Dogs are man’s best friend, but many of their behaviors are an enigma. Owners like to reflect their own emotions and actions on their canine companions, but dogs do strange things that are often a result of their natural instincts. Their odd actions are encoded in their very DNA.
Let’s find out why dogs do certain strange things!
Butt Sniffing
Canines often great each other by butt-sniffing. The behavior seems embarrassing, but it actually tells your dog a lot about its canine counterpart.
A dog’s nose is loaded with 150 million olfactory receptors. Within the anal cavity of a dog are small oil glands the aroma is a type of identification. When a dog sniffs another pooch’s rear, they learn vital information from the smell of the anal secretions.
Sticking a Head Out a Car Window
Dogs love to stick their heads out car windows to stimulate their olfactory. The wind pummels their face, and they enjoy a flood of exciting smells which tell them all about their location.
Kicking Feet After Pooping
Your dog kicks after it poops to mark the area with the scent glands located between the animal’s paw pads. The scent glands make pheromones which are secreted to stay territorial claims, warn other dogs to stay away, and show sexual availability.
Circling Before Laying Down
Why does a dog circle before it lays down? Many say it is a self-protection behavior that lets the animal look around them before laying down to sleep. Many also say that alpha dogs circle as the leader of the pack. However, many experts simply say the dog is trying to make a comfortable bed by circling.
Chasing Tail
Dogs like to chase their tails because it’s fun. Some dogs also perform the action because they know you’re watching the animal, so they want to make you laugh. On rare occasions, a dog might also chase its tail if they have fleas or worms.
Humping Legs
A dog humps your leg because it is a common sexual behavior in the animal. Some male dogs will also do it to show power and control. It is often the act of an alpha dog trying to display its social hierarchy.
Kicking and Growling When Asleep
Yes, your dog dreams when the animal sleeps - just like humans. When your dog is dreaming and starts to whine, growl or kick, they are reacting to the dream just like humans when they talk in their sleep or twitch. If your dog’s eyes are moving behind their eyelids, then they have entered REM sleep and they are dreaming.
Whining and Crying When Left Alone
Dogs get afraid and lonely. They often experience anxiety when left alone because they don’t know when you are returning. The canine will whine and cry as a reaction to being left alone - just like a toddler or baby.
Next time your dog does a perplexing behavior, just remember that there is a reason for their actions. You just have to do a little detective work to figure out why.
