Decoding & Interpreting the Real Meaning of Common & Awkward Dog Behaviors
Edited by-Dr.Nirbhay Kumar Singh
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Veterinary Anatomy
Bihar Veterinary College
Patna
What is normal dog behavior?
It’s our natural tendency to project human traits and emotions onto dogs, yet we come to expect daily dog zoomies as normal dog behavior. And while we can pick up on things like dog anxiety from dog body language, and understand why dogs howl, some dog behaviors—like rolling in stinky things or barking at nothing—are truly bewildering.
If you live with a dog, you probably know that they exhibit some Strange Behaviors that all been piqued our curiosity. Many of their behaviors are confusing to humans, but they are actually understandable
31 Dog Behaviors Explained
| 1. Tilting head to one side | 12. Opening eyes and staring | 23. Bowing |
| 2. Shaking head | 13. Pricking ears | 24. Freezing and leaning |
| 3. Yawning | 14. Flicking ears | 25. Stretching |
| 4. Closing mouth or opening it slightly | 15. Wrinkling muzzle | 26. Walking in circles before lying down |
| 5. Licking lips | 16. Sniffing the air | 27. Pacing |
| 6. Showing teeth and biting | 17. Exposing belly | 28. Licking genitals |
| 7. Panting | 18. Raising hackles | 29. Wagging tail |
| 8, Barking and yelping | 19. Raising paws | 30. Holding tail straight |
| 9. Growling | 20. Digging | 31. Tucking tail between legs |
| 10. Howling | 21. Crouching | — |
| 11. Whining and whimpering | 22. Mounting or humping | — |
- Tilting Head to One Side
A dog tilts his head if he’s uncertain about something he’s really interested in. He can also show this behavior when waiting for more information, especially from a trainer. In addition, he can tilt his head to listen to a sound and accurately determine its source.
- Shaking Head
A dog shakes his head if he’s relieved from tension. He also behaves this way after being aggressive or alert. In addition, you can see this body language from a dog that was eagerly waiting for something.
- Yawning
A dog yawns if he’s under stress or facing threat to help ease pressure and tension. A dog can also show this behavior if he is confused, tired, or threatened. In addition, a dog can behave this way when meeting other canines.
- Closing Mouth or Opening It Slightly
If his mouth is closed or slightly opened and held in the normal position, you should know that he is relaxed and happy. However, if the mouth is closed and pulled back, he is stressed, frightened, submissive, or in pain.
Other dogs can have their mouths pulled back and still be contented. So, you may have to carefully monitor your four-legged friend to determine the exact cause of the behavior.
- Licking Lips
A dog licks his lips if he’s stressed or uncertain. Sometimes, this body language can mean that your canine buddy is sexually active. In addition, if you see him licking the lips of other dogs, you should know that he isn’t ready to make friends with them. This behavior is common with puppies.
- Showing Teeth and Biting
If your canine friend retracts lips to show teeth, he is aggressive or showing dominance. You should be very careful when your dog shows teeth as he can end up biting you.
If this behavior is accompanied by snarling and muzzle wrinkling, you should understand that your canine friend is very angry. It is advisable not to come close to any dog showing this behavior.
- Panting
Your four-legged pal will pant if he’s overheating or has heatstroke. Dogs do this just to cool down. This is how they regulate their body temperature. Some dogs may adopt this behavior to relieve pain or stress.
- Barking and Yelping
If your dog barks loudly and rapidly, he may be acting out of aggression or he has sensed danger. A short and soft bark means that your dog is friendly or wants to play. If he produces a sudden, sharp yelp, you should know that your canine friend is in pain.
- Growling
If your companion animal produces a low or medium growl with or without a bark, he is protective, territorial, or threatened and can become aggressive and end up attacking people or other animals. In addition, your dog may produce a soft growl if he’s alert, anxious, contented, or in a playful mood.
- Howling
Your dog produces a long howl if he is feeling lonely. Most dogs do this to announce their presence to other canines or even people. If he produces a short howl, you should know that he’s satisfied or excited. A dog also howls to mimic other sounds.
Whimpering
If a dog produces a low, short whine or whimper, he is excited, anxious, or submissive. A prolonged whine or whimper shows that he is uncomfortable or in pain. According to my own observations, most dogs use these body languages to ask for attention.
- Opening Eyes and Staring
If your dog has his eyes wide open, you should know that he is alert. If he gives an intense stare accompanied by narrowing eyes, he’s trying to be dominant or threatening. If he shows the whites of the eyes, he’s threatened and wants to attack.
If he looks away after a short stare, it shows that he is polite or submissive. Your dog can also stare at you if you are carrying some treats or food. Any kind of eye blinking in your canine playmate shows love or playfulness.
