04 Jun Strange dog Movements and Their Meaning

There’s no doubt that each dog has his unique personality and behaviours. But there’re some movements and behaviours in all dog breeds that are a bit weird for humans. If you have a dog, you know what we mean. For example, why does he tilt his head and look at you when you ask your dog a question? Why do dogs follow their tails and turn around? What do dog movements mean, and why do they do these things? Today we want to talk about dog behaviour and tell you the meaning of dog movements. So stay tuned.

Some important dog movements

Why does he tilt his head and stare when I talk to my dog?

Most dogs turn their heads and stare at us when asked a question. This movement also involves hearing sounds and seeing things that do not understand. It’s mainly seen in puppies and gives the dog a funny appearance. But it has several meanings:

The dog tilts its head to hear or see better; because the dog’s snout may prevent the dog from seeing altogether, or the dog’s ears (especially dogs with dormant ears) may prevent them from hearing fully. So when you ask him a question and tilts his head, he does his best to understand what you mean.

Why is my dog ​​used to eating everything?

Chewing on puppies due to teething and itchy gums is entirely normal. By buying dental toys and chewing treats, you can help the puppy and save the furniture from being damaged. But sometimes, adult dogs also get into the habit of chewing on shoes and pillows, causing many problems for their owners. In adult dogs, this habit is considered a behavioural problem and often occurs due to stress and separation anxiety. Especially dogs that are left alone for a long time get used to chewing.

Why do dogs follow their tails and spin?

It’s one of the funniest and weirdest dog movements in most dog breeds. In many cases, this behaviour is a kind of game and entertainment for the dog, and there’s no specific reason. But if your dog does it a lot or starts chewing when he grabs his tail, it may be a sign of skin or anal problem. Behavioural problems and obsessions can also cause this strange movement in the dogs. If you think this movement is more than just a hobby and a game, talk to your veterinarian.

Why do dogs jump on each other?

When your dog sees a new dog and wants to befriend him, he may jump on him. This movement is completely normal in dogs, and contrary to your thought, this jump isn’t always a sign of sexual behaviour and desire to mate; It doesn’t even mean dominating that one dog.

Jumping dogs on each other are a kind of play and fun. Even your dog may jump on you or on objects to get your attention and tell you: Let’s play! But note that the size of the dogs is critical. If your dog is huge, the below one may be annoyed; In that case, you must separate them. But the behaviour is entirely normal, and it’s better to let them continue to play. Of course, you can get rid of the habit of jumping on people by training dogs; Otherwise, they may jump on every guest who comes to your house, and well, they may not like it very much.

Why do dogs lick us?

One of the most common dog movements is that they start licking our head and face when they reach us. As you may have guessed, dog licking is a way to show his feelings and love for us, and it’s a bit like a dog kiss! Dogs may also lick us to get our attention or to be delicious! Most dog owners have no problem with this dog movement and even like it. But if you’re one of those people who don’t want your dog to lick, you can get rid of this habit with training. Whenever he stops licking, use the dog’s treat to understand that he can get your approval by not licking.

Why do dogs smell behind each other?

Another movement of dogs when they meet is to smell each other’s back and anus. Dogs sense of smell is at least 10,000 times better than ours. Thanks to their unique olfactory system, dogs can detect different body odours. They know the world around them through smell, and smelling two dogs is to get to know each other; Because the anal and genital area of ​​dogs have the most concentrated odour. It’s interesting to know that a dog learns about sex, mood, diet and many other things by smelling the dog’s back! So it’s an excellent way to get to know another dog.

Why do dogs have a habit of digging?

One of the annoying dogs’ habits is the habit of digging holes. This habit is more common in some breeds, such as Huskies, and if you ignore them for a few minutes, they will start digging holes in the ground. Dogs usually do this out of boredom and clumsiness. But some dogs dig holes to hide their favourite toy or food from other dogs. Also, when the weather is sweltering, they dig holes to find a cool place underground. To prevent this movement, you must first understand its reason. There are two reasons for this:

• Boredom: If he is bored, you didn’t give him enough time, and his energy isn’t depleted.
• Heat: If your dog does this because of the heat, take him to a cooler place.

Why does my dog ​​bite all the time?

The reason puppies bite is that they want to get to know the world around them through their mouths, and they may bite you when playing and communicating with you. As you know, dog biting at a young age isn’t a violent and dangerous behaviour at all and is because of playfulness and affection. You have to teach your dog from the very beginning not to do it anymore. Because the puppy biting is very slow and tolerable, sometimes, when he becomes a significant adult dog, the biting will get stronger and more painful. Dogs may also bite due to anxiety, stress, fear and anger. If grinding your dog has become a severe problem and you can’t do anything, it’s better to get help from a professional dog trainer or read dog training books.

