Dogs often leave us scratching our heads with their quirky habits. From circling before lying down to tilting their heads at odd angles, these behaviours might look funny or puzzling to us, but for dogs, they usually serve a very practical purpose.
Understanding why dogs do what they do not only satisfies our curiosity but also helps us connect more deeply with our canine companions.
This article is for general knowledge only and is based on information from reliable online sources. Individual dogs may behave differently depending on breed, training, and environment.
1. Circling Before Lying Down
Wild ancestors passed down this peculiar spinning ritual to our modern canine friends. When wolves lived in grasslands, circling helped flatten vegetation to create a comfortable resting spot.
The behaviour also allowed them to check for threats and dangerous creatures like snakes or insects. Even though your pampered pooch sleeps on a plush bed, this ancient instinct remains hardwired in their brain.
Fun fact: Some dogs circle more times when anxious, using the familiar routine as a self-soothing mechanism.
2. Head Tilting
Your furry friend isn’t just trying to look adorable when cocking their head to the side. This charming gesture actually helps them locate sound sources more precisely by adjusting their outer ears.
Dogs also tilt their heads to see your face better, especially if they have longer muzzles that might block their view. The behaviour indicates they’re paying attention and processing what you’re saying or showing them.
Some experts believe head tilting shows dogs are trying to understand human emotions and language.
3. Eating Grass
Watching your carnivorous companion suddenly graze like a cow can be puzzling. Many dogs munch on grass to soothe mild stomach discomfort, their natural way of inducing vomiting when something doesn’t feel right inside.
Others simply enjoy the taste or texture of certain grasses. Dogs are opportunistic omnivores, not strict meat-eaters, and wild canids regularly consume plant material.
The behaviour is typically harmless unless they’re eating grass treated with chemicals or showing signs of illness afterward.
4. Sniffing Other Dogs’ Behind
Awkward as it seems to humans, this canine greeting reveals a sophisticated communication system. The anal glands near a dog’s tail produce unique scent signatures, like fingerprints for dogs.
One quick sniff tells them the other dog’s gender, diet, emotional state, and reproductive status. This information exchange happens faster than any human conversation.
Dogs possess up to 300 million scent receptors compared to our mere 6 million, making their world primarily scent-based rather than visual like ours.
5. Digging Holes
Your garden might suffer, but digging fulfills several important needs for your four-legged friend. During hot weather, dogs create cooling pits by exposing cooler soil beneath the surface.
Many bury treasured items like bones or toys for safekeeping, following ancient food-storage instincts. Terriers were specifically bred to dig out burrowing animals, making this behaviour especially strong in these breeds.
The activity also provides mental stimulation and physical exercise, a doggy workout that releases stress and excess energy.
6. Humping Objects
Most owners cringe when their dog mounts a pillow or stuffed animal, especially with company present. Surprisingly, this behaviour often has nothing to do with reproduction.
Dogs frequently hump when overstimulated or excited, it’s their way of releasing emotional energy. Young puppies practice mounting as part of normal play and social development.
In multi-dog households, humping can also establish or maintain social rank. The behaviour usually decreases after spaying or neutering but may not disappear completely.
7. Carrying Toys Around
That threadbare stuffed duck your dog refuses to part with reveals their pack mentality. Wolves carry precious items back to their den, and your domestic companion follows similar instincts.
Female dogs sometimes treat toys as surrogate puppies, carrying them gently and creating nesting areas. The behaviour often intensifies during false pregnancies.
For many dogs, a favorite toy provides comfort during stress or separation anxiety, similar to a child’s security blanket. This explains why some dogs greet you with a toy when you return home.
8. Sleeping On Their Backs
A dog sprawled belly-up with paws in the air isn’t just being silly, they’re displaying complete trust in their environment. This position leaves vital organs exposed and makes quick escape impossible.
The posture also helps regulate body temperature by exposing less-furry areas to cooler air. You’ll notice this sleeping style more often during summer months.
Watching your dog sleep this way should make you proud! It means they feel absolutely safe in your home and have no worries about potential threats.
9. Howling At Sirens
The moment a siren wails in the distance, some dogs can’t help joining the chorus. This musical response taps into ancient wolf communication systems where howls helped pack members locate each other across vast territories.
High-pitched sounds like sirens or musical instruments often resemble other dogs’ howls to canine ears. Your dog might believe they’re answering another dog’s call.
Northern breeds like Huskies and Malamutes typically howl more frequently than other dogs, staying true to their wolf-like ancestry.
10. Rolling In Smelly Things
Nothing ruins a freshly bathed dog faster than finding something putrid to roll in! This disgusting habit actually served an important purpose for wild canids, masking their scent while hunting.
Predators with strong personal odors had difficulty sneaking up on prey. By rolling in decaying matter or animal droppings, they became olfactory ninjas.
Modern dogs might also roll in strong smells as a way of bringing information back to their pack. It’s their version of saying, “Look what I found!” even if we’d rather they didn’t.
