15 Odd Dog Behaviors and What They Actually Mean

00:01 If you live with a dog, you probably

00:02 know that they exhibit some [music]

00:04 strange behaviors which pique our

00:06 curiosity.

00:07 In this video, we will talk about 15

00:10 strange [music] things dogs do and

00:11 explain the meaning behind them.

00:17 Number 15. [music]

00:19 Why dogs eat grass.

00:21 You are out on a walk or in the backyard

00:24 >> [music]

00:24 >> and your dog suddenly drops their nose

00:26 to the ground and starts chomping on

00:27 grass like a little cow.

00:30 This is one of the most commonly

00:31 observed and most frequently

00:32 misunderstood dog behaviors. Many people

00:34 assume that dogs eat grass [music] only

00:36 when they feel sick and want to vomit.

00:39 But studies have shown that the majority

00:40 of grass-eating dogs show no signs of

00:43 illness beforehand and do not vomit

00:46 afterward.

00:47 So, what is [music] actually going on?

00:50 Dogs are omnivores by nature and grass

00:53 [music] may simply provide fiber, plant

00:55 nutrients, or digestive benefits that

00:57 they instinctively [music] seek out.

00:59 It is also thought to be a behavior

01:01 inherited from their wild ancestors

01:02 >> [music]

01:03 >> who regularly consume the stomach

01:04 contents of their prey

01:06 which often included plant matter.

01:08 >> [music]

01:09 >> In most cases, grass-eating is

01:10 completely harmless.

01:12 The main concern is making sure the

01:14 grass has not been treated with

01:15 pesticides or fertilizers [music]

01:17 which can be toxic to dogs.

01:23 Number 14. [music]

01:26 Why dogs tilt their head.

01:29 >> [music]

01:29 >> Few things are more instantly charming

01:31 than a dog tilting their head to one

01:32 side while you talk to them.

01:35 But there is more going on than just

01:36 being cute.

01:38 When dogs tilt their heads, they are

01:39 trying to hear you better.

01:41 Dogs have mobile outer ears that they

01:43 can adjust to better capture sound

01:45 >> [music]

01:45 >> and tilting the head helps them pinpoint

01:47 where a sound is coming from and filter

01:49 out background noise.

01:51 Some researchers also believe that dogs

01:53 tilt their heads to see your face more

01:55 clearly.

01:56 A dog's muzzle

01:57 >> [music]

01:57 >> can actually obstruct their lower field

01:59 of vision

02:00 and tilting the head to one side shifts

02:02 the muzzle out of the way allowing them

02:04 to read your facial [music] expressions

02:06 more accurately.

02:08 Dogs are exceptionally good at reading

02:10 human emotions through our faces [music]

02:12 and the head tilt may be part of how

02:14 they do it.

02:15 If your dog tilts their head a lot when

02:16 you speak to them

02:18 it is a sign they are engaged attentive

02:20 >> [music]

02:21 >> and trying their hardest to understand

02:22 you.

02:26 Number 13.

02:28 Why dogs yawn.

02:30 You might assume your dog yawns for the

02:32 same reason you do, because they are

02:34 tired.

02:35 >> [music]

02:35 >> And sometimes that is true, but dogs

02:37 also yawn as a calming signal, which is

02:39 a form of nonverbal communication used

02:41 [music] to manage social tension.

02:43 When a dog feels stressed,

02:45 uncomfortable, or wants to de-escalate a

02:47 situation

02:48 they will often yawn as a way of

02:50 signaling [music] to other dogs or to

02:52 people that they mean no harm and want

02:54 things to stay calm.

02:56 You will often see a dog yawn during a

02:58 vet visit, when being approached by a

03:00 stranger, or when their owner is

03:02 speaking to them in a firm tone. [music]

03:04 If you notice your dog yawning in

03:06 situations that do not involve

03:07 sleepiness

03:09 pay attention to the [music] context.

03:11 They are likely trying to tell you

03:12 something about how they are feeling.

03:15 You can even try yawning back at your

03:16 dog.

03:18 Many dogs recognize it as a calming

03:19 [music] gesture

03:21 and will respond to it.

03:25 Number 12. [music]

03:28 Why dogs roll in smelly things.

03:31 You just gave your dog a bath. They

03:33 smell [music] clean and fresh.

03:36 You let them outside for 5 minutes and

03:37 they come back covered in [music]

03:38 something absolutely disgusting. Rolling

03:41 in strong, unpleasant smells is one of

03:44 the most baffling behaviors dogs engage

03:46 in and the leading theory goes back to

03:48 their wild ancestors. Wolves and wild

03:51 dogs are thought to [music] roll in

03:53 strong scents to mask their own smell

03:55 while hunting making it easier to

03:57 approach prey without being detected.

