Puppies often do some things that make us shake our head and wonder why. We humans just cannot understand the reasoning – if there is any – behind some canine actions.
If you have a puppy whose behavior has you stumped, join the crowd. There are a lot of dog owners in the same boat with you.
What are some of the weird common traits of puppy behavior? The following list touches on a few ideas, but is far from inclusive on the subject of weird doggie traits.
1. Puppies frequently smell the butts of other dogs. They do this as a means of gathering information about the other canine. Dogs have anal sacs or glands that release a scent that is unique to them. Smelling another dog’s rear end enables the smeller to tell the sex of the dog. The glands allow a dog to mark their territory.
2. Some puppies eat their own feces. Anyone in his or her right mind has to wonder why a dog does this. Some believe it is an instinct that is left over from the days when dogs roamed the earth in packs. Predators were able to find a dog’s den by smell. The mother would clean up after the young as a means of keeping predators away.
3. A puppy turns round and round before sitting down. Once again, this is a “leftover” instinct from the days when dogs slept in the wild. One reason for the turning motions was to flatten any tall grass into a cushion on which to lie down. Another reason could be that it was a way to insure that unwanted creatures such as snakes departed the area.
4. Some puppies will eat anything. They’ll devour rocks, concrete, plastic, string, macadam, small tools and a host of other unusual items. The name for this condition is pica, which is defined as the persistent chewing and consumption of substances that provide no nutritional or physical benefits. A nutritional deficiency or medical problem can be the reason for this behavior. It is a good idea to take a puppy that tries to eat everything in sight to his or her veterinarian to rule out a medical cause. Some puppies engage in eating everything in site as a defense against hunger. The puppy could have been the runt of the litter that had to fight for every mouthful of nourishment. Other reasons include being weaned too early, anxiety and stress, teething or boredom. Some puppies experience pica because they have a compulsive disorder that makes them orally fixated.
5. Puppies love to roll in grass after being bathed or else they will head to the freshly tilled garden and roll until they resemble a bar of milk chocolate. The puppy does this to mask his scent and to remove the smell of the shampoo and conditioner you used for bathing him. In the wild, dogs sometimes had to mask their scents as a means of survival. Your puppy is just doing what instinct dictates.
Puppies, despite their weird idiosyncrasies, are still loveable creatures. Don’t let their strange behavior drive you crazy. Instead, entertain yourself by trying to figure out why they are doing something. In many cases, it will have to do with an inherited instinct.
Related posts:
- Seven Things that Puppies like to Chew that They Shouldn’t
- Technology Our Vets Use to Help Our Pups
- Why do Dogs Carry Things Around?
- Why Does Your Puppy Want to Bury Things?
- Bringing Up Puppy Series – Weird Dog Questions
