Dogs
According To Science, This Is What It Means When Dogs Tilt Their Head
I never knew this - did you?
D.G. Sciortino
11.30.17

We love our dogs so much but they can be pretty weird sometimes. Sometimes they do things and we have no idea why. We just brush it off as dogs being dogs, but have you ever wondered why they actually do these things?

There are actually very specific reasons why our dogs do strange things like sniff butts or scoot their butts across the carpet.

1) Eating Grass

You’ll find that some dogs like to eat grass every now and again even though it makes them throw up. Though it may seem unhealthy, dogs might do this to improve digestion, treat intestinal worms, or fulfill a nutritional need like a lack of fiber.

Dogster
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Dogster

2) Tilting Their Head

It’s not that your dog doesn’t understand you or that you’re particularly interesting, it’s that they can’t hear you. Experts say that dog’s tilt their head to adjust their outer ears so that they can focus on the location of sound.

FindADogMinder
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FindADogMinder

3) Butt Sniffing

Humans shake hands… dogs sniff butts. A dog sniffing another’s butt is a dog’s way of saying “Hey, how ya doing? Nice to meet you.” It’s how they get to know you. Their sense of smell is 10,000 times stronger than a human’s and scent can tell a lot about a person, especially when it’s from an area as smelly as a butt.

Flickr/meteorology
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Flickr/meteorology

4) Eating Poop

Though this seems disgusting and bizarre, it’s actually a normal cleaning behavior in mother dogs. Some dogs without babies will eat poop in order to clean up their yard or kennel. Gross.

YouTube Screenshot
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YouTube Screenshot

5) Stares At You

Your dog isn’t just being a leering weirdo, he wants a treat or some affection from you.

Wikimedia Commons
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Wikimedia Commons

6) Butt Scoot

This could be a sign that your dog has a dirty butt and is trying to get it clean. It can also mean that your dog has an anal gland problem or that they have worms.

IFeelTheSpoops
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IFeelTheSpoops

7) Chasing Their Tails

This behavior can actually be caused by several things, such as your dog is in a tight space where the movement is restricted, that they are bored, they have fleas, not knowing what their tail is if they are a puppy or irritated anal glands.

Pet Pav
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Pet Pav

8) Post-Bath Hyperactivity

Your dog can get a bit hyper after a bath because they are so glad to be out of that bath. They may shake, rub, and run around just to get dry and rid of the sensation of being wet.

Flickr/evan p. cordes
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Flickr/evan p. cordes

9) Head Out of the Window in the Car

Dogs stick their head out the window so that they are closer to their surroundings and can be fully immersed in this new environment they are experiencing.

BARF World
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BARF World

10) Humps Things

There’s usually nothing sexual about this at all. Dogs hump things because they are trying to dominate the object they are humping or because they are excited or seeking attention.

Dog Splendor
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Dog Splendor

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