04:00 Another theory suggests that by rolling

04:02 in an interesting [music] scent a dog is

04:04 essentially collecting a sample to bring

04:06 back and share with the rest of the

04:08 pack, a form of scent communication.

04:11 Whatever the reason

04:13 the behavior is deeply hardwired [music]

04:15 which is why even the most well-trained

04:17 dogs will give in to it the moment they

04:19 find the right patch of something

04:21 revolting to roll in.

04:26 Number 11.

04:27 Why dogs [music] dig.

04:30 Dogs dig for a variety of reasons and

04:32 understanding which one applies to your

04:34 dog depends on the context. In the wild,

04:37 dogs dug to bury food and save it for

04:39 later, to create cool resting spots in

04:41 warm weather, to build dens for

04:43 birthing, and to flush out [music] small

04:45 prey

04:46 hiding underground.

04:48 Domestic dogs retain all of these

04:50 instincts.

04:51 If your dog digs in a specific corner of

04:53 the yard and seems to be burying toys or

04:55 treats

04:56 they are engaging in caching [music]

04:58 behavior

04:59 saving resources for later.

05:02 If they are digging [music] shallow

05:03 scrapes in the dirt or grass and then

05:06 lying in them, they are creating a cool

05:08 surface to rest [music] on.

05:10 And if they are digging frantically and

05:11 persistently near the fence line,

05:13 >> [music]

05:13 >> they may be trying to escape out of

05:15 boredom or frustration.

05:17 Dogs that do not get enough exercise and

05:19 mental stimulation [music]

05:21 are much more likely to dig excessively

05:23 as a way of releasing pent-up energy.

05:29 Number 10.

05:31 Why [music] dogs sleep with open eyes.

05:35 Yes, you read that right.

05:37 Some dogs sleep with their eyes

05:39 partially open and if you have ever

05:41 witnessed it, it can be [music]

05:42 genuinely startling.

05:44 But what you are actually seeing is not

05:46 the surface of the eyeball.

05:49 Dogs have a third eyelid, a pinkish

05:51 [music] membrane called the nictitating

05:52 membrane

05:54 that sweeps across the eye when a dog is

05:56 asleep to keep it moist and protected.

05:59 When the dog is awake, this membrane

06:01 retracts to the inner corner of the eye.

06:04 Some theories suggest that dogs evolved

06:06 this ability

06:07 >> [music]

06:07 >> as a survival adaptation.

06:10 Sleeping while appearing to be awake

06:12 could trick predators into thinking

06:14 [music] the dog was still alert and

06:15 ready to respond.

06:18 So, if your dog looks like they are

06:19 staring at you with [music] glazed,

06:20 half-open eyes while completely passed

06:22 out, do not be alarmed.

06:25 They are simply sleeping with their

06:26 third eyelid [music] doing its job.

06:32 Number nine.

06:34 Why dogs [music] pant.

06:37 More often than not, dogs pant to cool

06:39 themselves down.

06:40 Unlike humans, dogs [music] are not able

06:42 to regulate their body temperature using

06:44 sweat across their skin.

06:46 They only have sweat glands on their paw

06:48 pads, which are not sufficient to cool

06:51 the whole body.

06:52 So, instead, they pant which circulates

06:54 cool air through their bodies and

06:56 evaporates water from the mouth tongue,

06:59 and upper respiratory tract, [music]

07:01 releasing heat in the process.

07:04 Dogs may also pant when they are feeling

07:06 stressed [music] or anxious.

07:08 You will often see this type of panting

07:10 during visits to the vet, [music] during

07:12 thunderstorms, or when fireworks are

07:13 going off outside.

07:15 In these situations, the panting is

07:16 often accompanied by other signs of

07:18 stress [music] like yawning, whining,

07:20 lip licking, or hiding.

07:22 Panting is also a normal response to

07:24 excitement. Meeting new people, [music]

07:26 anticipating a walk, or receiving a

07:28 treat can all trigger a panting

07:30 response.

07:31 The key is reading the panting in

07:32 context with the rest of your dog's body

07:35 language.

07:39 Number eight.

07:40 >> [music]

07:40 >> Why dogs lick your face. Dogs lick the

07:43 faces of the people they are bonded with

07:44 for several deeply rooted reasons.

07:46 [music]

07:47 First, it is a submissive and

07:48 affectionate gesture inherited from wolf

07:50 behavior.

07:51 Puppies lick the mouths of adult wolves

07:53 to solicit food and to express [music]

07:55 deference.

07:57 When your dog licks your face they are

07:59 partially acting on the same instinct

08:01 [music] or showing respect and affection

08:03 towards someone they see as a trusted

08:05 authority figure.

08:08 Licking is also a bonding behavior.

08:09 >> [music]

08:10 >> It releases endorphins in dogs and makes

08:12 them feel calm and connected.

