40 Strange Dog Behaviors Explained - Jaw-Dropping Facts about Dogs

as humans it's hard for us to make sense of many canine behaviors and social cues a dog's desire to sniff butts hump legs lick our face and chase their own tail just doesn't translate it turns out your dog has a reason for those weird behaviors in this video we will talk about 40 strange things dogs do and explain the meaning behind them number 40. why dogs kick their feet after pooping while it may look like your dog is trying to cover up its urine and feces it isn't by scratching the ground your dog is releasing the pheromones located in the scent glands of their feet this is the main way your dog marks its territory your dog wants other dogs to know that this is his area number 39 why dogs tilt their head a new study published in the journal animal cognition found that dogs tilt their head when they are intently listening the adorable gesture is related to increased attention so when your dog looks at you attentively while tilting their head they are probably trying to absorb every word number 38 why dogs follow you around the house dogs are pack animals when they are in the wild they do everything together and they are loyal to the pack these social animals went from being wolves living in packs to dogs living with humans dogs follow you around because it's their instinct to want to be with you and do things with their family another reason your dog wants to stay close to your side is positive reinforcement if every time you are with your pup they get affection or Treats they're likely to follow you around more often number 36 why dogs hump when dogs hump it is not necessarily a sexual activity humping can occur when dogs are over excited it's a playful behavior that dogs do to release some energy because no one has told them that it's not acceptable when a pillow or stuffed animal are the objects of your dog's affection there's a good chance the dog is simply gotten excited and over stimulated interestingly enough dogs also hump other dogs and people to express dominance your dog wants to show your guest or another dog which pet rules the house number 35 why dogs jump on you dogs often jump on people as a way to greet them and show excitement it's their way of saying hello and trying to get closer to your face number 34 why dogs stretch when they see you similar to humans dogs stretch to warm up their muscles but you may have also noticed that dogs often stretch their front legs when you come home or when you pick up the leash to take them for a walk this is because your dog is excited and they are getting themselves ready to have fun and play number 33 why dogs stare at you so intently dogs are naturally attached to their owners and they take an interest in what their favorite humans do watching people is how they gather information about our actions dogs also stare to get signals as to what is happening next essentially they are waiting for us to do something that will impact them like picking up the leash to take them for a walk or to perform a specific command like sit and earn a reward dogs also stare to manipulate their owners to get what they want this is a common scenario with begging at the dinner table of course plenty of dog stare is simply out of an expression of Love research has shown that this non-verbal way of communication increases levels of the love hormone called oxytocin in dogs number 32 why dogs Twitch in their sleep dogs dream during the REM stage of sleep and those Twitches are responses to whatever's happening in their dreams number 31 why dogs sniff each other from behind when dogs sniff each other from behind they are trying to gain information about the other dog dogs have anal sex in their rear end that release chemicals and sense that tell a lot about their body to other canines since in this area can provide information about their gender temperament reproductive status diet and health status the chemical scent also helps the dog know if they have met that particular dog before or if they are strangers number 30. why dogs sniff people's crotch dog sniff people's butts for the same reasons they sniff each other's bums the crotch area has a certain type of sweat glands called apocrine glands which produce chemicals that convey social information these chemicals are called pheromones pheromones carry all sorts of information about the age Health sex and mood of the individual when dog smell a person's crotch they are trying to gain information about that person number 29 why dogs kick when you scratch their belly have you ever noticed that when you scratch your dog's belly they start kicking their back leg this movement is an involuntary reaction called scratch reflex when you scratch a dog's belly you activate the nerves under the skin that are connected to their spinal cord these nerves send a message to your dog's leg muscles to kick and Twitch in an attempt to get rid of an irritant this is what causes a dog's legs to start involuntarily jerking number 28 why dogs bring you gifts if your dog brings you a gift like a shoe or their favorite toy it means they love you this is because most dogs are possessive of their belongings when your dog offers to share something with you they're signaling that they fully trust you number 27 why dogs lick you Hogs May lick you for a lot of reasons they may want to show you affection and love they may even want to groom you to show you that they care about your well-being and if you have the taste of some yummy treats on your skin then your pet may have another motive for their licking behavior number 26 seeking approval if you've ever gotten the feeling that your canine is trying to get your approval you're probably right your dog values your opinion and they love to get approval from you for example if they are walking on or off a leash they might glance back in your direction to make sure you're still there and approve of their behavior number 25 why dogs howl dogs howl to attract attention to make contact with others or to announce their presence dogs may also howl because they are responding to ambulance or police sirens Believe It or Not these noises are on the same frequency level as their hearing so when a dog howls at a siren they are simply responding to their fellow helpers in other words howling acknowledges that they hear the sound and express their Readiness to respond or desire to join in the action number 24 destructive Behavior dogs who exhibit destructive Behavior such as tearing up furniture or carpet are often doing so because of stress separation anxiety or boredom dogs are pack animals some dogs feel extremely anxious when they are left alone without their human and they chew to relieve the stress of separation anxiety dogs with high energy levels may also engage in destructive behaviors if they don't have an outlet for their energy through exercise and play on the other hand young puppies who are teething often chew on things to relieve sore gums and soothe their teeth number 23 why dogs nuzzle you you're sitting on the couch watching TV and all of a sudden your dog gives you a nuzzle nuzzling is when your dog pushes or rubs their nose face or head against you more often than not dogs touch their nose or face on you when they want your attention your four-legged friend probably wants to be pet or spend some time with you dogs also nuzzle to show affection and love number 22 why dogs pant more often than not dogs pant to cool themselves down unlike humans dogs aren't able to regulate their temperature using sweat so instead they pant to circulate cool air through their bodies dogs may also pant when they're feeling stressed or anxious you often see this type of panting during visits to the vet during thunderstorms or when fireworks are going off outside interestingly enough panting is also a normal behavioral response when something exciting happens like meeting new people or when you pick up the leash to take them for a walk it's also known as play panting and dogs make this sound when they're especially happy number 21 why dogs chase their own tail when a dog is stressed or bored they might decide to start a game of catch the tail to amuse themselves or release all that pent-up energy that's why puppies chase their tails more often than adult dogs they have tons of puppy energy to release and that wagging tail looks a lot like a toy number 20.