Why does my dog ​​spin around before lying down?

It’s one of the strangest dog movements! The dog goes to his place to sleep and spins around before lying down! You must seek the root and meaning of this dog movement in the behaviour of his wolf ancestors. The first reason is security. Wild dogs sleep in nature, on grass and before going to sleep, they walk around their place to escape insects and animals such as snakes. It also tramples the grass, and other dogs realise that it belongs to another one. Of course, it makes the meadow flat and provides a comfortable and safe place for the dog and his puppies. Also, if any sharp or stiff object is on the ground, the dog will notice. 

Why do dogs pant?

One of the most common movements of dogs is sticking out their tongue and panting. It’s interesting to know that dogs don’t sweat and expel heat through panting, so dogs usually breathe more after running and exercising. If you see that your dog is panting in the summer, take him to a cooler place and give your dog cool freshwater. Ignoring this problem can cause overheating in your dog. Of course, some dogs may also breathe due to stress, fear and anxiety. Even abnormal breath and a lot of panting can be a sign of illness or injury; So be aware of the movements of your dear dog. 

Why does my dog ​​eat faeces?

One of the worst and most common movements of some dogs is eating faeces. Coprophagia is a strange but typical behaviour in dogs that haven’t yet been identified for a specific reason, and we still don’t know why some dogs should enjoy eating their faeces! Various theories explain this strange dog behaviour: a sign of anxiety, stress, illness, malnutrition, or some omnivorous eating disorder. This bad habit may start in the dog from birth and continue until adulthood. This behaviour isn’t hazardous in dogs, but you can break this habit with the help of a professional dog trainer.

Why does my dog ​​fill his mouth with food and go and eat somewhere else?

Does your dog have these strange behaviours and movements? This behaviour seems to be rooted first in the lives of their ancestors in nature. By doing this, the dog wants to keep the food out of the reach of other dogs and competitors and find a safe place to eat his food. Interestingly, even after thousands of domestication dogs and the constant food availability, some dogs still retain this ancestral habit.

Of course, sometimes the reason is that the dog doesn’t like the food container, its location or the height, depth and material of the container to eat. This behaviour is not a bad and dangerous thing, but we didn’t always give dry food to the dog. If we give him canned or juicy food and want to take a food piece to another place in the house, imagine what will happen! Therefore, change the material of the container or its position and leave it somewhere away. If the container is high, lower it slightly. If the dish is very flat and, bring a deeper dish. In short, try to understand how the dog is satisfied to eat from the plate.

Why does my dog ​​eat grass?

Imagine taking your dog for a walk in a park or nature, and you see him suddenly start eating and digging grass with greed! Have you ever encountered such a thing? Of course, there’s no need to worry at all, and this movement is completely normal and harmless for dogs. There’re two reasons for this dog movement:

• One is that eating grass (especially when adequately swallowed and not chewed) helps the dog digest and excrete. The sharp edges of the grass tickle and irritate the dog’s digestive system and intestines, and the stool comes out more quickly. In this way, the dog instinctively treats his digestive problem by eating grass.
• Sometimes the dog likes the grass taste. This taste can be seen more in some dog breeds than others who want to have some grass and vegetables in their diet.

This behaviour isn’t objectionable, and veterinarians consider it safe; be careful that the grass your dog is eating isn’t contaminated with toxins, fertilisers and chemicals. So the dog doesn’t have a problem or disease.

Why do dogs howl when they hear an ambulance siren or some songs?

There’re some hilarious videos in cyberspace of this dog’s movement that they start howling when they hear a song. Well, we still have to look at the wolf’s ancestors to understand the origins and meaning of this dog movement. Howling is a way of communication for wolves as well as wild dogs. They howl to announce their presence to others who are far away. When a dog hears a siren or some musical instrument such as a clarinet or flute, he thinks it’s another sound because he resembles a howl and responds to a hypothetical dog by howling.

In this article, we found out the meaning of dog movements that are a little strange. Dogs are lovable and loyal creatures that fascinate humans with their abnormal behaviours. But too much repetition of these cute behaviours can indicate a possible illness or problem. So you should constantly monitor your dog’s behaviour and reactions carefully so that you can avoid the occurrence of a dangerous situation on time. Mishka Grooming’s specialised team accompany you in all stages of training, grooming, cleanliness, hygiene and health of your dog. Therefore you can safely enjoy being with your dog.