This is why dogs follow you into the bathroom and other weird but adorable dog habits explained
The bond between dog and owner is certainly one-of-a-kind
Having a loyal pup in the household ensures an incredible amount of love from dog to owner in a man's best friend fashion
Although you may not think so. It's actually fairly easy to understand what your pup is asking of you
Some dogs are incredibly obvious when they want delightful bits of love and kisses but some dogs can behave in a subtle manner as well
Unfortunately, we can't physically speak to our dogs but here are some signs your dog makes and their translation
dogs communicate to you through eye contact
dogs communicate in subtle ways with their faces specifically with their eyes
Constant eye contact from your dog is his way of showing his trust and affection towards you think of it as an understated
I love you
Avoiding eye contact on the other hand is a sign that your dog is uncomfortable scared or cowering after doing something naughty
Your dog's tail can tell you their emotions
Perhaps the most widely recognised ways dogs communicate to others is with their tails in
Addition to the joyful wagging tail a dog's tail can communicate a range of other emotions
for example a slow wagging tail means your dog is feeling cautious and a stiff tail held high means your dog is on alert a
Low tail means your pup is feeling content but a tucked tail means he's feeling scared if your dog is wagging his tail
Vigorously enough to make his butt wiggle. We all know what I'm talking about here. He's absolutely elated to see you
Your dog can also use his tail to spread his scent
Alpha male dogs hold their tails high when marking their territory
by being able to hold their tail high your dog can release more of a scent from his anal glands at
The same time if your dog is scared or feels threatened. He'll tuck his tail between his legs
So as to not release any scent, he may also use his tail as a fan to spread his scent into the air
When he flicks his tongue, he probably knows you're about to scold him
You'll notice your dog flicking his tongue quickly in and out of his mouth when you're about to scold him
This means your dog knows he's done something naughty and he feels bad about it if your dog flicks its tongue at you
It's his way of telling you that he's sorry
Excessive sneezing and yawning can mean that your dog is stressed
dogs sometimes try to communicate with us by sneezing and yawning unnecessarily a
Misplaced sneeze or yawn means that your dog is uncomfortable and stressed
Often around new pets or people believe it or not humans do this when they feel uncomfortable, too
This can get confusing because dogs also yawn when they're feeling content around you
The key is to look for misplaced yawning in unfamiliar circumstances
Bally exposure means your dog feels comfortable in
Addition to face and tail movement dogs. Also try to communicate using the rest of their body if
Your pup rolls over and bares his belly to you
He's initiating this gesture to appease you but a belly rub is always welcomed
Dogs also communicate with each other this way rolling over a sign of passive resistance to the perceived threat
Your dog's nose is like his fingerprint
All of our doggy pals are special and this fact just proves that even more
Their nose print is actually unique to each dog
And it can be used to identify them just like fingerprints on humans the ridges on dogs noses form patterns
Let's set them aside from other dogs in the past present or future
Each one has his own unique mark
Dogs don't really chew if they can swallow it whole because they don't have to
If your dog can just swallow the food they usually will instead of chewing dog saliva
Unlike humans doesn't contain any digestive enzymes
Meaning their saliva works mainly as a lubricant that can help food pass through their esophagus easily into the stomach where the digestion really starts
their saliva also contains chemicals with antibacterial
properties which can help an assist in healing superficial wounds
Although its power is limited and visits to the vet are necessary
It explains why many dogs have tower cones around their heads the pups just can't help themselves from trying to help their wounds heal
This bowel means your dog wants to play
If your dog faces you and dives into a bow with his front legs on the ground and his butt in the air
This is known as the play bow and it's your dog's way of telling you that it's playtime if you want to make your dog's
Day try playing bow back in him your basic downward dog
Yoga pose will do the trick and your pup will be grateful that you're trying to speak his language
Raising a paw means they want attention
Dogs communicate that they want attention by raising a paw and touching you
You probably see this most often when you're sitting and your dog approaches you to put upon your knee in
Puppies this is communicated by pawing the air repeatedly
if
They freeze mid-play. It means they're uncertain
Have you ever approached your dog with a bone and noticed the way he suddenly freezes mid shoe upon noticing you
Freezing in the middle of an action is a clear way dogs communicate that they're feeling uncertain and want to be left alone
If your dog freezes mid shoe or in the middle of another action, it's best to honor his wishes and give them some space
Sometimes when they bring you things it's meant to be a gift
Every once in a while your dog might bring you a ball a stick or another toy
most people read this as an invitation to play which it very well might be
But if your dog brings you one of his favorite toys and drops it at your feet
It's more likely he's giving it to you as a gift
This is your pups way of showing affection for you by sharing his favorite things with you
Tail-chasing can indicate a problem
We all love to watch our dog chases tail in circles from time to time. Let's face it
This can be fun for a few minutes
But the reality is that constant tail chasing can be an indication of a deeper problem such as OCD
That's right. Your dog can suffer from an obsessive compulsive disorder, which may be treatable by your vet
Your dog's tail is trying to tell you something
Have you ever noticed that your dog wags his tail in different directions?
