Here is a list of puzzling doggie behaviors and their meanings
If you have ever seen your dog run to the smelliest thing he can find and roll around in it with glee then chances are you have had a moment in which you question his sanity. Sometimes our dogs do things that we don’t understand, but there are underlying reasons. Some reasons are obvious and others not so much. Here is a list of 10 puzzling doggie behaviors and their meanings:
1. Pants: Typically dogs pant to cool themselves off. Dogs don’t have sweat glands on their skin like humans so they regulate their body temperature by panting. Sometimes your dog will pan if he is anxious or afraid and occasionally when he is in pain.
2. Circles the bed before sleeping: When your dog circles his bed several times before lying down on it he is acting out on a behavior he would have used out in the wild. In the wild dogs would circle their sleeping spots to flatten the grass in that area to create a sleeping nest.
3. Licks you: This behavior is something your dog learned just after birth. Puppies learn to lick their mother’s mouth to encourage her to regurgitate food for them. This behavior continues as an attention seeking behavior. Dogs will continue to do it if they receive feedback as a result. Some dogs will like to establish dominance. Perhaps this is something to keep in mind next time you ask Poochie for a kiss?
4. Paws the ground after eliminating: Your dog is actually trying to mark his territory with his scent and a visual indicator that they were there. Dogs actually have sweat glands in the pads of their feet so they can leave their scent behind through the pawing or the ground.
5. Rolls around in stinky stuff: Dogs and other animals have a heightened sense of smell and can detect other animals from quite a distance. By rolling in excrement or carcasses of dead animals dogs are able to mask their own scents and make them less vulnerable to predators. Modern dogs don’t need this skill; however, it is an instinctual behavior left over from their days as wild packs.
6. Yawns: Dogs yawn for the same reasons that we do. For one, they are tired and for two, they are using a neutral and normal behavior to relieve a stressful situation. It is similar to what we do when we fidget with our hair or lick our lips and other nervous repetitive behaviors.
7. Runs in his sleep: If you have ever seen your dog pumping his legs back and forth while napping he is doing just what you might expect, dreaming. Dogs dream just like us and he very well might be dreaming about running through the park or treeing a squirrel.
8. Rubs his butt on the carpet: This can be a disturbing though, but your dog might be scooting because he has intestinal worms. The culprit might often be impacted or infected anal glands. If there are no health problems then your dog just might be sing the scent glands in his anal sacks to rub his scent on your floor.
9. Chases his tail: This can simply mean that your dog is bored and is in search for outside stimulus. Of course if your dog actually catches and begins biting his tail he might have skin or other allergies to consider.
10. Sniffs around looking for the perfect spot to urinate: Your dog is not alone in this, all dogs do it. Canines have a very keen sense of smell and they will sniff until they find the perfect spot. They are looking for olfactory communications from other dogs before they urinate to leave their scent behind. Some dogs are so selective that they will not eliminate where another dog has been. This can be a challenge to apartment dwellers so just be patient.
This article was submitted by the authors at pet-super-store a pet site featuring dog fences, petsafe, and dog kennels.