Our dogs. We love them, teach them, dress them up with cool accessories, and wholeheartedly welcome them into our families as the lovable, furry kids that they are. But every so often, they do something that leaves us scratching our heads in bewilderment and wondering, What in the world are they thinking?
Here are some common perplexing dog behaviors decoded.
Why Does My Dog…
1. Find a pile of the nastiest stuff available and roll around in it?
There are several theories as to why dogs do this. Some experts believe it’s an instinctual behavior left over from when dogs wanted to cover their own scent (thus making themselves smell as unlike a dog as possible) in order to sneak up on potential prey. Others believe that dogs are acting territorially and may want to mark over a strong scent with their own smell.
But the simplest explanation may be that dogs just have a different idea of what smells interesting than we do. To them, scent is everything…and rolling around in something stinky allows them to revel in the scent. You know, like that guy 2 cubicles down who always seems to be doused in Aramis.
2. Sometimes show her teeth when I know she is friendly and wouldn’t hurt a fly?
A dog who is showing her front teeth, squinting her eyes, lowering her body, relaxing her ears, and wagging her tail is not a threat…she is smiling! Sometimes called “submissive grinning”, this behavior is a tactic that some dogs employ to either appease humans or to solicit attention in a non-threatening manner, and it’s not at all aggressive.
A dog who is showing aggression, on the other hand, will have a hard stare (eyes wide open and staring intently), tension in her body, whiskers forward, body upright, and may be licking her lips and pinning her ears back tightly against her head. It goes without saying that it’s important to know the difference!
Not all dogs submissively grin, but if your dog does, it’s helpful to let visitors to your home know ahead of time so they don’t misinterpret the smiling for aggression.
3. Scoot across the carpet or sidewalk on his rear end?
Although it may look amusing (just do a search for “butt scooting dogs” on YouTube), butt dragging has a medical cause. Dogs have two glands underneath their tails on either side of the anus called anal glands, which are filled with a distinctive, strong-smelling fluid that is unique to every dog. This helps the dog mark territory and leave a distinctive “calling card” to identify himself to other dogs whenever he defecates.
Sometimes the anal glands can become overly full or impacted, causing swelling and discomfort. A dog with very full anal glands will scoot along hard surfaces in an attempt to relieve this discomfort and/or express the glands (not AT ALL desirable when this occurs on your carpet). Luckily, if your dog’s anal glands become too full or impacted, your veterinarian or groomer can manually express them for you.
Although expressing anal glands is something you can learn to do yourself at home, it takes a certain technique to pull it off without foul-smelling and messy consequences. You might just want to trust me on this one!
4. Bow down on her front legs and leave her rear end up in the air?
If your dog faces you, bows down, and points her rear-end skyward while wagging her tail, she is doing her best to entice you to play. It’s called a “puppy” or “play” bow, and it always brings a smile to my face whenever I see it. As we all know, dogs can be real clowns, and the puppy bow is just one way dogs can communicate their joy for playing and acting silly.
Your dog may also puppy bow if she accidentally body slams another dog while playing. In this scenario, it’s used as a “Sorry, my bad…can we please keep playing?” gesture. Dogs also employ the puppy bow with other dogs to communicate that they are friendly and not a threat.
So if you really want to make your dog happy, initiate a puppy bow of your own. Get down on all fours, extend your arms out in front of you, smile, and keep your rear end in the air. Then watch your dog’s face light up!
5. Turn around in circles before lying down?
This natural, instinctive behavior is another carry-over from dogs’ days in the wild. Ancestral wild dogs prepared their own shelters by selecting a chosen spot, digging at it with their paws, circling a few times to help flatten down any grass or plant material, and lowering their bodies into a tight position to fit into the nest.
Your dog might repeat this process a few times before finally settling down, akin to us fluffing our pillows before we go to sleep.
6. Lick a specific spot on his paw or leg until it’s raw?
Some dogs develop a repetitive behavior where they obsessively lick one area (usually the top of a front leg or paw, but the area can be anywhere on the body) until the skin becomes raw. The resulting irritated spot is called a “lick granuloma” (also referred to as “Acral Lick Dermatitis”).
