Do you ever wish your dog could tell you exactly what they’re thinking? Learning about dog behaviors can get you a step closer to understanding your dog.
Since dogs can’t speak the human language, they communicate through body language, vocalization, and actions. While some dog behaviors may vary from one dog to another, they generally convey similar meanings across the board.
Now let’s get into some common dog behaviors.
Head Tilt
We all love the adorable head tilt. When you first squeak a new toy, say their favorite words, or make an unknown noise – BOOM! Head tilt. This can be because they are confused, trying to understand, concentrate, or trying to raise one ear up to hear better (The Happy Puppers, n.d.). They are simply intrigued.
Exploring + Sniffing
Active dogs love to explore their environment especially if it’s outside. This is because nature, including your front lawn, is filled with a lot of scents that your dog is eager to explore. Real dogs like real (sometimes gross) smells. The sniffing all dog owners experience but hate to see -- butt sniffing. However, this is an important behavior for a dog. With a sniff they can identify “health, age, sex, and if they have previously been introduced to one another” (The Happy Puppers, n.d.). This is the same reason they sniff humans to gather the same information. Look at it as their form of a handshake.
Bark/Howl
When it comes to vocal dog behaviors, barking and howling are examples of what we think of. According to Neater Pets (2023) there are some differences between a bark and a howl. Barking is faster and sharper with a higher pitch. Howling is a long and low sound that rises then falls in pitch. Wolves howl to communicate with their pack over a long distance. If your dog is barking a lot, then they’re trying to tell you something. Howling is more about communication over distance or expressing feelings, while barking often reflects immediate excitement or alertness.
Establishing Territory
Many know what it looks like when they see their dog establishing their territory. This can look like urinating in a specific spot, barking, a stiff raised body, growling/snapping, and refusing to leave a certain spot. Why do they do this? It is a part of their instinctual behavior. According to DogPack (2023) it’s their way of communicating with other dogs and to assert themselves above them. In the wild, dogs use scent marking to establish their social hierarchy.
Hunting
You may see your dog chasing, pouncing, or stalking when they see small animals or moving objects. This is because the ancestors of domestic dogs were hunters. A lot of dogs still have the strong desire to hunt, chase, and retrieve. It can also depend on the breed. As talked about in The Spruce Pets (2022) many dogs use their great sense of smell to track scents, following trails of animals. This is also why many dogs love to play fetch, they continue to connect to their roots of hunting and retrieving.
These are just a few ways dogs communicate with their behaviors. I hope this gave you just a little more insight into the reasons dogs do the things that they do. It’s now time for you to reward your adorable, hard-working dog with some treats.
-Isabelle from Hank & Roy
Sources
Burr, M. (2022, August 9). Best hunting dogs: Top breeds for hunters. The Spruce Pets. Retrieved September 23, 2024, from https://www.thesprucepets.com/best-hunting-dogs-4177817
Dog Pack App. (2023). Why dogs mark their territory. Retrieved September 23, 2024, from https://www.dogpackapp.com/blog-detail/why-dogs-mark-their-territory
Neater Pets. (2023). Barking vs. howling: Reasons dogs howl. Neater Pets. Retrieved September 24, 2024, from https://neaterpets.com/blogs/news/barking-vs-howling-reasons-dogs-howl
The Happy Puppers. (n.d.). Dog behaviors: Understanding your canine companion. The Happy Puppers. Retrieved September 24, 2024, from https://thehappypuppers.com/psychology/dog-behaviors/