ever watch your dog do something completely insane and wonder if they’re broken?
the head tilt. the butt sniffing. the random 3am zoomies. all of it seems totally unhinged until you realize your dogs nose is literally 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than yours. suddenly the weird behavior makes a lot more sense.
turns out theres actual science behind why your dog acts like a lunatic. here’s 12 bizarre things they do and what’s really going on in that fluffy little brain.
1. the butt sniff greeting
okay so this ones probably the most mortifying when you’re at the dog park trying to look like a responsible pet owner. but here’s the thing, dogs have anal glands that basically work like a biological business card. they’re exchanging intel. age, health status, mood, what they had for breakfast.
your dog isn’t being rude, they’re just networking.
2. eating grass & vomiting
nothing quite like watching your dog munch lawn like its a salad bar, then horking it all up thirty seconds later. the science is still kinda murky on this one, but most vets think its either self-medication for an upset stomach (ref) or just because grass tastes interesting sometimes.
if your dogs doing this constantly though, probably worth a vet visit to make sure nothings actually wrong.
3. Spinning in Circles Before Lying Down
you know that thing where they circle like five times before flopping down? turns out its leftover wild dog behavior. their ancestors would stomp down grass to make a comfy spot and check for snakes or whatever wanted to eat them.
now your dog just does it on your $2000 couch because genetics are weird like that.
4. eating poop (coprophagia)
okay this ones genuinely disgusting and i’m sorry you had to find out your dog does this. coprophagia is the fancy term, and it can mean anything from boredom to anxiety to missing nutrients in their diet.
definitely talk to your vet about this one because there’s usually something fixable going on.
5. tilting their head
this move should be illegal for how effective it is at manipulation. but what they’re actually doing is adjusting their ear position to locate sounds better and trying to see your face around their snout.
basically they’re saying “wait what? tell me more” and yes its as adorable as it seems.
6. humping
this ones awkward at parties. while it can be a sex thing, its usually more about dominance, stress relief, or just “hey look at me i’m bored.” happens with all genders and ages of dogs.
redirect the behavior and make sure they’re getting enough exercise. a tired dog is usually a less-humpy dog.
7. zoomies (frenetic random activity periods)
the technical term is frenetic random activity periods which is hilarious. your dog just has too much energy and needs to sprint in insane circles for exactly 47 seconds before returning to normal.
completely normal, weirdly fun to watch, just make sure they dont destroy anything important.
8. licking your face
fun fact – puppies lick their moms mouth to make her throw up food for them. so when your dog licks your face they might literally be asking for snacks.
or they just love you. probably both honestly.
9. leaning on you
if your dogs always smashing into your legs like a furry linebacker, congrats – they trust you completely. its affection and comfort seeking rolled into one inconvenient package.
its basically a hug but they dont have arms so this is what you get.
10. twitching & wagging in their sleep
those little paw twitches and tail wags while they’re passed out? they’re dreaming. dogs have REM sleep just like us, so they’re probably chasing squirrels or eating an infinite pizza or whatever dogs dream about.
its extremely cute and totally normal.
11. sneezing during play
this isn’t allergies – its your dog literally saying “this is awesome, lets keep going!” play sneezing is communication. they’re telling you and other dogs that everything’s cool and fun and nobody’s actually fighting.
kind of genius when you think about it.
12. yawning
dogs can catch yawns from humans which suggests they actually empathize with us on some level. wild right? they also yawn when they’re stressed or anxious as a way to calm themselves down. (ref)
so if your dogs yawning a lot, check if something’s making them nervous.
there you go, 12 completely unhinged behaviors that actually make perfect sense once you know whats happening. your dogs not broken, they’re just being a dog. and honestly? thats kind of the best part.
sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5884888/
Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles. Also an aspiring cook we he researches and tries all kinds of different food recipes and shares what works best.