This behavior may be caused by a host of possible factors. Boredom, separation anxiety, and/or stress can cause repeated licking to develop as a soothing behavior, similar to OCD behaviors in humans. Joint pain may also cause the dog to lick over the painful joint. Skin allergies may also be a culprit, as dogs will attempt to relieve itchy skin by licking it.
Lick granulomas can become infected and painful. Unfortunately, once that happens, it becomes a vicious cycle and causes the dog to lick even more because the skin is irritated. Chronic lick granulomas can scab over multiple times to become thick, scar-like lesions.
If your dog has what you suspect to be a lick granuloma, make an appointment to see your veterinarian as soon as possible. There are many different types of treatments available depending on the individual case, and your vet can help you develop the right treatment protocol for your dog.
7. Sniff the crotches of my guests?
Although this behavior can be mortifying for pet parents, in the dog world it is actually very polite! Sniffing is a way for dogs to both greet each other and gather information. Through sniffing of another dog’s anal glands, your dog can quickly determine not only the age and sex of that dog, but also nuances such as his mood and what he’s been up to all day.
Therefore, it’s natural for your dog to want to do that with humans as well. Squelching this behavior is not easy, since it’s so ingrained in most dogs. The easiest way to discourage it is by teaching a good sit-stay to use with your dog whenever visitors come to the door. It’s important to not punish your dog for exhibiting this behavior…rather, you can reward him for the sit-stay (and for not “goosing” your guests!)
8. Eat grass?
Although no one knows for sure why dogs eat grass, there are several theories.
Grass contains nutrients such as amino acids, enzymes, and Vitamins E and B, which may help aid in digestion. It’s also an excellent source of fiber. Since dogs typically have diets high in protein, fiber from grass may help move things more easily through their digestive tracts.
Another theory is that dogs may instinctively eat grass when they feel nauseous to intentionally irritate their stomach lining and cause them to throw up whatever offending substance they ate.
However, I am most inclined to believe that dogs eat grass for the simple reason that they like the taste and enjoy chewing on it. Many dogs actually seem to have preferences for certain types of grass, and will seek them out mainly because they taste good.
So there’s no need to worry when your dog eats grass… eating grass will not harm her, as long as it has not been treated with herbicides or pesticides.
Perfectly Logical…
See? It all makes perfect sense…at least to our dogs! So when your dog does something that leaves you scratching your head, remember: the next time we spend $10 for the reindeer horns that we insist on affixing to our dogs’ heads for those cute holiday Facebook photos, our dogs just might be looking at us and wondering the same thing. 🙂
What other behaviors does your dog exhibit that make you go “Huh?” Share them with us in the comments below!
We are joining up with the Monday Mischief Blog Hop, hosted by Snoopy’s Dog Blog, Alfie’s Blog and My Brown Newfies
Sarah Kerkian says
When we feed our golden retriever, Kaia, she’ll take a few pieces from her bowl, walk into another room and drop it on the floor before eating it. Then, she’ll eat the rest straight from her bowl as normal. She’s been doing this since she was a puppy, no matter where we lived or where her bowls are located. She doesn’t do it every time anymore, but still pretty regularly. We have yet to figure out why she does this!
Camille Schake says
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for commenting! This behavior is actually very common in dogs, as it goes back to their days in the wild. Since dogs are pack animals, whenever dinner was brought home, wild dogs grabbed whatever they could and took it some distance away so they could eat it without threat of competition (or worry about it being taken away completely by a more dominant pack member). Some dogs will even take dry food out of their bowls and “hide” it around the house for later, similar to what wolves and coyotes do with leftover kills.
Since you said that Kaia has always done this regardless of where her food bowl was located, she’s probably not feeling stressed and is just acting on instinct. However, one trick you can try if the behavior ever becomes bothersome is to remove her collar when she eats, since some dogs don’t like the sound of their collar or tags hitting the bowl. Most likely, however, it’s just part of her normal, instinctual routine. 🙂
Sarah Kerkian says
Interesting! Thanks 🙂
Cheryl Jones says
Why do both my cat and my dog squeeze my hand?. If I squeeze back they squeeze back. Also when my dog sleeps with me why does he always sleep with his bum in the same direction and near my face?
