As dog owners, we love our pets like crazy. We consider them valuable members of our family. Hence, we share everything with our dogs and we couldn’t imagine living without them. However, sometimes, dogs can do some pretty strange things that can easily make us cringe.
Even if your dog exhibits some of the following quirky behaviors, that doesn’t necessarily mean that your pet has a real issue. In some cases, the things it does are totally normal. One of the most common things a dog likes to do is sniff everything and everyone around it, including its own but.
On the bright side, most of these behaviors are either instinctual or evolutionary. Many of them are normal, whereas others could be a sign that your dog deals with a health condition.
Top 15 Most Common Strange Things that Dogs Do
Every single weird behavior done by your dog has a reason behind it. I will discuss all these details in the following sections without leaving anything important out.
1. Sniffing Each Other’s Butts
For some of you, this particular behavior can appear as completely bizarre. Some people even find it unpleasant but, in the dog world, it is a perfectly normal thing to do. In terms of their sense of smell, dogs are tens of thousands of times more sensitive than us, humans.
Let me explain this through an example. Let’s imagine that together with your dog, you’re entering a house where the owner has just cooked pot roast. You will certainly feel the smell and realize the recipe but your dog will be able to recognize the particular smell of the ingredients included in that recipe.
Dogs sense every single item as having a unique odor. So, in that case, why does a dog feel the need to get so close to the rear end of another dog? Through that behavior, they figure out many important insights.
All it takes for a dog to discover another dog’s gender, health level, and emotional state is by taking a quick sniff. Dogs’ buts eliminate certain chemicals that can tell a lot about their condition or state. Simply put, it’s their way of communicating and find out new things about one another.
2. Running in Its Sleep
I am sure that if you will search funny videos of dogs on YouTube, you will find plenty of footage showing dogs that mimic running motions while they’re sleeping. If your dog does that, you shouldn’t be alarmed. Healthy animals have almost the same brain activity when they sleep as the one they experience when they’re awake.
Their brain always remains in that alert state. The difference is made by the muscles which many times are inhibited. However, some puppies might suffer from REM sleep disorders that can cause them to act out their dreams by moving their legs as they were running.
In those cases, you should ask for a vet’s opinion and he or she might even prescribe a medication to control those issues.
3. Fearing Thunder, Storms, and Other Loud Noises
I don’t know about your dog, but my boxer is always feeling scared, jumping up and down and trying to seek shelter when he hears thunder noises, firecrackers, and fireworks. It breaks my heart to see him suffering so much and I am doing my best to comfort him in those moments by hugging him and telling him that he’s safe in a soft voice.
However, I can still feel his heart racing like crazy at which point I feel frustrated because I don’t know what else to do. Luckily, there are effective methods that you can use to prevent your dog from developing noise phobia.
Common symptoms of this problem are shivering, drooling, and pacing. Some puppies might even try to escape by going through the door. Here’s what you can do if your dog starts acting like that whenever there’s a storm outside.
The most effective method is to accustom your dog to those sounds but gradually. Buy a CD with thunderstorm noises and play it while giving your puppy delicious dog treats and playing with it. Choose some of its favorite chewing toys when you try this.
Then, you can gradually raise the volume of those CD sounds but don’t go over a certain limit or your dog might become scared once again. The entire idea behind this solution is to get your pet accustomed to those noises and associate them with good food and playtime.
4. Eating Poop
Luckily, my dog doesn’t eat poop but if your dog does that, don’t worry because it’s not crazy. In fact, dogs eating poop is a normal thing according to vets. That occurs because dogs are born scavengers and they like poop due to its protein content.
Only a few dogs will never develop this habit during their lifetime. For us, this is a repulsive habit but for dogs is perfectly normal, just like drinking water directly from the toilet and licking their own butts.
