19 Things Dogs Do And The Meaning Behind Them

We know you love your dogs, but there are times when they behave in ways you don't understand. And sometimes your dog's behavior may be amusing, embarrassing, or just needs to be captured on video. 

On that note, let's talk about the 19 things dogs do and the meaning behind them. 

1. Why do dogs kick when you scratch their belly? Have you ever noticed that when you rub your dog's belly, they start kicking their back leg?

This movement is an involuntary reaction called the Scratch reflex. When you scratch a dog's belly, you activate the nerves under the skin connected to their spinal cord. These nerves send a message to your dog's leg muscles to kick in twitch in an attempt to get rid of an irritant. This is what causes a dog's leg to start voluntarily jerking. 

2. Why do dogs kick their feet after pooping?

While it may look like your dog is trying to cover up his urine and feces, it isn't. By scratching the ground, your dog is releasing the pheromones located in the scent glands of his feet. This is the primary way your dog marks its territory. Your dog wants the other dogs to know that this is his area, and he is an Alpha Dog. And while you think that your dog might be sniffing another dog's poop, they are sniffing the pheromones another dog is left behind from kicking the dirt. This is a unique form of communication where your dog will tell another dog if they sense danger or even let them know about their sexual availability. 

3. Why do dogs drag their bumps on the floor?

This one isn't so humorous, and it shouldn't be embarrassing. Although it may seem so at the time, your dog dragging their bottom on the ground is also known as scooting. And it's almost always a sign that something is irritating your dog, like infection, inflammation, or worms. More often than not, this irritation has to do with anal sac problems are while humans can't relate to it. Dogs have anal sacs located on both sides of their rear end that contain a foul fishy-smelling liquid. These are internal organs which adult uses to communicate with other dogs. These anal sacs can become blocked, inflamed, or abscessed. This is why dogs start scooting. They attempt to relieve the pain and discomfort. Your dog may also try to lick the affected area to feel better. 

4. Why do dogs hump?

May a dog start humping your leg or the leg of a guest in your home? How awkward is that? And what is the meaning behind it? Often, it's not what you think. In general, dogs have something to establish their territory, even a stuffed animal. So when dogs are home, this is not necessarily a sexual activity. They just want to show you, your guest, another dog, or a teddy bear which pet rules the house. Sometimes humping is a sign that the dog is overexcited, seeking attention, or relieving some anxiety. They also have to release energy. And although people generally associate dog humping with male dogs, female dogs do it too. Let's put it this way. If your dog is humping the leg of one of your guests, it could just be their way of greeting them to establish their dominance. If you feel embarrassed by this behavior, you can distract your dog with a toy. 

5. Why do dogs poop along the north-south axis?

If you've ever wondered why your dog seems to do a million circles and then poop facing the same direction each time, this is why after a two-year study involving 70 dogs, it was found that dogs disregard personal preference and prefer to poop facing the north-south magnetic axis. The experiment involved 37 different breeds 5582 years in Asians, and 1893 deprecations dogs tune into the earth's magnetic fields and plan their bowel movements accordingly. So the next time you walk your dog, it might be a good idea to take a compass. Number 16 is why dogs switch in their sleep. Dogs dream during the REM stage of sleep, and those switches are responses to whatever's happening in their goals. 

6. Showing empathy. 

Dogs can sense when you are sad or upset. They show empathy to comfort you when in distress.

7. Sitting on your feet.

Dogs lay or sit on your feet as a sign of marking their territory. They are simply telling other dogs this owner is mine. Dogs also sit on your feet to show you affection, just as you would choose to sit next to a friend or a loved one. 

8. Staring at you so intensely. 

More often than not, dogs dare 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 six 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 a dog stare is simply out of an expression of love. 

9. Squinting their eyes.

Dogs don't squint their eyes to indicate peaceful intentions. If your dogs squint their eyes when they look at you, they express their love and desire for your attention. The dog blinked eyes also indicate that they are not interested in rough play or even a hint of aggression. 