08:14 And of course, human [music] faces often

08:16 carry traces of food, sweat, and other

08:19 interesting flavors that [music] dogs

08:20 find genuinely appealing.

08:23 >> [clears throat]

08:23 >> If your dog is an enthusiastic face

08:25 licker, they are almost certainly

08:27 expressing love, though you are also

08:29 probably just a little bit [music]

08:30 tasty.

08:34 Number seven.

08:36 Why dogs [music] circle before pooping.

08:39 Dogs circle before they poop for several

08:41 reasons. By spinning [music] in circles

08:43 before relieving themselves, your dog is

08:45 making sure there are no threats hiding

08:47 in the grass.

08:49 Going to the bathroom puts [music]

08:50 anyone in a vulnerable position

08:52 and if a dog is squatting

08:54 they cannot easily protect themselves.

08:57 Circling allows them to survey the area

08:59 and make sure it is safe before [music]

09:00 committing.

09:02 Scent marking their territory is another

09:04 reason why dogs circle before they

09:06 eliminate.

09:07 Dogs have scent glands on their paws so

09:10 as they spin [music] and step across the

09:11 ground, they are leaving behind chemical

09:13 messages for other dogs.

09:15 Interestingly

09:17 researchers have also concluded that

09:18 dogs prefer to align their bodies along

09:21 the Earth's north-south magnetic axis

09:23 when defecating.

09:25 By circling before going your dog may be

09:27 trying to [music] find that precise

09:28 alignment.

09:30 Sounds strange, but the data is

09:31 surprisingly consistent across multiple

09:33 studies.

09:37 Number six.

09:39 Why dogs bring you their toys. [music]

09:42 When you come home after a long day and

09:43 your dog races to greet you with a toy

09:46 hanging from their mouth, [music]

09:47 it is tempting to simply think they want

09:49 to play.

09:50 And sometimes they do.

09:52 But there is often something more

09:53 meaningful going on.

09:56 Dogs bring their [music] owners toys as

09:57 a form of gift giving,

09:59 a behavior rooted in the pack mentality

10:01 [music] of their ancestors.

10:04 In a pack, sharing resources is a sign

10:06 of trust [music] and affection.

10:08 Your dog bringing you a toy is their way

10:10 of welcoming you, showing you they are

10:12 happy to see you,

10:13 and offering you something [music]

10:14 valuable.

10:16 Some dogs do it because they have

10:18 learned that presenting a toy gets a

10:19 positive [music] reaction from their

10:21 owner, praise, attention, play, and they

10:24 repeat it for that reward.

10:27 Either way, [music] a dog that greets

10:28 you with a toy

10:30 is a dog that is genuinely excited you

10:33 came home.

10:37 Number five.

10:39 >> [music]

10:40 >> Why dogs smell people's crotches.

10:43 Dogs sniff people's crotches for the

10:45 same reasons they sniff each other's

10:47 behinds.

10:49 The growing area has a high

10:50 concentration of apocrine [music]

10:52 glands, the same type of glands found

10:54 near a dog's tail that release

10:55 pheromones carrying detailed social

10:57 information.

10:58 When a dog sniffs a person in this area,

11:01 they are trying to gain information

11:02 about that individual, [music]

11:04 including their age, sex, health, and

11:07 emotional state.

11:09 Humans may find this behavior

11:10 embarrassing or rude, but to a dog, it

11:13 is simply a straightforward [music] and

11:14 efficient way of gathering information

11:17 about someone new.

11:19 People who have recently had sexual

11:20 intercourse, women who are menstruating

11:22 or pregnant,

11:23 >> [music]

11:23 >> and individuals who are experiencing

11:24 high stress or illness, tend to attract

11:27 more of this attention

11:29 because their pheromone output is

11:30 higher.

11:31 The best way to discourage the behavior

11:34 is [music] to redirect your dog calmly

11:35 rather than reacting with alarm, as an

11:38 excited reaction can [music] actually

11:40 reinforce it.

11:44 Number four.

11:45 Why dogs expose their belly to you.

11:48 More often than [music] not,

11:50 belly exposing behavior in dogs

11:52 indicates trust and acceptance. When

11:55 your dog rolls over and shows you

11:56 [music] their belly, it is a sign that

11:58 they feel completely safe around you and

12:00 comfortable enough to expose [music] one

12:01 of their most vulnerable areas.

12:04 But belly exposing behavior can also

12:06 mean something altogether different.

12:07 [music]

12:09 A dog may roll onto their back as a

12:11 submissive display to avoid

12:12 confrontation,

12:13 >> [music]

12:13 >> not because they want a belly rub, but

12:15 because they are appeasing a perceived

12:17 threat.

12:18 In the wild, wolf pack members would

12:20 adopt this submissive posture to diffuse

12:22 [music] social tension and show they are

12:23 not a challenge.

12:25 To know whether your dog is showing

12:26 trust or submission, [music]

12:28 look at the whole body.