However, there are things you can do to discourage your pet’s habit. But, first, you must be aware of the fact that eating poop is in your dog’s DNA. It seems that female dogs are more prone to eating poop than male dogs. Here are the methods you could try to prevent this from happening:
- Supplementing its vitamin intake – some dogs might act this way because they lack certain vitamins from their diet. For instance, one of the main suspects for this behavior is the lack of vitamin B;
- Using taste-aversion products – dogs might like the taste of poop but they find certain smells and flavors disgusting. For example, if you add products that are based on garlic, chamomile, or parsley to the poop, the dog might stop eating it after a while;
- Supplementing its enzyme intake – dogs’ ancestral diet focused more on meat-based protein and fats. Nowadays, their diet contains less protein and more carbs. So, including an effective enzyme supplement in your dog’s daily routine might help it stop wanting to eat poop.
Other Successful Ways to Deal with This Issue
Here are some other effective ways in which you can try to stop your pet from consuming feces, all of which are either environmental management solutions or proper training:
- Make sure that your pet’s living area is always clean. That includes the backyard that should be poop-free at all times;
- If you also own a cat, you should place its litter box out of your puppy’s reach and also keep it clean;
- Pay closer attention to your dog on your walks. Pick up after your dog as soon as possible;
- Experts recommend you to focus on two specific commands when it comes to dogs that consume feces: Come and Leave It. Train your dog to come to you immediately after it has pooped by giving it a treat.
5. Howling when It Hears a Song or an Ambulance
Why do dogs howl when they hear certain noises like ambulances or music? Dog owners think their pets are funny when they do that and some of them even encourage their puppies to howl. I don’t know what to think about their neighbors, though, if you know what I mean.
Many dog owners who play an instrument have also reported the fact that their pets like to howl. This is another ancestral dog behavior that has remained in the DNA of nowadays’ domesticated dogs. Many people used to believe that a dog howls when a sound hurts its ears but that isn’t true.
There are other reactions to pain that dogs have and howling isn’t a common response to pain. In fact, it is a communication form between dogs. Through howling, a dog signals its presence to other dogs that can be located far away. Wild animals such as coyotes and wolves also rely on howling as a form of communication.
Dogs howl at sirens and other higher-pitched sounds because they mistake those noises for another dog’s howling. They believe one of their pears is trying to communicate with them.
6. Eating Grass
Normally, if you see your dog eating or chewing on grass, you shouldn’t worry that much. In most cases, that’s just one of their instinctual behaviors. Different experts came up with different theories that could explain the reasons behind this particular dog habit.
Besides the fact that some dogs simply enjoy the taste of grass because it can be refreshing, many of them used to chew grass in the attempt to get rid of parasites and foreign bodies out of their mouths. Also, grass is high on fiber which is fun to chew on.
However, many vets recommend us to try to discourage our dogs’ behavior when it comes to eating grass because swallowing it might lead to a grass formation in our pets’ stomach and that could require surgery. Moreover, tougher grass could cut your dog’s esophagus just like it cuts out finger when we touch it.
Very rarely, dogs eat grass because they experience some sort of nutritional deficiency. But this doesn’t happen as often as before, because nowadays, most dog diets provide all the essential nutrients our pets require for proper development. So, make sure to pick healthy, nutritious, and high-quality dog food for your pooch.
7. Barking at Its Own Mirror Reflection
Many dogs bark at their own mirror reflection but that’s totally normal. Your pet doesn’t understand the concept of a reflection so it believes there’s another dog in the house, a strange, moving, odorless, and probably scary dog that they want to investigate.
This happens more often to puppies and they tend to react to it more than adult dogs. Many times, puppies will even bow down to invite what they think is another dog to play with them. Think about this: dogs rely more on smell than images to perceive and discover the world around them and their surroundings.
So, if they cannot sense a new smell they become alarmed and start barking at themselves. But don’t worry because eventually, your dog will outgrow this phase and will ignore its mirror reflection.
8. Getting Random Energy Bursts
Dogs will get the so-called “zoomies” from time to time. In other words, you will see them running around, doing laps around your backyard or house. At first, pet parents, including myself, wonder what that’s all about and what the main cause is.
