Your Dog’s Behavior May Mean More Than You Think

The way dogs view the world is entirely different from human beings. They communicate mostly through their bodies and express their feelings through their actions. Read on to see some interesting behaviors that dogs exhibit and the reasoning for them.

On Hind Legs

A dog may resort to his hind legs for many reasons but typically its a sign of affection. You know all human beings want to be hugged sometimes so why should dogs want the same? Not only does it signify affection but other dogs are nearby then it may mean that they are eager to play. If their behavior doesn’t seem aggressive then they just want to play around.

Furniture Chewing

Young puppies are big fans of teething so be careful leaving your underwear lying around. When they are no longer puppies this teeth behavior may change and be a sign that the need more exercise. An easy fix would be to go on more walks, so save yourself the bitten down furniture and instead get you and your pet some physical activity!

How They Bark

Dogs’ way of communicating vocally is only through barking and they do this quite often, particularly loudly. However, they can bark for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it may be urgent and a sign of danger, while shorter and quieter barks maybe playful. It’s important to understand your dog’s bark in case they are in pain or upset.

Bringing You Toys

You may think that a toy in your dog’s mouth because they want to play but this is not always the case. Some say that holding a toy in their mouth is a way to please you as the owner and gain your respect. Others offer the idea that its to show they trust their owner, and the dog is bringing the object to express that. Throwing the ball away for your dog to run after may hurt his/her feelings if your dog is giving it to you as a gift!

When Dogs Yawn

When human beings are exhausted they show this with a yawn, but dogs do this for another reason. In a dog’s world, a yawn may symbolize security and submission, and 15 consecutive yawns can mean relaxed. But that’s not all, a yawn has more than one reasoning behind it. It can also mean that a dog is stressed or anxious, particularly if he or she yawns in a vet’s office. Before going on a walk, dogs will usually let out a yawn to check their energy level.

Like A Caterpillar

Dog owners will understand how heartwarming it is to see your dog do the funny routine of wiggling their body and kicking their legs. Dogs may do this for a variety of reasons one of which means be to get an itch that can’t seem to reach, but it also may just be to get your attention so take a second and give your pup some love!

Before You Go

It’s so hard being a pet owner and having a fulltime job. The guilt you feel is normal, we all feel the same way. Even though your dog may have a sad expression on, usually it just means that they know you will come home later so don’t get stressed about this.

Pacing Back And Forth

You may notice your dog walking around the room. Well, similarly to humans they don’t pace around because they are nervous, enthusiastic, or even bored. It’s also a sign of playfulness and when two dogs meet they immediately chase each other to show friendly play.

Pointing Their Snout

Most dogs do this, but it’s particularly popular amongst hunting breeds. Sometimes dogs tend to freeze, point their snout to an object and lift their front paw. This is common dog behavior and is completely normal if you see it frequently.

Showing Discomfort

Yawns do not always mean that your dog is comfortable. Public yawns usually mean exhaustion as well as nervousness and irritation. If your dog is in a new place for the first time, be extra cautious about these behaviors.

Tilting Their Heads

Humans tend to raise their voice when interacting with a dog. You may notice your dog tilt his/her head. While it seems like they are confused, this is not the case. Do’s are very intuitive and can understand vocal cues and body language excellently. Some say that the reason they move their heads is so that they can open up their ears and improve their hearing.

Sniffing Around

Dog’s have 220 million olfactory receptors which are over 40x more than humans! This means that their smelling abilities are off the charts, and when you notice them sniffing around its to check out any danger or tracking prey. They do this while remaining calm but they can differentiate between dogs, people, and even identical twins.

Flipping Up Tongues

Dog’s are very guilty animals so when they know they misbehaved they usually stick out their tongue and turn it upside down to make themselves appear more naive. This makes it extra hard for dog owners to be angry when they see such a cute face looking back at them.

