Our sweet doggies! Their “interesting” behavior & why they do what they do-do.

It is no surprise that we at Pet Treater have written about those strange behaviors of dogs and cats a few times before; but we are honored to have a guest author Emily Green, the CEO & Founder, of doggiedesigner.com outlining some of the finer points on the matter for the doggies:

Our dogs always seem to be up to something new. And the truth is that we often find ourselves perplexed with their behavior, they really do some strange stuff. If you’ve been wondering about some of the weirder things your dog does then you’re in the right spot… read on and we’ll teach you why some of the odder things happen.

1. Circling Before Laying Down

It’s the source of much cartoon amusement, but most people are perplexed by it. Dogs will almost always walk in three or four circles before they finally lay down to sleep. It seems to happen no matter where they lie down as well.

The reason is pretty simple: it’s a hardwired action in your dog’s mind.

Back before we supplied our dogs with memory foam beds, dogs had to make do outdoors. The circling motion tamps down dirt and leaves, creating an imprint that lets other dogs know that space had been claimed.

The other side of this is that it also kicked up insects and forced small reptiles to get out of the area or be stomped on. Keeping bugs and snakes away? No wonder our dogs still do it, no matter where they’re sleeping!

2. Eating Poop

Let’s face it, if there’s one thing that everyone knows about dogs… Well, it’s the fact that they eat poop. Theirs, other dogs’, the cats’. It all seems to be the same to them, and sometimes it seems like coprophagia is just part of a dog’s mindset.

Oddly enough, this is one of the more hotly debated mysteries in dog’s behavior. If you’ve been wondering just what it means… Well, the truth is that it depends. There are tons of reasons why a dog might be eating feces.

The most common theory is that dogs eat their own to hide their tracks, meanwhile they eat other poop to get nutrients they don’t normally have access to. That reasoning doesn’t cover all known instances.

The good news is that it’s usually not a sign of anything serious. Although, truthfully, it can sometimes be indicative of bowel issues.

The bad news is… Well, knowing exactly why your dog is eating poop depends on too many variables for us to just call it one, specific reason.

3. Tail Chasing

Most dogs chase their tail once in a while. The reason is pretty simple: they’re bored and find it amusing.

The problems occur if tail-chasing becomes obsessive. When a dog is constantly chasing their own tail it can be indicative of quite a few problems. The most common is just fleas or irritated anal glands.

On the other hand, some dogs do it due to mental disorders. Still others, particularly dogs neglected as puppies, do it just out of sheer force of habit.

If your dog’s behavior seems to be obsessive to the point they’re damaging themselves then check with a veterinarian to find a solution.

4. Rolling in Disgusting Stuff

We’ve all seen it happen. You just got done treating your dog to a nice bath and as soon as they get out they find something disgusting to roll in. Even when it’s not bath-related, the truth is that our dogs seem to have entirely too much fun when they find something seriously horrendous to roll around in.

The most likely reason for this behavior is that your dog is trying to cover its scent. In the wild, they could have used smelly, decaying matter to cover the “dog” smell. While prey animals could smell it, it would have masked the canine smell they knew to fear.

Other reasons have been postulated, ranging from the fats in decaying animals being good for the dog’s coat to it just being a great way to let other dogs know they found something interesting. So… We’re not sure exactly why they do it, but there are some theories out there.

5. Eating Grass

Prevailing knowledge is that dogs eat grass so they can puke it up when their stomach is upset. That may not be exactly the case, as more information has come in.

That’s not to say that dogs don’t go through the grass on occasion when they’re seeking to help their stomachs out.

On the other hand, as odd as it may be, some dogs just seem to have a taste for grass. Not every pooch is having trouble just because they’re chowing down on some roughage, but you should keep an eye on your dog and see if their habits suddenly get a lot more extensive.

Strange But Understandable

Our dogs definitely do some strange stuff. Like us, there’s not always a clear reason for the things they do either. That said, if you spend some time studying them you’ll find that there’s often a solid reason behind their aberrant behavior. Keep an eye on your dog and see what you can learn!

Remember, never doubt your sweet fur baby, they are doing what they have always done…..we all have strange things we do………

With many purrs and barks,