experts agree that if your dog is wagging his tail
To the right he's happy or relaxed but on the other hand if he's wagging his tail to the left
he may be feeling anxious nervous or threatened as
Humans noticing these subtle messages can be hard but you can bet other dogs understand them clearly
Tails help keep your dog balanced
Animal experts believe that the tail evolved as a way to help dogs keep their balance when walking along narrow ledges or paths
While they may no longer need this type of assistance that tail has found numerous other uses
Tail wagging is surprisingly a learned behavior
Dogs did not start wagging their tails the minute. They're born. It's a skill
They need to learn most puppies will start wagging their tail around one and a half months after they're born as they try to
communicate with their siblings and their mother
The dog's tail is an extension of a spine meaning they can injure their tails
Your dog's tail is literally an external extension of the spine
It has its own discs muscles and anchors being more exposed than the remainder of the spine
The tail is far more susceptible to injury but in most cases will recover fully
Many people believe hair from a dog could cure rabies
We've all heard the term hair of the dog, but did you know that this phrase was coined in approximately 23 AD
Roman naturalist and author Pliny
the Elder was said to believe that the best way to cure rabies was to take the ashes from the burnt tail hairs of the
Dog responsible for the bite and rub them in the wound
Following you around means they're attached to you
Of course a dog that follows you around for every step you take isn't completely ideal
Especially in more private places like the bathroom, but you can't deny that
It's completely adorable according to vets of this type of behavior is simply because it's a dog's instinct to always do things with your family
cue the Oz
Licking your body or face means they're easing their stress
Well, some people love it others might find it completely gross
It's a sure thing to say that dogs like giving people a couple clicks every once in a while
what you probably don't know is that getting licks is actually a form of submissive behavior and
Alpes dogs and easing their stress while also showing you some love, of course
Dogs can sense when something is wrong
Dogs don't need to physically speak to their owners to sense that something's wrong or if you're upset
Dogs are also incredibly good at reading body language and will also use their senses to detect if something's wrong
They'll also probably be more than willing to console you if you're feeling down
If your dog is obsessed with your socks, it means he misses you
One thing is turning an old tube sock into a tug of war toy
But when your pump starts stealing all your socks, it can eventually turn into a problem. This actually is a very simple explanation
Your socks carry a stronger scent than the rest of your clothes usually of sweat and yes to a dog's nose. Everyone's feet smell
Many countries have outlawed tail docking
While many breeders and owners in the US have their dogs tails docked. There are many countries around the world such as Australia, Austria, Canada
Finland Greece
Norway and Turkey that have outlawed the practice
Going crazy after a bath is them releasing stress?
So you give your dog a bath and he cooperates because he's a good boy
But as soon as you're done drying him off, he takes off soon
He's running around the house like the speed of light and you're amazed. There are two possible explanations for this one
Is that although your dog is good during bath time?
