To help you better understand your dog’s odd habits, we rounded up 10 dog behaviours that people commonly consider mysterious.
1. Chases Its Tail
If you had a tail, wouldn’t you chase it? This amusing behaviour is simply a fun way for your pup to expend it's excess energy. But if she does this constantly, then she might have anal gland problem or flea allergy dermatitis. In some cases, tail chasing can be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder. If you can’t distract your dog from chasing her tail, or if you suspect she has a medical condition, you should speak to your veterinarian.
3. Cocks Its Head
Whistling, speaking in a high-pitched voice or even making funny noises can cause one of dogdom’s cutest and most amusing behaviors. Exactly why dogs cock their heads to the side remains uncertain, but behaviourists speculate that canines are trying to make sense of what they hear. They also might be trying to pick out a key word like “walk” or “fetch” to find out if what you’re saying will lead to something fun or rewarding. Another reason your pup might tilt her head is to more accurately determine the location of a sound. If she’s consistently holding her head to one side without an obvious trigger, she might have a medical issue and should see a veterinarian.
This habit is just plain gross. Many things can cause coprophagy (the medical term for consuming faeces). Your pup might be hungry. He could like the smell and taste. It’s possible he’s missing key nutrients from his diet. He might just think it’s fun. It’s not a behaviour we want to dwell on, so for everyone’s sake, we’ll just say that if your dog is fond of eating you-know-what, ask your veterinarian for help.
5. Humps You, Objects or Other Dogs
Does this scenario sound familiar? Everyone’s having a great time at the dog park until Buddy starts mounting another dog. Buddy’s owners are so embarrassed and apologetic. “But he’s fixed,” they insist. Humping — whether it’s on other dogs, on your leg or on an object — is usually not for sexual reasons. And it’s probably not an attempt to dominate. More likely, neutered and spayed dogs hump because they are excited or seeking attention. To prevent this embarrassing behaviour, ignore it or try to redirect it with a treat or toy.
Are your canine’s eyes always trained on you? Chances are, he’s hoping you’ll give him a treat or shower him with praise and affection. After all, it’s hard to resist those pleading, puppy-dog eyes. It’s important to keep in mind that some dogs consider direct eye contact threatening. So before you gaze back at him, make sure he isn’t showing any signs of aggression or fear.
Sometimes we just want to tell our dogs that no matter how many times they walk in circle before lying down in their bed, it won’t change their resting spot’s level of comfort. You can blame your dog’s ancestors for this curious ritual. Behaviourists believe that when wolf-like dogs lived in the wild, they would walk around a spot to pat down the leaves, grass or other debris to create a nice nesting spot.
9. Thrashes its Toys
Your dog sure looks like it's having fun when it vigorously shakes its stuffed squeaky toy. But the truth is, she’s manifesting one her most primal instincts: killing. OK, we’re being a little dramatic. Out in the wild, thrashing is how Sophie would kill her prey. At home, she’s just exhibiting innocent play behaviour.
10. Howls
Wolves howl to send messages to pack members who might be far away. They also emit the loud, low-pitched sound to enforce rank. It makes sense out in the wild, but why do domesticated canines do it? It could just be a behaviour passed on from their ancestral cousins, but behaviourists also think that howling is instinctively necessary and rewarding for dogs.
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