I respectfully have a followup question. :D)

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**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-wolves-turn-around-before-lying-down/733009/2 "2015-09-30T04:02:25Z")

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> [@andros](#):
>
> Look, I should be embarrassed by this. But I swear to Cece I cannot find this answer tonight.
> 
> Do wolves turn around in a circle (or three) before lying down? Is that behavior observed in the wild?
> 
> ('Cos if not, I respectfully have a followup question. :D)

According to articles I’ve read on domestic dogs doing this yes. They often cite that wolves do this in the wild.

Reasons for it seem to be, to pack down grass or snow, to chase off critters from their sleeping spot, to mark the area as their sleeping spot.

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**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-wolves-turn-around-before-lying-down/733009/3 "2015-09-30T04:40:21Z")

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I get that. I’m just dammed if I can find a primary source.

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**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-wolves-turn-around-before-lying-down/733009/4 "2015-09-30T16:08:35Z")

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One bump to get above the fold…