Our dogs love to do lots of both cute and funny things! When we notice such behaviours, we often can’t help but ask ourselves….what on earth does this mean? What is my dog trying to tell me? Or what is he/she doing that for? Read below as we tackle the what the?? of dog behaviour and give reason to some of the most common whacky doggy behaviours…
Why does my dog dig his/her water bowl?
- To cool down! Dogs are smart cookies and know that water is an option for them to cool themselves down with! If temperatures outside are rising, it may be time to invest in a cooling mat for your pup instead to keep their body temperatures controlled.
- Boredom! Dogs can find entertainment in moving water! If this behaviour is frustrating you, you may want to try engaging your dogs brain with walks, doggy daycare, or peanut butter coated licky mats. Yum!
- Anxiety! Your dog’s anxiety may be playing out with compulsive behaviours such as water digging. If you believe your pup to suffer from anxiety visit your vet.
Why does my dog lick me?
While we’d like to believe that dog licks are cute kisses, there are other reasons behind dogs licking our faces than just to show affection! Human skin contains salt that is a beloved taste by dogs! So your dog kisses may actually be a way for your dog to enjoy a nice flavourful mouthful of human sweat.
Why does my dog stare at me?
One of the most common reasons that your dog won’t take their eyes off you isn’t necessarily because of your good looks…it’s most likely because your dog is trying to communicate with us and tell us that they want something, whether it be food, attention, to play, to go outside, for a walk, or for a pat. If your dog stares at you long enough, the chances of you giving in and sharing a bite of your meal are most likely to be relatively high! If you are happy for this behaviour to continue, feel free to give in and gift your dog what they’re asking for, however, if it bothers you then there are plenty of tactics available to train your dog to talk to you in different ways.
Dogs also stare at their owners to show affection, or to try to read their body language.
So practice a fun bonding exercise with your dog and take them to task with a staring competition!
