Dogs: they are known as “Man’s Best Friend“, but just because they’ve earned the illustrious title doesn’t mean the creatures’ intentions are always apparent.
Take our pooch, for instance. Sometimes we feel like he understands us better than any other person could, but there sure are other times when his actions have us scratching our heads!
To help solve these mysteries once and for all, we scoured the internet for clues that may give us some better insight as to what our doggies are trying to communicate. Here are 7 decoded pup behaviors that ended up surprising us the most…
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Your canine is too curious to stay out of the bathroom
Does your dog try his darndest to follow you into the bathroom? Ours too! Don’t worry, your dog’s not a peeping Tom; he’s either just plain lonely or perhaps even curious about what’s going on behind that closed door.
To let your dog know that you need some privacy, veterinarian Dr. Kathryn Primm suggests tossing a toy his way. Makes sense!
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Your doggy nips or bites
Anyone with a puppy knows exactly where we’re going with this one! Just the same, it doesn’t mean that you need to put up with this behavior, especially as he transitions from puppyhood to doghood.
Veterinarian Dr. Kristy Conn says that your dog could be nipping for a variety of reasons—from possessiveness to fear—but the best way to make him stop is to prevent this behavior from occurring in the first place.
Always exercise with your dog regularly, stay clear of aggressive games, and socialize him when he’s still young. If the biting continues, take him to the vet for a full examination; the aggression could be a sign of an underlying painful medical condition.
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Your pet presses his head against walls
Interestingly, this is a behavior that should be on the radar for cat owners, too! A pet pressing his forehead to a hard surface, like a wall, makes for a cute sight, but it could mean that he is dealing with something rather dangerous.
You see, “head-pressing” is actually a symptom of neurological disorders, like meningitis, strokes, or brain tumors, just to name a few. So, if you see Rover doing this, it’s time to pay your vet a visit—STAT!
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Your dog destroys your garden
While we sure love active pooches, we definitely don’t love it when they take their energy out on our yards! Now, it’s important to note that, if your dog does this, he’s not trying to be destructive; he’s probably just following his natural instincts.
Some pups dig because they want to hide bones, some do it to create a den, or some may simply like the smell of your fertilizer. If you’re not “digging” this unwanted excavation, experts suggest providing your dog a small patch of soft soil where he can have at it. It may mean fewer peonies for you, but more peace of mind for your pooch!
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Your pup gets too close for comfort
Some people may not mind a little lick on the face from their dog, but when it crosses into French kissing territory, we can all agree that boundaries need to be established!
Though there is a host of reasons why he may feel the need to get THIS close with you – from affection to hunger to grooming instincts – his mouth isn’t clean enough for you to put up with the behavior. First, alert your vet—obsessive licking could be the sign of a dangerous disorder.
Once your pooch is cleared, you can try training him to stop by walking out of the room when he starts licking, teaching him challenging tricks to build his confidence, or even rubbing a bit of lemon spray on your skin to make it less appealing.
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Your dog pees where he shouldn’t
There’s nothing worse than coming home to house stinking of urine! If this is a common occurrence for you—and you’re sure that your pooch is healthy and is being taken outside enough—it may mean that he is marking his territory due to anxiety, a new environment, or reproductive urges.
To curb this stinky (and often costly!) problem, catching him during the act, rewarding him for peeing outside, and removing the urine smell with an enzyme-based cleanser are all good ways to start.
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Your pup sleeps on your feet
Believe it or not, our feet are pretty precious to dogs! He may cuddle up to them to show affection if he’s anxious and needs some comfort, or even if he’s showing a bit of dominance over you. Sure it may not be the most convenient behavior—especially if you need to get up off the couch! —but it’s also one of those ones that doesn’t really NEED too much attention if you ask us.
With that said, if he starts doing this one day, seemingly out of nowhere, it could be a sign that he’s feeling under the weather. Good to know!
We told you you’d be surprised! Does your dog display any of the behaviors on the list? Are there any others that you think should be explored? How have you trained your pooch to stop peeing in the house?