Unlike children, dogs will never learn to speak and communicate what they’re feeling at a given moment. But you could still decode some of their unusual behaviors by observing their actions. Some of these behaviors may also be trained out of them when they start to get annoying or destructive given the proper techniques.
Biting
Playful biting or nipping is common among puppies and young dogs. They use their mouths to communicate mouths to communicate when playing and interacting with you. Some say that this is due itchy gums as they are growing out their adult set of teeth. You can give your puppy a designated chew toy to nip as they can easily chew on your shoes and house furniture.
If you’re dog takes the habit of biting into adulthood then it becomes a serious problem. Dogs usually bite due to fear, anxiety or aggression. If you don’t know how to train the biting habit out of your dog, you can proceed to ask suggestions from your vet or get a professional dog trainer as a last resort.
Tail-chasing
Tail-chasing might be a cute habit when your dog is a pup. But when it happens often then there must more than meets the eye. Probable causes include a tick infection or anal gland problems. Some trainers also believe that tail-chasing might be a sign of a dog having obsessive-compulsive disorder. You can easily solve tick and flea infections but with the latter two causes, you should consult your vet.
Licking
Dogs usually show their affection towards their owner or family through licking. It is also their way of trying to get attention. They may also be imitating the way their mothers licked them when they were young. Mother dogs lick their puppies for cleaning socialization purposes. Most dogs will take this habit into adulthood. While it’s sweet, excessive licking and slobbering from your dog might turn annoying especially if they do it after you’ve gotten dressed in something fancy.
Digging
Another common behavior among dogs is digging. Dogs dig due to many reasons like hiding something important, to have a cool place to lie or to tack other animals. It becomes a problem when they bring the habit inside the home. Some dogs have a habit of scratching beds or other soft surfaces which might ruin furniture. Although it is a normal habit, you can still train it out of your dog to prevent damaging your sofa or mattress by verbally reprimanding them whenever they start digging inside.
Eating their own poop
Eating their own poop is probably one of the grossest things dogs do. Some say that dogs eat their own poop due to curiosity or worse due to a national deficiency. If you notice this bad habit in your dog, start evaluating the kind of food that your feeding and probably consider switching to a different brand or probably starting them on multivitamins. Another way to prevent your dog from eating its poop is to make sure to always clean up after them whether they poop inside or outside the house.
Humping
Every dog owner has been in this situation more than we care to admit. You have guests in the house and your dog starts humping a guest’s leg. Or you’re probably walking your dog in the park and it starts humping another dog. This situation can easily turn embarrassing especially because the prevailing notion is that dogs hump due to sexual reasons. But such is rarely the case. Trainers say that humping is a way for dogs to get attention or show excitement. To stop this behavior, redirect your dog’s attention to something else, maybe a toy.
Dogs may sometimes behave in unusual ways. I’s important to know what these habits mean to understand what your dog needs and to probably train these annoying habits out of them.
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