Denise Wardlow says
Hi Camille!
My puppy Chiver has this squeaky toy alligator. It’s big and seems to carry a squeak longer than other toys I’ve bought. With this particular toy Chiver will make it squeak and then whine/ cry while its still squeaking. At first I thought it was his teeth or paws that were hurt but soon realized he was fine and just liked to do this. Any thoughts on why he whines or cries, yet still continues to make it squeak?
Camille Schake says
I’ll admit I had to do a little research on this one, since none of my dogs ever exhibited this behavior… but it turns out that lots of dogs do this! The best explanation is that some dogs whine and vocalize while playing with toys that they perceive as “high value” (toys that squeak seem to elicit this behavior the most) because they are so excited and aren’t quite sure what to do with the toy. Should they bring it back and hand it over to Mom? Find someplace to “bury” it? It’s like they instinctively know that they’re supposed to do SOMETHING with it, but aren’t quite sure what that “something” is.
Interestingly, dogs that are bred to hunt and retrieve game (such as Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shorthaired Pointers, and Springer Spaniels) are more likely to whine and vocalize with squeak toys. This is probably because, to them, the toy is mimicking downed prey. If Chiver seems continuously agitated by squeak toys, you may want to consider giving him toys that don’t squeak..but if he only does this intermittently, or doesn’t seem agitated and is able to lie down and chew the toy quietly after awhile, there’s no reason to separate him from his buddy Mr. Alligator. 🙂
Denise Wardlow says
Great feedback! Thanks Camille.
Mark 'Shamrock' Beechinor says
Actually squeaky toys mimic the same frequencies of a dying animal. And they love their toys and are sad they are dying. My dog will take his squeaky toy and never even make it squeak and hide it to protect it. I read this by Ceaser Milan he said the squeak mimics dying and can actually be bad for your dog. Triggering a blood lust so to speak.
Binny Tuturra says
Most of my dogs have loved”squeakies”, but my Doxie, Hutch, did not. He picked up the toy I bought after bringing him home from the animal rescue and bit into it, making it squeak. He dropped it like a hot potato and looked mortified. I realized he thought it was hurt by what he did ( he was a stud in a puppy mill and had many scars from abuse) so I put it away and gave him a rope toy to chew on. He often reacted to sad sounds like babies crying or dogs next door howling to be let back in. He was sensitive to other’s emotions and this was confirmed by his vet, who said he alerted him when a dog in the next kennel began whimpering in pain.
lisa McFall says
Hello My 1 yr old dachshund always comes right by you and poop then run out of the doggie door. It happens every day. What do I do? Please help!
Camille Schake says
Hi Lisa! A couple of things come to mind. I’m assuming that when your dog goes on the floor it’s solid, formed poop and not diarrhea (if it’s runny, there may be a medical reason and he could just be having problems holding it). The first place I would start is to get a poop sample to your vet for a quick fecal test to make sure that your dog hasn’t picked up a parasite infection somewhere. Also, changes in diet, stress levels, and medications can all cause changes in bowel habits.
If his fecal test is normal, your vet has determined that there’s no medical abnormalities, and there haven’t been any changes in his world lately, the issue is probably behavioral. One thing to keep in mind is that dogs, just like people, have a “gastrocolic reflex”, which simply means that their GI system is stimulated by eating. That means that most dogs will feel the urge to poop within 30 minutes after eating. If you can, try to walk your dog outside on a leash after he eats each meal. Whenever he poops outside, give him lots of praise and treats. The more you understand his poop schedule and can positively reinforce that he always needs to go OUTSIDE rather than on the floor, the better you can set him up to succeed.
Also, check his environment outside. Some dogs only like to go on grass, while other dogs can go anywhere. Check to make sure there’s nothing in the yard (or in the surrounding environment, like another dog next door that he can see or hear through a fence) that could be frightening him.
Once you’ve seen the environment through your dog’s eyes, I suggest talking with your vet about the best ways to positively re-train him to eliminate outside. This may involve sticking to a strict feeding and walking schedule, or using a crate for awhile to limit his access inside the house when you’re not around.
