If you have a dog, you’ll notice that it has some odd behaviours. It might lick their lips a lot, or scratch constantly, or just follow you all over the house and of course, you might have asked why do they do this?
Well, there are a lot of explanations for this behaviour but most of the time there’s an evolutionary reason. Other times, it’s a learned behaviour. Click next and find out which category your Lil pup falls in and if you are the one causing some of your dog’s odd behaviours!
Tail Between The Legs
This one is pretty much exactly what you think it is. Dogs put their tails between their legs to indicate submission or anxiety. There are actually two different habits here: one is like the dog in the picture.
Image credits: Pixabay
That dog is relaxed and has let his tail down. The other one is usually accompanied by whining or crying. That means that the dog is upset or anxious. Do your best to calm it down!
Sniffing Each Other
Dogs love to sniff each other’s rear ends, this statement is no surprise and some dogs even do it to people, which can be quite intrusive. So why do they do it? Most people usually know the answer to this one.
Image credits: Pixabay
Dogs’ butts are the strongest source of pheromones on their bodies. That means that a dog can tell everything about another dog’s personality by smelling it. At least it’s easy for them, if not a little embarrassing for us.
Howling At The Moon
There is nothing more irritating than a dog who won’t stop howling or barking when you are trying to sleep at night. Why do they do this? The reason is pretty simple. Dogs used to have to communicate with the rest of their packs at night!
Image credits: Pixabay
Your fluffy friend is trying to do just that, even to this day! Most dogs who howl a lot are going to be dogs that were bred close to wolves, like Samoyeds, Huskies, or Spitz breeds. Howling can also be a sign of pent of energy, so make sure you take your dogs on long walks before bed.
Walking Around In Circles Before Sleeping
Another one of those vestigial behaviours. Dogs will often walk around in a circle before going to sleep. This is especially common when a dog is going to sleep on the ground or outside.
Image credits: Pixabay
Before dogs were domesticated, they had to find their own places to sleep, and they did this to tramp down the grass. This made a nice soft cushion for them, and they still do it today.
Digging
We have all seen dogs do this, from cartoons to caricatures the world knows that dogs love to dig, but have you ever wondered why exactly? Well, the answer is simple, it’s because of instinct. This is especially true in terrier breeds who were originally bred to hunt rodents.
Image Credits: The Labrador Site
Some dogs also just like hunting for buried objects. The dog might figure that since HE likes to bury things in the ground, he might find other things in the ground too. That’s actually pretty logical thinking as dog thoughts go.
Floor Scratching
A dog who scratches at the floor a lot can be destructive and annoying. There are two possible reasons for this. For most dogs, it’s yet another way to assert dominance. They are leaving a “mark” for other dogs to see that they were there.
Image credits: Pixabay
However, if you have a “snow breed” like a Samoyed, Husky, or Malamute, it can also be a “burrowing” behaviour. These dogs instinctually burrow their way into the ground outdoors to keep themselves warm, and they’ll do it to your floors too!
Chewing On Blankets
If you have a toddler, you know how they bond with that ONE particular stuffed toy, or maybe a blanket. Dogs do exactly the same thing. If a dog is taken away from its mother too early, they are simply trying to comfort themselves.
Image credits: Pexels
Dogs don’t have thumbs, so a blanket is the next best thing to suck on. This is fairly unusual behaviour, but you might see it in dogs from less-than-reputable breeders more often.
Toy Shaking
Most dogs will take a new toy or pull-rope and shake it a bit when they first get it. Some are more violent about it than others! The dog is “remembering” that it used to have to do this with their prey, making sure that the prey was actually dead before eating it.
Image credits: The Conversation
In some hunting breeds, this behaviour has been bred out. You wouldn’t want a dog to go and pick up your kill just to ruin it with a good shake. On a random note though, this little quirk makes for some cool images.
The Play Bow
Dogs do a play bow to their owners to show that they are excited and ready to play. They’ll do this to you and to other dogs. When two dogs do it to each other, it’s game on! They’ll be chasing each other all over the dog park.
Image credits: Pinterest
It can be a little scarier if one dog does it and the other doesn’t reciprocate. That usually means a dominance issue is coming from one dog or the other but that is only if it happens repeatedly. So, if its only one or two times then it probably is nothing.
Shaking Water Off
Okay, here is out! We know you don’t really need to have to “learn” why dogs shake when they get out of the water, but there is a science behind it or should we say, instinct behind it and yes, we also wish they wouldn’t do it because it’s very very messy!