- Pricking Ears
Your dog will hold his ears forward or up if he’s curious, aggressive, or wants to play or chase. If he holds his ears flat and close to the head, he’s scared or insecure. In addition, if he holds his ears apart but not flat, he’s likely to be sad or unsure.
- Flicking Ears
If your dog is flicking his ears, you should know that he’s simply listening. Most animals usually flick their ears when there is an unfamiliar sound. So, if you see your four-legged pal flicking his ears forward and backward, you should know that he’s just trying to catch the sound clearly.
- Wrinkling Muzzle
If your canine friend is wrinkling his muzzle, he’s angry or aggressive. If he shows teeth and snarls while wrinkling the muzzle, he’s sending a warning and can attack anytime. You should stop the thing causing this behavior and move away to avoid being attacked.
- Sniffing the Air
If your dog is sniffing the air, he has likely sensed danger or is tracking a threat or prey. A dog sniffing the air doesn’t bark, growl, or howl to avoid alerting his target. A dog can also sniff other dogs or even people to see if they can become friends.
- Exposing the Belly
If your dog lies down and exposes his belly, he’s trying to show respect or he is being playful. If you find this behavior interesting, you can encourage it by rubbing his belly. Your canine buddy can also expose the belly when he’s being attacked by other animals.
- Raising Hackles
Your companion animal raises his hackles if he’s threatened, insecure, angry, or afraid. A dog with raised hackles is usually alert and aggressive and can attack at any time.
When your animal is meeting other dogs, he can raise his hackles and stand tall to defend himself in case of an attack from the fellow canines.
- Raising Paws
If your canine friend raises his paws, he’s asking for something or wants to play. This behavior is common with younger dogs. A puppy can raise his paws and touch his mother when he wants to suck milk. If a dog raises his paws to touch you, you should know that he loves you.
- Digging
A dog digs to bury or uncover his valuables. It is normal for him to dig, so you should not be worried if you see your dog behaving this way. Your four-legged friend can also dig holes to catch small animals in their hiding places. Others dig to create suitable resting places for their young ones.
- Crouching
If a dog crouches, he is frightened, nervous, insecure, or preparing to catch another animal. Your canine friend can also crouch to show submission. In addition, he can crouch if he wants to play.
- Mounting or Humping
If a dog mounts you in a polite manner, he is seeking attention or asking for treats. If he humps objects in the presence of other dogs, he is likely to be under stress. In addition, he can mount other dogs as a way of showing dominance.
- Bowing
A dog bows by lowering his chest and head to the ground while keeping the rear body up. If your companion animal bows, he wants to play. Some dogs swing their hips and wag their tails to emphasize the need to play. This body language is popularly known as the play bow.
- Stretching
Your canine playmate stretches to show love or playfulness. If you come home after being away for some time and see him stretching, you should know that he’s happy. These animals usually stretch with the front or rear body close to the ground.
- Freezing and Leaning Forward
A dog freezes and leans forward if he is feeling threatened, dominant, or challenged. This is common when he’s interrupted while eating. The behavior can be accompanied by snarling and wagging of the tail. You should leave a dog alone when he is showing this behavior to avoid being attacked.
- Walking in Circles Before Lying Down
If you see your dog walking in circles before lying down, you should understand that he is looking for the most comfortable place to rest. Your canine buddy could also be having some discomfort which is forcing him to find the best way to lie down without hurting his body.
- Pacing
A dog is nervous, excited, or bored if he’s pacing frequently. If you see your canine playmate running in a circle around you, you should know that he is playful and wants you to join in the play. It is important to note that these animals usually run after other animals regardless of whether they are bored or excited.
- Licking the Genitals
Animals usually lick their genitals to clean them. If you see your four-legged friend licking them excessively, you should know that he is bored or has a urinary tract infection. Most urinary tract infections are itchy and can cause genital discharge which can trigger the genital licking behavior.
- Wagging the Tail
Usually, a dog wags his tail to show friendliness or happiness. If he wags rapidly while holding it down, he’s showing submissiveness. If he slowly wags the tail while keeping it in the natural position, you should know that he is alert or wants to play.
Your canine friend is confused, sad, or unwell if he slowly wags his tail while holding it down. If he slowly wags it while holding it high, he’s excited or confident.
- Holding the Tail Straight
If your dog holds his tail straight up, he’s confident, aroused, or excited. Some dogs show this behavior when they meet other canines or other animals. If the upright tail is slightly shaking, you should know that he’s facing a challenge.
A dog is content, happy, or relaxed, if his tail is level with the body. Moreover, if your canine buddy is holding his tail low with no movement, he’s showing alertness or insecurity.