Just remember to never punish him when he goes on the floor. Instead, if you catch him in the act, I would suggest calmly and immediately picking him up, taking him outside, and letting him walk around without making a big deal. If he poops, give him lots of praise. If he doesn’t, bring him back in and follow the suggestions that your vet gives you for working on re-training his potty habits.
Most importantly, don’t give up on him…a good vet can partner with you to help you show your dog exactly where he needs to go. Good luck, hope this helps!
Susan says
I also have 4 months Dachshund. Thanks for sharing this information.
Denise says
Camille,
I need your pet expertise. As mentioned when we met last week, Chiver is not wanting to eat his food. He picks at it and then will eventually eat it, but there is an obvious difference in his eating habits since I changed his food. He used to talk to me and nibble at my hand when he was ready to eat. He was telling me he was hungry, but then he stopped.
Back history:
– He turned a year old so I transitioned him to adult lamb and rice food by blending with his puppy chicken and rice. He did well.
– I ran out of food one day (my bad) and the place I buy from was not open, so I picked up a small bag of a different food. Again, he did well
– Next day I picked up his adult lamb and rice food and at next feeding he wouldn’t eat it. It’s not a bad food, but I know the other food lamb and rice is better and even when I blend the food he won’t eat the old, only the “just to get me by” food. He sits, stares and eventually eats some of it.
Thoughts????
Thank you.
Denise
Patrick says
Many dogs are picky about what they eat and aren’t going to be keen on a dramatic flavor change, such as chicken to lamb. If he’s showing you that he will eat but just not that food, it means that you need to change from YOUR brand to a brand he will eat and enjoy. It’s like if you didn’t like asparagus but that’s all I tried to feed you.
Go to a pet store and pick up a few different flavors and brands that are within your likes for ingredients, and within his likes for flavors (try out a turkey or game bird food, or a white fish diet for starters if you’re trying to get away from chicken) and try them out, see what flavors are within his palate.
Colleen says
My labrador will be fast asleep and suddenly jump up started as though pricked with a pin. Why does he do this??
Camille Schake says
Hi Colleen! This is a common occurrence in both dogs and cats, but at least to my knowledge, no one is 100% sure exactly why it happens. There could be many possible explanations to cause that type of behavior, including nerve pain, dreaming (it’s been scientifically proven that both dogs and cats, as well as many other animals, dream), or in pets who are experiencing a flea infestation, flea bites. If he’s alert and seems normal when he wakes up, it’s unlikely that it’s related to any type of seizure activity, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that kind of behavior. If anyone has any other theories as to why this happens, I would love to hear them! 🙂
Marie says
My dog will eat her food, but she has been burying her bowls?? What could that be?
Camille Schake says
Hi Marie! By instinct, dogs are very protective of things they view as critical resources. In the wild, dogs will often bury what’s left of a carcass so that they can come back for it again later. Maybe instead of burying her food (since she eats it all), she is burying her bowl instead? That would be my guess, but I suppose only she knows for sure! 🙂
Srinivas says
Hi Camille,
need your suggestions; Cleo, our Basset Hound, frequently pees and poops in a designated place in our 2nd floor flat. How do I train her not to do that. We have another older Lab called Fizzy who is trained to answer her calls outside of the house. Cleo is about 3 years old.
Camille Schake says
Hi Srinivas, thank you for writing! I also received your email in which you elaborated a little more on what’s going on with Cleo. You mentioned in your email that she is having accidents on the second floor balcony of your apartment, usually before she gets a chance to be walked in the morning. You also said that she and your other dog go out for walks twice a day, around 5am and 3:30pm.
First, you may already know this, but Basset Hounds have a reputation for being rather difficult to potty train. They are sweet, wonderful, intelligent dogs, but can be very sensitive and somewhat stubborn, so training them sometimes takes a more creative approach. That being said, it definitely can be done, but you will have the most success if you set Cleo up to succeed as often as possible. Are your dogs only going out twice a day to potty? Or are they getting out more than just at 5am and 3:30pm? Although some dogs can hold it for up to 9 or 10 hours if they have to, this should never be the norm since most dogs will feel like they need to go long before that. With Cleo, try going back to the basics like she was a puppy again. To start, take her outside several times a day (every 2-3 hours if possible), and praise her like crazy when she goes potty (and give her a treat too!) Dogs who don’t have full bladders or need to poop will be much less likely to have accidents in inappropriate places in the house. If you’re gone during the day, and it’s not possible to take her out every 2-3 hours, consider keeping her in a comfortable crate when you’re not home to keep her from pottying in places where she’s not supposed to; but keep in mind that dogs shouldn’t be crated for more than a few hours, since they can still have accidents in the crate if they really need to go.