10. Rolling on their back in the grass.

Dogs were rolling the grass for a lot of reasons. They could be scratching an itch or attempting to change their body sense. What smells good to us may smell unpleasant to our dogs. For example, the smell of scented shampoos on dogs may send them running outside to roll on the stinkiest thing they can find. Another reason your dog may proceed in the grass is to mark their territory or deposit their sense by rubbing their scent off on an area like a carpet or a new dog bed they are keeping as theirs. Interestingly enough, rolling on grass is also an instinctual behavior. You are harkening back to the days when your dog's wild ancestors would mask their sense to sneak up on prey. Wolves, for example, have been observed rolling in the droppings of plants eating animals or animal carcasses to cover up their sense during the hunts. This is why you may notice that your dog smells the ground before they roll around on it. Finally, your dog may roll in the grass simply because it feels good. 

11. Hunching over.

A hunched-over posture in dogs can be seen when they are fearful and feeling particularly vulnerable by hunching over dogs try to make themselves small, almost wishing to become invisible. Dogs are also hunched over when they are abused, attacked, or scolded. 

12. Why do dogs lick you?

Dogs may lick you for many reasons; they may want to show you affection and love. They may even want to groom you to show that they care about your well-being, or they may enjoy the taste of your salty skin. However, your dog's licking behavior could be part of its survival instinct to, for example, when was returned to their pups after a meal, they regurgitate meats from the hunts the dogs too young to hunt on their own will lick the flesh from around their mother's mouth. Some believe that this licking behavior has been passed down in the DNA, causing dogs to do it instinctively. Sometimes, licking behavior gets reinforced by a person's reactions like laughing, smiling, or petting your dog will feel rewarded and encouraged by any attention. 

13. Urine marking. 

Some dogs scent mark by urinating small amounts on vertical surfaces. Usually, dogs use their urine to mark areas they consider to be theirs while raising a leg. Marking their territory lets other dogs know that they are present. Urine also signifies the reproductive status of the dog and its ranking. Both male and female dogs can have urine marks. Dogs who aren't neutered or spayed are more likely to mark than those who are. 

14. Fuzzy bagel.

Suppose your dog tucks its paws beneath itself and curls up so that its head rests on its tail. It means that your dog might be trying to conserve body heat and provide protection to the fundamental parts of its body. It's also the most common sleeping position for animals in the wild, as it helps conserve warmth and protects vital organs. This sleeping position is called fuzzy bagel or donuts. 

15. Why do dogs dig dogs deep in your yard?

They may be burying toys or bones to keep them protected from other predators. They may also dig to call themselves off on a hot summer's 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 or just for fun. 

16. Gifts.

If your dog brings you a gift, like a shoe or their favorite toy, it means they love you. It also means your dog wants your attention. 

17. Trashing your furniture.

She was chewing on a wide variety of objects in the house. Regardless of whether you are home or not is probably the result of boredom or separation anxiety. Your dog probably needs more play, exercise, and physical activity to work off the energy.

18. How do dogs communicate, attract attention, and announce their presence?

Dogs may also hell because they are responding to ambulances or police sirens. Believe it or not, these noises are on the same frequency level as their hearing. So when a dog house and a siren, they are simply responding to their fellow helpers. 

19. Why do dogs yawn?

Most people think that a dog who yawns is tired, but that's usually not the case. for dogs, yawning is a form of communication. Dogs yawn when they feel anxious, like when they're in a new environment or surrounded by other dogs. He will see this behavior more often in puppies when they are around unfamiliar dogs. Dogs also yawn, a signal that they are not a threat. If an animal or person approaches a dog, that dog may avert their gaze and yawn is a dog's way of saying that they feel threatened or anxious but are not going to attack dogs. Use this type of body language to avoid conflict. Dogs may also yawn when scolded by a human or in other stress-inducing situations. Yawning is also a way for dogs to curb their enthusiasm when you get out the leash to take them for a walk.