Every dog owner has had the moment: your dog does something strange — eats grass, stares at the wall, spins in circles before lying down — and you think, "Why do you do that?"
These behaviors aren't random. Most of them have roots in instinct, communication, or comfort. Understanding what your dog is telling you strengthens your relationship and helps you spot when something's genuinely off.
1. Eating Grass
Most dogs eat grass because they like it. Studies show fewer than 25% of dogs who eat grass vomit afterward, undercutting the "they eat grass to settle their stomach" theory. Occasional grazing is normal. Frantic grass eating with repeated vomiting warrants a vet visit.
2. Licking You
Dogs lick for affection, attention, and taste. Your skin has salt and interesting flavors. Puppies lick their mothers' mouths to solicit food — a behavior that persists into adulthood. Excessive licking of themselves can signal anxiety or foxtails.
3. Tail Wagging
A wagging tail doesn't always mean happy. Broad, full-body wag = happy. Slow wag with stiff body = uncertain. High, fast wag with tension = aroused, potentially aggressive. Low, tucked wag = nervous. Dogs even wag slightly right for positive stimuli and left for negative.
4. Circling Before Lying Down
Pure instinct. Wild canids circle to flatten grass, check for snakes, and position relative to the wind. 15,000 years of domestication hasn't overwritten the software. Same reason they "dig" at their bed — making a nest that's already made.
5. Howling
Dogs howl to communicate over distance. Common triggers: sirens (same frequency range), other dogs howling, and owners leaving. Occasional howling is normal. Persistent howling when you're away may indicate separation anxiety.
6. The Zoomies
Formally called Frenetic Random Activity Periods (FRAPs). Sudden bursts of manic sprinting, usually after baths, meals, or confinement. Completely normal — a release valve for pent-up energy. Only concern is injury on slippery floors.
7. Following You to the Bathroom
You're their person, and they feel safest near you. Dogs are pack animals who naturally stay close. The small, enclosed space may make them feel more secure, not less. If they get distressed when you close any door, that's a separation anxiety signal.
8. Burying Bones and Toys
Instinct from wild ancestors caching surplus food. Your dog isn't worried about their next meal, but the impulse to stash remains. Apartment dogs "bury" toys under couch cushions or blankets.
9. Scooting
Usually full or impacted anal glands — small sacs that normally express during bowel movements. Other causes: tapeworms, skin irritation, allergies. If your dog scoots more than occasionally, see your vet. Expression is a quick, routine procedure.
10. Head Tilting
Partly mechanical (adjusting ear position to localize sounds), partly visual (seeing past a long muzzle), and partly social — dogs have learned the head tilt gets a positive reaction from humans. It's hearing, vision, and charm, all in one gesture.
When Behavior Signals a Problem
Most of these behaviors are normal. But changes in behavior — a dog who suddenly starts eating grass obsessively, or stops following you around — can signal medical or emotional issues. If behavior changes suddenly, see your vet first. Pain and illness often present as behavioral changes before physical symptoms appear.
We see a wide range of dog behavior on our daily walks and visits. Knowing what's normal for your individual dog is why we do a thorough meet-and-greet before the first visit — so we can tell when something's off.
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