When Cleo goes outside, make the experience as pleasant as possible. Do you live in a city where there’s noise and lots of people? Sometimes noises and distractions can be frightening, so try to find a place that’s somewhat quiet and calmer for her to do her business. If she has an accident indoors, do NOT yell or threaten her. Just take her outside immediately and praise her like crazy again if she goes. This helps her to better understand that all pottying should be done outside only. If you lose your temper or raise your voice, it will only make her feel more stressed, which makes the training part much more difficult and can set you back. Also, if she does have an accident where she’s not supposed to, be sure to clean it up immediately with an odor neutralizer. Since Bassets are hounds, they have an extremely keen sense of smell, so you’ll want to get rid of that odor right away so she doesn’t keep going back to that spot.
Keep in mind that reinforcing Cleo’s potty training can take several weeks… sometimes longer. You’ll need to be consistent, and don’t leave her alone and unsupervised in the apartment. Remember, you’ll want to set her up to succeed by giving her every opportunity NOT to have an accident, so that will take diligence, understanding, and patience on your part..but the outcome will be more than worth it!
Elaine Lowery says
Hi Camille,
Jasmine my 4 year old lab/Ridgeback Curr has suddenly started digging up grass and covering her food & food bowl-even before she eats anything-she is an outside dog. We have tried putting her bowl on the porch but she brings grass or straw to the porch. This has been going on about 2 weeks.
Any ideas how to stop it?
Camille Schake says
Hi Elaine! This sounds a lot like a behavior called “caching”. Sometimes dogs will cache their food when they really want to eat but for some reason don’t feel comfortable eating it at the time. Has anything changed in Jasmine’s routine over the last 2 weeks that would cause her to be anxious or feel unsettled? If there’s nothing that you can pinpoint, you can always try changing her feeding routine just a little to see what happens. Since you’ve already tried moving the location of her bowl to the porch, but she still tried to cover it there too, there might be another location you can try that would make her feel more comfortable. You can also try feeding her at a slightly different time to rule out anything that might be happening outside at mealtime that could be making her anxious.
If none of this works, as long as she is eating and otherwise behaving normally, the caching behavior may stop on its own. However, if you notice any other changes (like her appetite decreases suddenly or she stops eating altogether), you might want to have her checked out by a vet. But if she’s eating and seems healthy, although the behavior may seem strange, it’s usually harmless, so I wouldn’t scold her for it or make any kind of fuss that might add to whatever is making her anxious. Hope this helps!
Emily says
Hi! So this isn’t really a problem but I am curious as to why she’s doing it.
When I get my dog a new bone, instead of chewing it up, she just carries it around wagging her tail and dropping it in random places. She’s been doing it for 3 months with the most recent bone. Sometimes I find it on my bed. Sometimes it’s in the couch. At night, she will walk from room to room prancing around with it in her mouth all proud like.
I don’t know if this is important but she’s 13. Has spent 12 of those years in a shelter. I don’t know her breed but she looks like possibly a pit/lab mix?
I’m just curious as to why she just carried it around instead of eating it.
Thank you!
Camille Schake says
Hi Emily! This is actually a pretty common behavior in dogs, especially in breeds that are bred to retrieve things and carry them around in their mouths (like Labs). This could be related to an instinctive behavior called “caching”, where if a dog has something that’s of high value to them (like a yummy treat or favorite toy), they carry it around looking for a safe place to stash it to keep it away from other animals or dogs in the pack. It sounds like your dog has been testing various hiding places for her bone, perhaps with the intention of saving it for later when she can really relax and enjoy it. Who knows, maybe it’s like the dog version of the birthday cake that’s just “too pretty to eat”! ????