Image credits: Dogster
They shake to get water off, and this is the most efficient way that the dog knows to get the water off of their body. It works too! Wet dogs can shake off up to 70 per cent of the water on their bodies simply by shaking it off. If only it worked that well for your carpet AFTER your dog does it…
Hiding Under The Bed
Dogs don’t always hide under beds because of fear. Fear can be a reason for this behaviour, but there is actually another reason. Some dogs just want a private, quiet space. It’s another one of those primal behaviours.
Image credits: Pixabay
In this case, it’s in imitation of a dog den. Unlike a dog bed or something like that, a human bed never changes location, and some dogs find that comforting too. Isn’t it adorable to know that your doggy looks at your bed like “home”?
Staring
If your dog stares at you a lot, it can be a good thing. They’re trying to tell you to communicate, while most new pet owners find it rather weird. An experienced one will be able to understand the difference between the stares!
Image credits: Pixabay
One start might say “Please give me food.” and the other might be saying “Please give me a treat.” Staring straight back at some dogs can stop them from doing this, but really, is it so hard to get out of your chair and get a Milk-Bone?
Sleep Running
This is a very cute behaviour, and a lot of people wonder why dogs do it. A dog who runs in its sleep is trying to do exactly that: run in its sleep. Even dogs dream, and the running is a reflex that happens during a dream.
Image credits: PetMD
You might also hear your dog let out little yips or grunts for the same reason. While this might be a little alarming for some pet owners, this is quite common and most species do this from cats to even birds!
Barking At The Mail Carrier
A lot of dogs bark at specific people during the day. Your poor mail carrier is probably one of the most frequent targets. If you have a dominant dog, the dog barks at the mail carrier because he is in the dog’s territory.
Image credits: westend61.de
The mail carrier always leaves, so the dog figures that the barking is working. Makes sense right? If he leaves the territory then the dog has “won”. Though we are sure, the mail carrier can take on our one pound chihuahua pretty easily!
Passing Gas
This happens more in bigger dogs than smaller ones but they all do it. It never fails either…you just got settled on the couch, maybe with someone else, and the dog just lets one rip. Why do they do this?
Image credits: PetFinder
Some breeds, especially bulldogs, tend to swallow a lot of air when they eat. They can’t really help it because of their short, stocky bodies. If your dog does it all the time, it probably needs to see a vet and you probably need to invest in a gas mask.
Barking At Other Dogs With Ears Pressed To Its Head
If your dog barks at or near other dogs with its ears pressed against its head, it’s admitting submission. Usually, if you see a pack of dogs barking at someone or something, one dog will have its ears up, and the others will have their ears down.
Image credits: Youtube
This small act is hidden full of thousands of years of instincts. The fact is that the one with the ears up will be the alpha dog. You might see other dogs with ears up a little bit too, which is another way of indicating pecking order.
Hiding Treats
You might think it’s strange that a dog will take a treat and then go bury it. Or, at the very least, chew on it for a while before devouring it. It’s actually an evolutionary behaviour that is very common in smaller dogs. Before dogs were domesticated, they used to hunt for their own food.
Image credits: American Kennel Club
If there were other dogs around that were bigger, they would take the food. The smaller dogs learned to hide leftovers to keep the bigger dogs from eating it all. It seems like a smart idea!
Panting
Panting is a habit that all dogs exhibit. They do it for two big reasons. The first is to get more oxygen, which is the same thing when a person is running out-of-breath after a workout.
Image credits: Purina
More importantly, even when there is no workout or no exercise, dogs can’t sweat. They can only pant to regulate internal temperature. So, if your dog is panting hard on a sunny day, it probably means that it is too hot. Bring it inside and give it some water.
Sticking Its Head Out Of The Window
Dogs stick their heads out of the windows of cars for many reasons. They like the sensation of air on their fur. More importantly, they love the smells that they encounter. If your dog likes to do this, please be careful.
Image credits: The News Wheel
This can be very dangerous for dogs, as foreign objects can fly up and hit them. The dog might also not be able to react quickly enough to oncoming traffic if the road is narrow. After you have made sure it’s safe for you little friend, only then allow them to do this. Also, we even recommend using a dog seatbelt to ensure that they don’t excitedly jump out of the window.
Tail Wagging – Slow
A slow wag can mean a lot of things too. Obviously, one reason could be that the dog is just tired, but happy to see you. (Or the treat you’re holding!) Some dogs wag their tails slowly as a response to anxiety.
Image credits: boredomfiles.com
A human equivalent would be a person who giggles involuntarily in a scary situation. Other dogs do it as a submissive response to other dogs. They’re trying to say, “It’s OK, I don’t want any trouble.”