12:30 A dog that feels safe will have a loose,

12:31 [music] relaxed posture with a gently

12:34 wagging tail.

12:35 A dog showing submissive appeasement

12:37 will often look tense,

12:38 >> [music]

12:38 >> freeze up, or show other signs of

12:40 anxiety.

12:42 Petting a dog in the second scenario can

12:44 actually make them more nervous rather

12:45 than less.

12:50 Number three.

12:52 Why dogs follow you everywhere.

12:55 There are straightforward [music]

12:56 scientific and behavioral reasons behind

12:59 a dog's tendency to follow their owner

13:01 from room to room.

13:03 Over thousands of years of

13:04 domestication, [music]

13:06 humans selectively bred dogs for

13:07 companionship and cooperation.

13:10 These animals evolved from wolves who

13:12 lived in [music] tightly bonded packs,

13:14 and that social wiring did not

13:15 disappear.

13:17 It simply redirected toward humans.

13:18 [music]

13:20 Your dog follows you because you are

13:21 their pack, and being near you feels

13:23 [music] natural and safe.

13:26 Positive reinforcement also plays a

13:27 role.

13:29 If being close to you regularly results

13:31 in affection, [music]

13:32 treats, play, or exciting activities

13:34 like walks, your dog quickly [music]

13:36 learns that staying near you is a

13:38 reliable source of good things.

13:40 Young puppies in particular imprint

13:42 strongly on their caregivers, seeing

13:44 them as parental figures and following

13:45 them [music] instinctively. And of

13:47 course, at its most basic level, a dog

13:50 that follows you everywhere

13:53 is a dog that loves you

13:55 and simply [music] wants to be where you

13:57 are.

14:01 Number two.

14:03 Why dogs take your spot. You get up from

14:06 your chair or your spot on [music] the

14:08 couch, and by the time you come back,

14:10 your dog has fully claimed it and is

14:12 looking at you with complete

14:13 satisfaction.

14:15 Dogs steal your seat primarily [music]

14:16 because of the warmth and scent you

14:18 leave behind.

14:19 Your body heats up whatever surface you

14:21 sit on,

14:21 >> [music]

14:22 >> and dogs are drawn to warm resting

14:23 spots.

14:25 Your scent also lingers on the cushion,

14:28 and being surrounded by your smell is

14:30 comforting and reassuring to a dog that

14:32 is bonded to you.

14:34 There is also a social element to it.

14:36 Dogs with a [music] pack mentality enjoy

14:38 being in close contact with the things

14:40 and places associated with their family

14:42 [music] members.

14:44 Sitting in your spot is their way of

14:45 staying connected to you even when you

14:47 are not [music] there.

14:49 Some dogs also do it specifically to

14:51 prompt you to sit beside them when you

14:53 come back, which from their perspective

14:55 is a perfect [music] outcome.

15:00 Number one.

15:01 Why dogs eat snow.

15:04 More often than not, dogs eat snow

15:06 because [music] they are thirsty.

15:08 Winter brings very dry air, and dogs

15:10 lose a significant amount of body

15:12 moisture through their breath and

15:13 panting.

15:15 Before dogs were domesticated, their

15:16 ancestors [music] in colder climates

15:18 often had to rely on eating snow to stay

15:21 hydrated when liquid water was not

15:23 available.

15:24 Snow [music] eating is an instinctive

15:26 behavior passed down through genetics.

15:28 If you think your dog's [music] bowl

15:29 still has plenty of water,

15:32 keep in mind that dogs often prefer

15:34 fresher water. [music]

15:36 Freshly fallen snow can seem more

15:38 appealing than water that has been

15:40 sitting in a bowl for hours.

15:42 Dogs also [music] eat snow simply

15:44 because they enjoy it.

15:46 Snow is soft, cold, and unpredictable to

15:48 catch, and many dogs find it genuinely

15:50 entertaining to snap at and eat.

15:54 As long as the snow is [music] clean,

15:56 eating it in limited quantities is

15:57 generally safe.

16:00 The main danger comes from snow that may

16:01 have been contaminated by [music]

16:03 antifreeze, road salt, or other

16:05 chemicals, which can be seriously

16:07 harmful to dogs.

16:09 So, let them enjoy it, but keep an eye

16:11 on where they are eating it from.

16:17 So, there you have it. 15 strange

16:19 [music] things dogs do, all explained.

16:21 Dogs are fascinating, complex animals,

16:23 [music] and every behavior they exhibit

16:25 has a reason behind it.

16:27 The more you understand what your dog is

16:29 communicating,

16:30 the stronger and [music] more rewarding

16:32 your bond with them will become.

16:34 If you enjoyed this video, give it a

16:36 thumbs up, and leave [music] a comment

16:38 below telling us the strangest thing

16:40 your dog has ever done.

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