Laura says
Hi Camille ! I’m researching similar behavior in my 1yr old female spayed Lab. There’s a slight difference in that when she has the toy in her mouth, she is clearly very excited and whine-speaks (we call her “wiggle-butt). She will bring us the toy, sometimes 2 in her mouth at once, but won’t release the toy(s) and doesn’t want to play tug of war. If we get the toys from her for a game of fetch, she will go get the toy but walks away with it and isn’t interested in playing fetch – even with a ball during the day. I’m baffled with this behavior and it drives my husband nuts. Any suggestions?
Alicia says
When my dog poops outside and I pick it up to throw away she goes crazy
Camille Schake says
HA!! She’s probably thinking, “I worked really hard to produce that nice little pile of scent marker, and now my Mom’s just throwing it away in the trash!” 🙂
Elaine says
My lhasa puppy uses pee-pads and recently when she poops, she carries some of it to the living room. Why does she do this and how do we stop it?
Lynn says
Has she stopped? Maybe it’s time to go outside. L
Lynn says
Why does our pitbull always run and grab a bone or go for her food bowl when my husband walks close to them.? Ty. Lynn
Deborah Rhoden-Stokes says
Help my dog has started a strange behaviour, after dinner he fetcheyhis favourite cuddly toy takes it to his bed winning, performs sexual behaviour then vomits. We have tried to stop it by getting his attention but nothing is working. He is a four year old castrated Lhasa apso
Jessica Pierce says
Hi, my Dalmatian will be lying on my bed resting, look up towards his bum and either stare for a few moments or get up and LICK the blanket where his bum was. He’s been wormed and no scooting but I’m puzzled?
Phil says
Hi, my Staffordshire bull terrier squeezes himself into the tight space beneath my son’s dining chair whenever we eat at the table. He’s not on alert for dropped food or anything like that. Instead he just lays flat on his side and is very relaxed. He’ll stay there until we’ve finished eating. Why do you think he does this?
Elizabeth Welsch says
My dog is Buster-Buddy. He goes to potty and he is praised. Then before I can even get him to sit to take his leash off he runs to go get his little brown cow toy. This is his favorite one. It has a squeaker in it that would normally torn out but he protects it and can’t be without it. I love him soooo much!!! But why does he do this?
Camille Schake says
Hi Elizabeth! My guess is that he’s just excited, especially after doing his business and getting praised for it. My dog always got the “zoomies” when he came in from going outside to potty! If Buster-Buddy brings you his toy, I’m guessing he’s probably just trying to get you to play with him afterwards. 🙂
Kim Bailey says
We have two fabulous dogs. Sammy, a Brindle Boxer, one my boyfriend rescued from the Indian reservation. I guess he was a stray. They were going to shoot him because he bit the Mayor. This one we call my boyfriend. He’s never bit anyone since, by the way. Also, we rescued a black and white Pitbull from the pound. I believe she was used for breeding fighting pits. She is the most ooey gooey, loveable dog I have ever known. I think she was caged or in a very strict environment, because she didn’t seem to know anything about toys, or the outdoors. She loves the snow and has had only two accidents in the house. What we can’t figure out is why she annihilates every toy but the one squeaky bone she always has in her mouth. One which Sammy has given up reluctantly. He loves that toy. Why does it seem only the one is allowed. Poor Sammy….
Carolyn says
I have a std poodle who was a former show dog and I only got her at age 2. Her behavior is very odd when it comes to bones or treats. She slinks away when I offer her a treat even though you can tell she wants it. It’s as if she’s been trained not to take treats (seems impossible for a show dog). She acts scared of me. I’ve tried sitting on the floor and being very gentle and sometimes that helps for awhile but then she reverts right back to her former behavior. She is very sentive and scared to training in general.
Camille Schake says
Hi Carolyn, that is pretty odd! Since you don’t know exactly what happened to her when she was younger (or what training techniques were used on her), it’s pretty hard to try to figure out what might have triggered her fear. As I’m sure you know, sometimes it can take a very long time for dogs to overcome specific fears, but it can happen, so hopefully you being patient and gentle with her will pay off!
carolyn says
Thank you for your reply! I’ve found if I tell her to sit from a distance and then approach her slowly she will usually take the treat so yes we are making progress slowly but surely.