Just Like Yoga

The first dogs do in the morning is fully stretch their bodies. This is not just to purely stretch, but because it is also good for their muscles, and to show love and compassion. The second part comes especially when they see you after a long day apart just to show that they missed you!

Exposing Their Belly

A dog who reveals their stomach does so as a sign of respect and submission to their owner, and to be playful of course. The normal response to this is to rub their belly! They will likely repeat this behavior because they like the response. Keep in mind that they also may to do this when they feel like they are in danger by another animal.

Tucking Their Tail

Dogs are just like humans. We all feel ashamed or nervous at one point or another. If you see your dog with his tail in between his legs then this is probably the case. Your best bet is to comfort him with petting and dog treats!

Raising Their Paws

Dogs and specifically puppies desire to have love and affection. If a dog raises his or her paw then he usually wants to play around, but when he does it to his mommy then he probably just wants something to eat.

Using Their Tails

It is no secret that a dog wagging their tail means that they are happy and excited. However, it can mean submissiveness when they hang the tail down as they do so. If you ever see a dog do this, show them love, affection, and security. When they wag it high, however, it means that they are alert and playful!

Dragging Their Bum

You may laugh when you see your dog dragging their butt on the ground, but be careful because this is no cause for laughter. This behvaior is called scooting and this happens when they have anal sac impaction and is a cause to take your dog to the vet right away.

On Your Feet

When you’re watching TV you may notice your pup curl up at your feet. This is something they inherited from their ancestors and is just to show their love and devotion to you so although it can be annoying, embrace it!

Leaning On You

The next time your dog comes to lean on you while you’re sitting down don’t shove them away. They are just trying to give you a hug and its important that they can express that compassion.

Tackling You

Sometimes this one is more complicated because people get hurt. However, when your dog tackles you the intention is not aggressive, but they are just excited to see you and have trouble controlling themself. Even if you get angered try not to be too hard on the little guy or girl, they meant well!

Flicking Ears

When dogs flick their ears this is a good thing and signals that they are listening. Usually when they hear a sound that is new to them then they try to see what it is. Allow your dog to try to uncover what it is, it’s pretty cute!

Licking Themselves Clean

Dogs clean themselves by licking their bodies entirely. If you see your pup licking himself there could be another reason as well so make sure to pay attention. This could mean that they are hurt, especially if it’s their paws or legs so make sure what the reasoning is.

Snarling And Showing Teeth

Dogs may express themselves in a variety of methods and it’s unlikely that they are always happy. This is okay given that human beings go through several negative moods! If you see your dog growling then you should take him out of their situation because they may attack at any moment.

Investigation Time

Going for a walk with your dog is important to do daily. There is always that time in the walk where your dog will suddenly stop and lift his foot. This is not because they are hurt or anything, but it is their brain working to see what it was that made them stop. They will also start to sniff more to help find out.

Straightened Tail

When dogs lift their tails they are usually happy or confident. Three things can happen with a dog’s tail when he interacts with another dog. If a dog feels threatened they will keep their tail in the air, if they feel secure it will be level, and if it hangs low then they may be more nervous and insecure.

The Side Tongue

There’s nothing like seeing your dog with their tongue sticking out of their mouth. This shows that they are content and secure and usually occur on walks or a fun game of catch. However, if you see this an overwhelmingly amount then it may be a bigger problem and can signify “hanging tongue syndrome.” This usually happens with dogs that have flat noses.

Digging Holes

When your dog starts digging holes in your garden don’t get too mad at them. This isn’t intended to cause harm but it something that they can’t seem to control, specifically with terrier breeds. Some theories say its to look for their kill or bury their dead, while others say its to store valuables.

Why They Bite

It is never fun when your dog bites you but its usually not meant to be vicious. They bite each other to play around and sometimes they have trouble stopping when they see you. In some cases, it may be aggressive so just be mindful with your pup.

