Top 9 Weird Dog Behaviors Explained

dogs are loyal and intelligent animals, which behave in ways we may find unusual or strange however there are logical and reasonable, explanations behind their bizarre behaviors in this Article we will talk about nine strange things dogs do and explain the meaning behind them.

number 9: CHASING THEIR TAIL

So there isn’t really a rhyme or a reason to this, but dogs chase their tail because, well, they do. A study that Dr. Nicholas Dodman conducted, director of the animal behavior clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine found that it was not out of boredom but simply that they think of their tail as a toy.

number 8: SNIFFING OTHER DOG’S BUTTS 

Did you know that the polite way for dogs to greet one another is to sniff each other’s butts. This is true! A dog that is friendly and at ease will go immediately to the backend of the other dog. Because a dog’s smell is 10,000 times better than ours, they can reveal a lot about their potential new buddy that way.

number 7: why dogs carry sticks on walks

Dogs like to carry sticks on walks and back home due to their instinctual desire to retrieve things.

As hunting animals, dogs were traditionally bred to retrieve their catch and deliver them to their owner. it’s a behavior that has been bred over countless generations and is now an inherent part of the dog’s dna dogs also carry sticks because their favorite toys are not available on the go sticks can be a perfect toy for any dog to adopt on their travels with you another reason why your pooch may carry sticks is because they want to find somewhere to chew them sticks feel like bones to a dog and chewing them is satisfying they can relieve sore gums and soothe their teeth this is especially apparent in young puppies who are teething.

number 6: why dogs CIRCLING BEFORE LAYING DOWN

We have all seen this happen before: your dog will circle around a few times before laying down. No, your dog hasn’t lost their mind. Apparently this is an old behavior carried over from wild ancestors. Because dogs would sleep in groups, circling would protect them from the outside world.

number 5: why dogs lick paws dogs

Dogs typically lick their paws as a part of self-grooming. If your dog is a fastidious groomer, you may notice him licking his paws after meals, while settling down for a nap, or after coming in from outdoors, after meals. Even dogs that don’t do a lot of self-grooming will occasionally clean their paws. If you notice your dog licking his paws every once in a while, then there’s probably nothing to worry about.

It is not normal if your dog seems to be licking his paws frequently or aggressively. This is usually a sign of a health problem or a behavior issue.

number 5: why dogs shake their toys dogs

The consensus points to our dogs’ wolf ancestors and the associated hunting instincts. Although our dogs are domesticated, they still have natural predatory instincts; and since they’re no longer are needed for hunting for food, they come through in play. They’re apparent in behaviors like pouncing, chasing, tugging and others – including shaking, and these are all normal behaviors as long as they are playful.

With regard to shaking specifically, we can look to wild dogs and wolves that kill small prey by shaking the animal in order to break its spine quickly and end its life. It’s been said a dog displays this instinctive behavior in much the same way during play: a dog shakes his toy, or his ‘prey,’ to kill it.

Given that calming endorphins are released when a dog chews on toys and also during play and exercise, perhaps toy shaking causes the release of endorphins as well, making our dogs feel good and releasing stress. There’s yet to be a study on it, but it certainly seems to be the case!

number 4: why dogs sigh

If your dog is prone to letting out a few extended exhales every now and then, you may have wondered if dog sighs could possibly convey the same feelings that people sighs do, or if it’s a cause for worry. Dogs can sigh for a variety of reasons, but the main reason they sigh is to signal that they are relaxed. However, deep and frequent sighing can indicate that your Dog is in pain or suffering from illness.

number 3: why dogs eat poop

Poop eating is a behavior that alerts us pet parents that something is wrong with our dog. Except in rare cases, adult dogs do not generally eat poop for behavioral reasons. That said, new mothers will eat the poop of her pups to encourage them to defecate, to keep the den clean, and to prevent potential predators from smelling her pups.

For the vast majority of dogs, however, feces consumption will cease to occur once the dietary cause for eating poop is determined and corrected.

Being able to identify why your dog is eating poop is extremely important to solving this puzzle. It will help you:

1. ensure that the food you’re feeding your dog has the nutritional substance they need, and
2. ensure that the next time your dog gives you a kiss, there’s no added—shall we say—aftertaste.

number 2: why dogs run away

This one is related to the above. If your dog is used to having a lot of freedom to run around and do what she wants, and suddenly that freedom is taken away, there’s a good chance that she’s going to try to roam just because it’s what she’s always done. This can be quite common if there’s a sudden change of environment, like a move from a rural area to a busy metropolis, or if there’s a change in household dynamic, such as marriage, divorce, or a new baby.

Tip: It’s going to take training to curb this behavior. You need to teach your dog not to take off just because she can. It will likely take some time and effort, along with some kind of positive reinforcement to get her to change. If you continue to have trouble, it may be necessary to work with a trainer.

number 1: why dogs throw up

A dog may throw up simply because he’s eaten something disagreeable or gobbled down too much food too fast.

dogs may also throw up because of food allergies a sudden change in their diet ingestion of too much fatty or buttery food or even motion sickness due to riding in a car, but vomiting can also indicate something far more serious.

your dog may have swallowed a toxic substance or may be suffering from a condition that requires immediate medical attention while an occasional isolated bout of vomiting may not be of concern frequent or chronic vomiting can be a sign of a more serious condition if your dog’s vomiting is not an isolated incident a vet visit is necessary.