Camille Schake says
That’s wonderful! Hopefully she continues to improve.. thanks so much for the update! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Why does my American Pit tuck his head when I pet or love him?
Camille Schake says
Hi Elizabeth! Sometimes dogs who are head-shy will tuck their heads instinctively as a protective mechanism, but some dogs simply tuck their heads out of deference to their human family members. Some dogs also get nervous if they are hugged around the neck, and will tuck their heads then too because they are uncomfortable. You can test this pretty easily by slowly approaching your dog and petting him on his chest or back instead of directly on his head. See how he reacts – if he doesn’t tuck his head, it may be that he simply prefers this type of petting instead. Thanks for writing!
trzupek says
Very much enjoyed reading your insights Camille and would appreciate any you could offer about our 3 year old, 45 lb lab/terrier mix Iggy. No problems mind you, just fascinated by his behavior. Every day when I get home from work he is clearly thrilled to see me. I settle down at ground level to accept his affection, but before he will engage he scrambles off to find one of his toys that he can hold in his mouth before I rub his belly. He never, ever accepts affection unless he’s got something in his mouth beforehand. Then, when he does come to engage with me, he climbs up on my legs to get his snout even with my face. As I rub his belly, he “squeaks” shrilly and happily as his tail rotates at about 500 hundred miles per hour. Then, after a minute or two of this engagement from one side of my body – let’s say the right – he feels the need to trot around to the left side and engage in the same ritual all over again. It all seems very, very positive from both or our perspectives, but I wonder if you can offer any insight about what my little, lovable maniac is thinking as he goes through his routine. He just amazes me.
cheryl perry says
Hi
Im trying to get some clarity on two behavior issues with my dog Missy, a lab/pit mix. First, a few weeks ago, whenever I call Missy to me and Im on my bed, she gets on the bed (like usual) but now she turns her back to me and backs her butt up then she either stands up near my head with her hiney in front of my face OR she sits on my chest facing outward. I’d really like to know what that means. The second thing is, I recently went on vacation for a week and left my brother at my house with Missy so I wouldnt have to board her and take her out of her environment for that length of time. Since Missy came from the SPCA almost a year ago, she’d never stayed out overnight. When I returned from my trip, I noticed Missy have been more aggressive than usual, i.e., barking and scratching the side of my bed or roughly playing, sometimes she doesn’t pay attention to me when I give her orders like sit, stop, etc. But more importantly, in the last week, she will walk the floor waking me up all night long. During the day when I work, Missy is in a kennel, but I let her out when I come home and she does not sleep in the kennel. She’s like a different dog and I don’t want her to have to go back to the shelter but she is becoming more and more challenging every day. Please help advise.
Abby Ruble says
my dog takes his stuffed toys and like uses his front paws and stomach to drag it
Stacey says
My dog does this too with her frisbee (border collie,) drags it backwards with her front feet while we’re playing fetch. I’m dying to know why she does this but can’t find an answer anywhere!
Elizabeth says
One of our Maltipoos (probably additional breeds in her mix) who is 3 years old almost always has to walk around with a toy in her mouth. If she doesn’t have a toy she wants to lick is non stop. In addition if we are sitting on the couch she likes to walk circles around us with that toy in her mouth. For example: she walks on the back of the couch and across our chest 3 or 4 times before sitting down (not laying) on our shoulder or chest. We do through the toy for her to chase when we can get it out of her mouth for when she comes back with it she iffers it to us but will turn her heads secinds before grasping her toy. Why does she do these things.
Deborah says
My dog has recently, but consistently, going outside and writhing back and forth upside down and scratching his upper hind end until he’s filthy all the way to his tail. Should I shave it and see if he has a major abrasion there? I’m thinking he’s got some kind of a skin condition.
Isla Hansen says
So, our dog does this thing where he sits upright while shoving a large plush toy under his bottom area. Is this for the same reason a dog would butt scoot across the carpet?
Linda Holland says
When my Catahoula has her favorite squeaky toy she jumps around squeaking it and takes it to her bed. She continues jumping and flips her bed while she squeaks the toy in her mouth. She only does this with the one toy.