It is hilarious to watch and the reason behind this behavior is the best one: happiness. It’s the dog’s way to release its built-up energy and only happy and healthy dogs will experience this behavior. Other dogs can also do these laps right after a bath because they feel the need to move to remove the excess water.
On the other hand, you, as a pet owner, should make sure that your dog has plenty of free space to run and release anxiety or energy because otherwise, it might injure itself by crashing into objects and obstacles.
A good way to help your pet manage those bursts of energy is by purchasing a backyard play set for your dog that consists of many interactive and engaging toys. These include ropes that are easy to hand on trees and that will provide your pet with countless hours of fun and play.
9. Chasing Its Tail and Spinning in Circles
If you notice that your pooch is always trying to chase its own tail, it might mean you need to take it to a vet because it might be a sign of an inner ear infection. However, dogs that spin occasionally are perfectly healthy and they do that out of excitement and happiness.
Excessive spinning is what should concern you because it can have several different causes like ear infections, seizures, and brain lesions. Your pet’s doctor should be able to figure out if this behavior is a simple genetic trait or hides a more serious health problem.
10. Mounting or Humping Things or People
People went through plenty of times when they’ve felt funny or embarrassed because their dog started to hump a pillow, another dog at the park, or somebody’s leg. Even neutered dogs do that once in a while which leads us to believe that’s not necessarily a sexual act in nature.
This type of behavior can also mean that your dog is overly excited or overstimulated. In some cases, it can even involve anxiety. Other times, dogs do that as a form of play. Besides mounting other dogs, you’ve probably seen your pet play chase, play fight, or even play bite with its peers.
To avoid reinforcing this behavior, you must restrain yourself from laughing. You shouldn’t freak out either. Just ignore it as much as possible. Otherwise, your dog will think that through this act it can get more attention from you.
Then, you should distract your dog’s attention when it does that with an alternative activity. If your pet’s problem is the fact that it gets too excited, you should try to play fetch with it or offer something that will calm your pooch down such as a chewing stick or a stuffed toy.
11. Carrying Food from the Bowl to Another Place
Some might consider this to be a bizarre behavior but there are two different theories regarding it. The first one explores the dog’s ancestral needs. Wild dogs used to hunt and eat in packs and less powerful members would take a big bite of the kill and go to a safer location to eat in peace, away from the more dominant dogs. It is a way to protect their food that remained to this day.
According to the second theory, your dog might simply not like where the bowl is located or even the bowl itself. Some dogs cannot stand the noises their kibbles make against the surface of the bowl. Maybe the bowl doesn’t have the right height or depth to maximize your pet’s eating pleasure.
This behavior is pretty harmless but if your dog is constantly moving wet food all over the place, it will lead to an entire mess that you must later clean. To avoid this issue, you should first try to relocate the bowl and place it in a more secluded place.
If that doesn’t work, perhaps it’s time to purchase an entirely new bowl that has a different shape or size. For instance, if the current bowl is elevated, buy one that’s lower.
12. Kicking when You Scratch Its Belly
Most dogs love belly rubs. It’s their soft spot that makes them kick their legs. This normally occurs if you scratch your dog’s saddle region, the sides of its belly as well as its back. This behavior happens because of the so-called “scratch reflex.” It is an involuntary reaction.
For your dog, it’s just like when the wind or bugs touch and irritate its skin, causing your pet to scratch. But don’t worry because your pooch surely loves it when you scratch its belly.
Vets rely on the scratch reflex to identify a series of health issues such as neurological problems or nerve damage. This reaction of your dog is similar to the one we humans make when the doctor uses his or her special little hammer to tap the area below our knees.
13. Tilting Its Head When It Hears Sounds
Dogs usually tilt their heads when they notice noises to hear better and collect the sounds that occur around them. Dogs use their pinna just like you would use a radar dish. The pinna is the outside part of your dog’s ear flap. So, whenever, your pooch hears a new noise or a high-pitched sound, it will tilt its head back and forth.