Sleeping Beside You

You probably spent time and money trying to find the perfect dog bed, but it turns out your dog just wants to cuddle up next to you! This is actually because of their ancestors who hunted in packs and slept together for protection. It’s a nice thing that your dog wants to be near you so you should be happy about it.

Paw Pats

When dogs slap you it’s not to be aggressive or mean, it’s just to get your attention. When dogs do it between themselves this is a sign of trust, like you patting your friend on the back, no harm intended!

Eating And Cuddling

After your dog finishes a meal they may go and cuddle you right away. If this is your case then it’s a good sign because it means that they love you! Just like humans, they could use a good nap after a big meal, and they choose to cuddle up with their owner whom they adore.

Panting

When dogs are too hot they usually pant, to cool off, not because they are in danger. They have thick fur and can’t sweat, so instead, they pant to decrease their body temperature. If you see your dog panting this is usually because they are dehydrated.

Eye Movement

In some ways, dogs are just like humans, not in every way but many. They display emotions using their eyes and tend to look down when they are exhausted or feeling sad. On the other hand, they shift their gaze or widen their eyes when they are energetic. Just like humans, they raise their eyebrows when they are confused.

Bowing

Dog’s have a signature move called the “play bow,” which is when they lower their head and keep their bodies straight to signify that they want to play. Another way to show they want to play is to move their hips and wag their tails.

Walking In Circles

Before your dog goes down for a nap they will usually pace in circles. Interestingly, this probably comes from their ancestors who are wolves. It is basically to make areas more comfortable, but it can be fun to watch.

Howling

Owners usually tell their dogs to be quiet when they let out a loud howl but you should be careful before doing this. This is actually how the let out their feelings, like how humans yell. They don’t want to put themselves above you, just let out what they are feeling.

Hugging With Eyes

Everyone knows about the puppy eyes and how adorable they can be. You may think your dog is sad but they just want to show that they love you! If your dog takes one deep look into your eyes then it usually means that they simply love and adore you.

Yowling

“Yowling” dogs mean that they just want to talk to you. An animal journal writer spoke about her German Shephard who just talks all the time. It just goes to show that not just humans want to talk all the time but animals too.

Eating Feces

This may be gross to you but dogs eat poop and very commonly so. This act is known as Coprophagia and usually means your pup is malnourished. If that happens too frequently then you should consult with a vet. If the vet says there is no nutrient deficiency then you should just find a trainer to break the behavior.

Chasing Tails

It’s very common for dogs to chase their tails and just signifies being playful. Doing this too much can be the result of health problems, and chewing their tail maybe because of anal glad issues or allergies. Also, it can be because of OCD, which does exist in dogs!

Licking

Dogs LOVE licking to show their affection, it is their way of saying I love you. Another reason is that they love the minerals and nutrients in our skin. If it ever gets too excessive some quick training can fix that.

Humping

Many dogs commonly engage in humping behavior and its not always for sexual or dominant reasons. They do this just to play around and have no harmful intentions so there is no reason to be afraid.

Sniffing Butts

Imagine if humans beings met each other and the first thing they did was smell one another’s behind. Well, this is what dogs do and partly because of their impeccable sense of smell. They smell another dog to get to know them and become friends.

Dog Squinting

You probably have seen that subtle squint that your dog does once or twines and it usually means he wanted to be attended to like a lot of their behavior. If your dog starts to this a lot then it means you are spending way too much time apart.

Open Mouth, Relaxed Tail, High Ears

The best time for you to approach a dog is when their tail is relaxed, their ears are pointed, and their mouth is wide. When your dog does this it means they are relaxed and feeling secure. When you see your dog like this you should cuddle up next to him or her!

Straight Tail, Ears Forward

You’ll notice that something has caught your dog’s attention when they are standing with a straight tail and ears pointing frontward. They are very curious animals and are always ready for more investigation.

Dead Dog

You have seen this and laughed at this “dead bug” pose. This is when your dog lays down with his arms in the air looking the exact name of this pose. This means that your dog is feeling relaxed and safe where he is!