It's still a stressful experience for him by running around it gives them a way to release the stress
Another reason why they run around is to get the stink of the bath off dogs
Don't really like the clean smell of soap and so running around might get the smell off them
Walking in a circle before laying down is a behavior adopted from their ancestors
Very often dogs walk in circles before setting down for a deep sleep this behavior is actually hardwired in them from prehistoric times
Your pups wild dog ancestors would walk around in circles to make a nest
Which was an area with stomp down grass or underbrush where they could sleep
By doing this it also drives out snakes or large insects that might have bothered them
Going to the bathroom along a north-south axis is instinctual
Dogs aren't just particular about their Nats
But they also like to go number two while being aligned with the north-south axis of the Earth's magnetic field
Researchers were able to prove this by doing a study involving
57 different breeds and they're unsure how the dogs are able to sense the magnetic field or why they have such a specific position
Jumping on you is actually a sign of dominance
Although it may seem like play behavior or an enthusiastic greeting
Jumping up on you is actually a sign that your dog is trying to assert their dominance
Over you by encouraging this behavior with affection you're reinforcing the behavior
Eating poop can be a sign that there's a problem
Yes, one of the grossest things that dog can do eating poop or in more specific terms
Coprophagia is actually a common habit amongst dogs
We may never fully understand why so many dogs enjoy eating feces
there are many theories that include it being a sign of illness or malnutrition or
It's the effect of anxiety and stress or a form of pica. Well, this habit isn't really dangerous to dogs
It's quite disgusting and not exactly healthy
Specific training can help you break this habit
Leaning on you means they just want to be close to you
Does your dog constantly lean on you many dogs like to lean on their owners legs feet or bodies?
This seems especially true in the giant dog breeds
the reason for this is simple your dog wants to be closer to you a
Less common reason for doing this may be a sign of fear or insecurity
Leaning may also be related to separation anxiety, which will show through other signs if you leave your dog alone
Dogs pant to cool themselves down
Panting is a completely normal doggy behavior
However, what's the reason for it dogs pant mostly to cool themselves off?
Because they don't sweat the way humans do dogs have to rely on the exchange of air at their mouths to cool their bodies off
To assist them. We should do our best to keep our dogs cool preventing heat exhaustion and heatstroke
Some dogs can pant due to anxiety stress or fear removing your dog from the situation is the best action you can take
Looking in the mirror is normal
Does your dog look or bark at his reflection?
This behavior is completely normal when you think about it. There's a moving odorless dog that appears in the house
It's probably about as scary as him seeing a ghost
Many dogs eventually learn to ignore the weird spectre
Fear is a complex emotion for dogs
Does the sight of the vacuum cleaner send your dog running and hiding?
Do they run from cars or the dishwasher or maybe even a slippery floor?
You might try to reason their fear with them, but for many dogs ordinary objects can cause a fright for them
Fear is a very complex thing for them. Some dogs develop fears after bad experiences while others develop fears after lack of exposure
Fears can also be made worse by the dog's owner if a dog's afraid whenever the dishwasher starts and the owner either
Reprimands the dog or is overly consoling to him the fear can be reinforced
This is why early socialization and exposure is important to help a dog develop a confident personality
Digging is deep in their DNA
Digging is an extinction elective 'ti and it's written incredibly deep in a dog's DNA. It's also especially strong in terrier breeds
Dogs and natural packs will dig to hide food or to try and uncover food
Like small rodents a den dug in the cool earth can also provide shelter from the heat
Head tilting means they're interested
Strange noises speaking in an unfamiliar tone or even whistling can lead to your dog doing this cue pose
The science-minded is simple, your dogs very sensitive. Hearing is picking something different
They're interested in figuring out what the noise is and how to make sense of it
Biting is used as a form of communication
Puppies nip at their owners while they learn to communicate with their pet parents
It usually happens while they're playing since young dogs often communicate with their mouths in order to interact
It may also happen during training or for perhaps. No reason you can identify if your young pup is a regular nipper
It's important to stop it before it develops into a more problematic dog behavior down the line
Dogs usually bite due to anxiety fear or aggression try to identify, which mood is motivating your pet to bite
Crotch sniffing helps your dog get to know you. Oh
The dreaded and embarrassing crotch sniffing. However
understanding the cause of the behavior will help you realize that your dog isn't trying to be rude if
You've seen two dogs meet for the first time
You know that a dog's version of greeting is sniffing each other's general areas and rear-ends in dogs
These areas contain scent glands that provide information about the dog like their gender and health
Humans also have scent glands that offer clues about who they are
Hence, a dog is just sniffing around in order to get to know the person the behavior isn't harmful
But can be annoying
The best way to train your dog to stop is by rewarding them for sitting still when a guest arrives
Rather than going in for a sniff
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