- Tucking Tail Between Legs
Your canine friend is afraid, nervous, worried, or under stress, if he holds his tail between the legs. If he holds the tail tightly against the belly, you should know that he’s extremely scared or submissive.
According to my own findings, dogs show this behavior when meeting other dominant animals. They also show this body language when punishing them.
10 strange things dogs do and explain the meaning behind them.
1/ Why dogs eat poop
Is dogs weren’t clean spaces to play and live as much as you do, and their most obvious way to rid the environment of waste is by eating it when a mother gives birth to her puppies; they don’t know anything about using the bathroom, so my mother will eat the puppies feces to keep their new home clean it’s Nature’s Way of keeping the puppies free disease in a Mother’s way of protecting her young eating fecal droppings is also a way of obtaining essential nutrients eating poop from sick animals can be an issue as it can contain viruses or parasites and bacteria water and some undigested food can be nutritious and help her set the gut bacteria to a healthy level of enzymes and partially digested protein send a text with me to a healthier dog food diet is the best way to fix this problem some jobs may also start to eat their poop because of environmental stress or anxiety close to their people.
2/ My dog stare at you so intense
Doug spend a great deal of time staring at their owners and although it may seem random actually a form of communication in the canine World more often than not dogs watch you understand what you’re doing dogs and humans have a special relationship and they take an interest in what their favorite humans do watching people is how they gather information about our actions sometimes they’re waiting for us to do something that will impact them like picking up the leash to take them for a walk or to perform a specific command like a reward keep in mind the dogs also use eye contact when they want something from you many dog owners are familiar with the intense stare your dog gives you to beg for food at the dinner table other times your dog bites you to get your attention because they need to go outside this kind of staring is often combined with a suggestive look toward the door or where you keep the leash if you give your cane on what they want when they stare at you to beg you reinforce the behavior still keep using staring strategy as a way to get what they want finally remember that just as we humans gaze into the eyes of people we adore a dog stares a sign of affection research has shown that this nonverbal way of communication increases the level of the love hormone called oxytocin and dogs do if your dog looks at you with longing eyes it is a sign that they love you.
3/ Why dogs lick you dogs lick you for a lot of reasons.
More up in the nut, dogs lick you to show you affection, and love licking is also a way for canines to bond with family members, for example, mother dogs off and lick their puppies to groom them and offer Comfort when your dog licks you it’s their way of grooming you and showing they care about your well-being, and if you have the taste of some yummy treats on your skin, then your pet might have another motive for their licking Behavior Keep in mind that dogs also use their tongue to explore the world I sent a text licking people in objects is their way of touching things as we do they tasted like things to learn more about their surroundings.
4/ Why do dogs show jealousy when you pet another animal?
Yep you heard that right scientists believe dogs are capable of jealousy in relation to any type of social creature a study published in the proceedings of the national academy of sciences found that when dog owners displayed affectionate behaviors towards another pet in the house, the dog would show , signs of stress and anxiety like humans dogs have physical and emotional needs they show jealous behaviors if they feel they are not getting enough attention.
5/ Is why dogs bury bones
In the wild, dogs live from meal to meal, never knowing where or when they’ll eat next, so when they find meat, they will feast and gorge themselves because they
know they may not have another meal for several days this also means they don’t want to waste any leftover food. When they end up with a surplus of food, they save it for later by burying it in
dirt. Burying carcasses and bones helps the meat last longer as it keeps it away from direct sunlight the temperature of
the earth also decreases with the depth of the hole, keeping the food fresher longer. When food again becomes scarce, dogs return to their refrigerators to retrieve their stored meat for dinner keep in mind that burying food also reduces the smell keeping other predators away from their leftovers.
6/ Creating hidden Lair dogs.
Wild ancestors had the instinct to hunt things and bring them back home to eat later. Our dogs today still retain these instincts. This is one of the reasons why your Canine Companion picks up random things such as their toys and takes them to a secret place in your house.
You heard that right scientist believe dogs are capable of jealousy in relation to any type of social creature a study published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has displayed affectionate behavior towards another pet in the house the dog would show signs of Stress and Anxiety like you and dogs have physical and emotional needs they showed jealous behaviors if they feel they’re not getting enough attention.