And, because, most dog owners think their pets are so cute when they do that, dogs have learned to tilt their heads also when they want your attention and affection. They know how cute they are so they do that to receive your approval or even a treat.
14. Rolling Around in Filthy or Smelly Stuff
Don’t be surprised if your dog starts rolling in something disgusting on the ground such as garbage, poop, or even a dead sparrow. Why on earth are they doing that? Specialists have come up with different theories to support this particular habit.
Some experts think that wild dogs used to roll in the dirt to hide their own scent. Masking their own body smell makes it easier for dogs to sneak up on their prey without being noticed. On the other hand, it’s hard not to notice something that smells bad and is approaching you but the prey would probably consider there’s no attack coming up because, most of the time, the scent felt like something dead.
Another theory says that dogs roll in gross things on the ground to show others they have discovered something awesome and fun. I have noticed that many dogs tend to do this right after they were groomed or after their bath. That can be pretty frustrating for us, pet owners but they do that to get rid of the scent of soap or shampoo that they cannot stand.
As a method to prevent that, you could opt for odorless dog shampoo and conditioner. Maybe if your dog cannot smell it, it won’t feel the need to go and roll around in the grass right after you cleaned it.
15. Barking a Lot Every Time You Leave the House
If your dog whines or barks without stopping when you leave for work, it may be an issue related to what specialists call “separation anxiety.” In that case, you should start training your dog to change its behavior immediately or you may deal with angry neighbors.
Just like humans, pets also need to be taught how to control their emotions. A good trainer could teach your dog how to lie down and wait for you to return without barking anymore. As a dog owner, you must also inform and educate yourself.
Don’t make a fuss when you leave or come home because that will only reinforce your pet’s anxious behavior. Instead, you must remain calm and offer a treat or reward to your dog if it listens to you and behaves properly.
Quirky Dog Behaviors Explained – Frequently Asked Questions
There are plenty of things that dogs do that can seem strange to us, humans. Some dogs eat poop, others are trying to catch their own tails, and they might even kick their legs when they’re sleeping. Many of these habits aren’t harmful but a few of them might be the effect of a health problem.
There are numerous reasons why a dog does strange things and acts weird. Here are some possible causes:
– Boredom – they like to play or they need attention;
– A change in their daily routine that makes them anxious and agitated;
– Being mistreated by their owners;
– Injuries or illnesses;
– Diet-related changes or issues;
– Being relocated in a new environment; etc.
Here are the common behavior issues that most dog owners deal with:
– Barking – this is normal; what isn’t normal is when the barking becomes excessive and disrupts the entire household or even annoys the neighbors; in that case, you must talk to your dog in a calm voice;
– Digging – dogs like to dig because they need holes to put their food, toys, or other treasures. Wild dogs used to dig holes to sleep in. Digging is also normal as long as your dog doesn’t end up destroying your whole backyard, case in which you should address this problem;
– Chewing – all dogs love to chew because it’s how they examine the world and they do that out of curiosity. Puppies tend to chew much more than adult dogs because all things are new to them. However, destructive chewing seen in adult dogs is abnormal. To prevent it, you can offer chew toys to your pooch and place valuable items out of its reach;
– Biting – soft biting is normal as a form of play but when it becomes harmful it isn’t normal anymore. Dogs bite to guard their territory because they feel threatened or in pain. Other dogs are simply aggressive. Early training and proper breeding practices can solve these issues;
– Chasing – dogs chase moving objects because of their herding instincts. Train your puppy to stay put on command, to come to you when you’re calling it, and keep it on a leash when potential triggers are approaching such as cars, bikes, people, and other dogs.
Quirky Dog Behaviors Explained – Final Thoughts
Many of the things your dog does are harmless and even funny. Some of them require your attention because they might be a sign of a health condition. Either way, if your dog is healthy and still has some annoying reactions, you can always train it to behave.
But, first, you must train yourself because if you’re inconsistent in your actions, your dog won’t make any progress. Humans and dogs alike can develop bad habits so let’s work on that if we want to raise healthy and happy dogs.