why dogs lick your face does your dog try to lick your lips or stick out their tongue to taste your breath sometimes they do it because they want the food crumbs other times it's about gathering information like what you just had to eat dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell and taste to understand their surroundings interestingly enough your dog's face-licking behavior is part of its survival Instinct too for example when wolves return to their pups after a meal they regurgitate meat from the hunt the pups too young to hunt on their own will lick the meat from around the mother's mouth It is believed by some that this licking Behavior has been passed down in the DNA causing dogs to instinctively do it sometimes of course dogs also lick you to groom you and show you affection number 19. why dogs wink at you if you notice your dog is winking at you they're not flirting with you more often than not dogs wink when they have some irritants in their eye the irritation may be from a physical item such as dust dirt hair or even cleaning sprays if this happens to your dog a little too often make sure to take them to a vet for a checkup number 18. why dogs get the Zoomies some dogs get very hyperactive when they have been in stressful situations they might start running erratically also known as getting the Zoomies as a way of blowing off that stored up stress these dogs may look like they're having a great time but they are often overwhelmed and trying to diffuse or avoid the situation that is making them feel uncomfortable you often see your dog getting the Zoomies when they've been confined in a crate for some time or after a bath number 17.

why dogs eat poop dogs want clean spaces to play and live as much as you do and their most obvious way to rid the environment of waste is by eating it when a mother gives birth to her puppies they don't know anything about using the bathroom so a mother will eat the puppy's feces to keep their den clean if your dog eats the poop of other species it may be because they want to obtain key nutrients the stool of other animals such as Horses contains enzymes and partially digested protein which can be beneficial for a dog's digestive system but remember some dogs eat their own poop because of environmental stress or anxiety Studies have shown that dogs who are kept alone in kennels or basements are more likely to eat poop than those dogs who live close to their people number 16. why dogs lick their paws dogs typically lick their paws as part of self-grooming but if your dog licks their paws too much or begins licking suddenly and only on one paw you may want to take a closer look at their paws your dog may have irritated their paw by stepping on something sharp walking on a hot sidewalk or getting a blister excessive paw licking could also be due to food allergies or parasite infections number 15. why dogs dig dogs dig in your yard for several reasons they may be burying toys or bones to keep them protected from other Predators they may also dig to lie in the cool dirt and cool themselves off on a hot summer day pregnant dogs May dig a hole as a nesting instinct to make a home for their pups but more often than not dogs dig to alleviate boredom burn off extra energy or just for fun number 14.

why dogs eat grass dogs eating grass is actually quite common more often than not dogs eat grass as a way of getting more fiber which helps them digest their food and keep their GI systems healthy eating grass is also a dog's way to relieve upset stomachs in some cases dogs may eat grass because they simply enjoy the texture and taste of grass in their mouth number 13. why dogs urine mark dogs have a strong instinct to establish and defend their territory they often do this by marking with their urine which leaves a scent that signals to other dogs that the area is claimed and belongs to them dogs also employ urine marking as a means of communication by leaving their scent through urine marking they can convey information about their identity sex age and Social Status to other canines this helps them establish a sort of social network with other dogs in the area number 12. why dogs sit on your feet more often than not dogs sit on your feet because they want to be close to you this is a way of showing affection just as you would choose to sit next to a friend or a loved one dogs also sit on you for protection when they are in an unfamiliar environment this means they are fearful or anxious so they sit on your feet or between your legs for security and backing they are looking at you to protect them because they feel safe with you number 11.

why dogs lick each other's private parts not only do dogs smell things out of curiosity they taste and lick things to learn more about their surroundings when you see a dog licking another dog's private parts they are simply getting to know that other dog some of the things they can discover about another canine by licking their privates are age overall health sexual Readiness and even mood dogs also lick each other's private area to practice good hygiene with their friend remember grooming is a sign of affection and it indicates that two dogs are getting along and like each other number 10.