7/ Why do dogs roll around in poop
It’s certainly not their most lovable Behavior,but some dogs just can’t resist rolling in the stinkiest poopy spot in the grass rolling in poop is an instinctual Behavior harkening back to the days when your dog’s wild ancestors would Master said to sneak up on their prey wolves, for example, have been observed rolling in the droppings of plant-eating animals or animal carcasses to cover up their own said during the canines,
also, Central is a way of communicating with their pack by rolling around in a smelly mess your dog and bring information back to the rest of the pack about a new thing for example, if there is a deer carcass and a pack member traveling alone discovers it they will send roll on the deer carcass,
and then bring the scent of food back to their pack the pack will investigate the deer shed and then follow the wolf that discovered the deer carcass back to the deer for a free lunch so even if you don’t see anything, where your dog is rubbing there probably, was something there and your dog,
can sense it set and although it might be hard to accept it, is important to remember that what you deem as a pleasant smell might be unpleasant for dogs. For example, the smell of scented shampoos on a dogs may send them running outside to Rolling the stinkiest thing they can find.
8/ Why do dogs wink at you?
If you came home and noticed your dog is winking at you, they are not flirting with you more often than not, and dogs wink when they have some irritants in there.
The irritant may be from a fee item such as dust, dirt are, or even cleaning sprays. Unlike humans, dogs don’t have fingers to get something out of their eyes, so they do the only thing they know to help, which is frequently blinking their eyes if this happens to your dog a little too often make sure to take them to a vet for a checkup.
9/ Why do dogs like squeaky toys?
Although we might not think of our furry friends as Predators, they are, and they have retained some of the Instinct of their wild ancestors. You might not realize it, but your precious dog loves squeaky toys because they satisfy their prey.
Drive the squeaky sound of a toy Taps into their instinct is it resembles the high-pitched sound that a small prey animal would make when it attacked your canine enjoys the instant gratification they get from repeatedly gnawing on a squeaker keep in mind that if the Prairie still squawking, then it’s still alive, so most dogs are driven to remove this week or to kill the prey this is why many dogs lose interest in the toy when the squeaker is going on.
10/ Picking up their food and carrying it away.
You have probably noticed that your dog picks up its food from where you place it and carries it someplace else in the house.
Some dogs will just go a short distance away from their bowls, and others will go to a hiding spot doing the main reason for this behavior is it dogs pack mentality in the wild, dogs run in packs when they make a kill rather than stay in the pack and fight for what is theirs they will snag a piece or two and runaway this means they get to eat without the risk of a fight, and they can also hide their delicious meal from other members of the pack still have this instinct when your canine takes their food was it means they need their privacy and want to protect their meal.
10 Weirdest Dog Behaviors Explained
Learn the symptoms of weird dog behavior with explanation. Dogs are not as mysterious as cats, but these canines some time show weird behaviors that can be puzzling to both new and experienced dog owners. Some weird behaviors of the dogs are listed below:
1-Tail Chasing -This behavior is simply a fun way for dogs to expend their excess energy. But, if they do this constantly, they may have diseases like flea allergy dermatitis or anal gland problems. In this case you should speak to your veterinarian.
2-Sniffing other dog’s asses- Each dog has a unique ass stink, just as each human has a unique face. Dogs have two glands around their anus that emit a fluid, which tells another dog everything they need to know like dog’s sex, what their diet is like, how healthy they are, and even their mood.
3-Digging holes in the yard- This behavior of dog could simply be boredom or a fun game. Some dogs dig to uncover cool earth to lie in on a hot summer day and some others are chasing ground-dwelling creatures like voles or moles.
4-Humps You, Objects or Other Dogs– Dogs do humping on other dogs, on your leg or on objects because they are excited or seeking your attention. To prevent this behavior of dog, just ignore it or try to redirect it with a toy or treat.
5-Howling- Howling is a multi-frequency sound that travels long distances. This can be used as a ‘contact’ vocalization in order to let others know where they are. Many dogs howl due to separation anxiety, whereas other dogs howl due to some environmental trigger or out of habit.
6-Rolling backs in the grass- Dogs rolls back in grass due to various reasons like grass may be cool, or it may scratch the dog’s back. Dogs are especially fond of rolling in things to cover their scent because if they smell like a dog, they may scare off their quarry.
7-Eating feces-There are many reasons of this behavior. It may be a sign of a nutritional deficiency in your dog, such as with a low-quality dog food or health concern.
8-Staring- When dogs staring at you, he is hoping that you will give him a treat or shower him with affection and praise. Keep in mind that some dogs consider direct eye contact threatening, therefore, before gazing back at him; make sure he is not showing any signs of fear or aggression.
9-Thrashes Toys- By thrashing toys, dogs manifest one of their most primal instincts which is killing. Almost every dog shows this behavior, and it is inherited in dogs.
10-Walks in Circles Before Lying Down- You can blame dog’s ancestors for this behavior of dog. When wolf-like dogs used to live in the wild, they would walk around a spot in order to pat down the grass, leaves or other debris so as to create a nice nesting spot.
