Why Dogs Do What They Do

Dogs often make us scratch our heads and look on in bemusement. I’m sure they feel the same way about us too. Some of what they do is embarrassing or frustrating to us, some is potentially dangerous to them, and sometimes their behavior and habits are just plain gross.  This is a good time to remind ourselves that dogs are not human. Of course we all know this, but so often, I hear someone tell me that they know their dog chewed up their shoes to punish them and they are feeling super betrayed by their buddy. I mean, a dog I used to have pooped on my bed this one day I didn’t come home at lunch time. She hopped up on my bed and left a gift right in the middle. She had a dog door, so it wasn’t a necessity thing. I felt punished, but looking back, she was just showing her displeasure in an obvious way. Let’s remember that dogs are animals and their reasons behind behavior are actually pretty simple.  Here, I will share as much insight as I have on why dogs do these kinds of things.

• They are acting on instinct: all animals act on instinct, even humans. We do it less, but you know that feeling you get when you want to avoid a dark alley? That’s instinct. Babies show a lot more and we lose a lot as we grow and learn, but it is there. Dogs rely on it much more than we do. They are predators, and they still have that drive to chase moving things, be it squirrels, cats, deer or cars. Their instinct tells them to seek out food, to find safe places to rest, to protect their territory and resources and to chase off bigger, scarier predators. Their lifestyle eliminates many of these needs, but that instinct is always there.

 

• It feels good to them: This is true of chewing, digging, barking, mounting and excessive licking. Sometimes, dogs are looking to soothe themselves, as is the case with licking. They may feel anxious, itchy or in pain and licking helps.  Often though, they do something just because it feels good to them. Chewing, barking and digging are not necessarily bad habits, but when they are chewing your good shoes, digging the flower beds and barking all night, these are not great. It is important to find out the reason for the self-soothing behaviors by working with your vet, and providing appropriate outlets for the other behaviors. Provide a variety of chews, designate a digging spot or allow digging at the beach or in the snow, and redirect barking after one or two barks with another task or behavior.

 

• It gets them something they want: This is where behaviors like counter surfing and stealing come in to play. Some dogs feel as if they are always hungry, and so search for additional food. Or, the dog may feel ignored and will offer a behavior that has gotten them attention and playtime in the past.  By slowing them down at meal time, offering a snack during the day if possible, allowing an outlet for your dog to search for food,  praising them for appropriate behavior, and a whole lot of management from us, we can hopefully eliminate these behaviors.

 

• They are searching for information: It is pretty embarrassing when your dog starts sniffing your friends, family members and random delivery person down there.  Especially when they sniff longer than is socially appropriate and really invade personal space. That is not first date behavior.  However, dogs don’t mean anything by it. They are not embarrassing us on purpose, they are just sniffing a person at nose level and are gathering information about that person.  It is kind of like Facebook stalking someone before that first date. This is also why dogs sniff other dogs. That sniff under the tail that might embarrass us is actually very polite dog behavior. Dogs get a lot of information through their nose, which is anywhere from 1000 to 1,000,000 better than ours, depending who you ask.  This is why dogs are able to sniff out drugs, bombs, cancer cells and bed bugs.  They sniff, they file information away, and they can recall it later on.

 

• It has been reinforced in the past by humans or other dogs:  This is true for behaviors like stealing, begging and jumping up, as well as pushy behavior, demand barking and pulling on the leash.  The dog is chewing on an appropriate bone, is ignored by the family who was gone all day, the dog  steals the kid’s baseball, kid chases the dog and the dog gets attention and a favorite game out of it. Or, the dog learned that sitting by the kitchen table and flashing sad puppy eyes gets them a bite of food. They learn that sometimes people pet them for jumping up on them. It might even be okay to jump up on their favorite person while they are wearing sweats but not when they are dressed for work. The dog herds a person toward the treat cupboard and is offered a treat, or barks until they get one. They pull on the leash and get to sniff the thing they wanted.  Other dogs can also reinforce behavior. The dog might stare down or creep into another dog’s space and the other dog may walk away from their food dish or bone.  As humans, we need to set criteria for what we want from our dog, have everyone who interacts with the dog be consistent in the rules. Reinforce good choices, disengage if possible when they make poor ones, and provide lots of opportunities for positive choices.

 

• It is self-rewarding:  Self-rewarding behaviors make so much sense but are difficult for lots of people to wrap their heads around.  If a dog steals food from a child or counter surfs, even if punished, they still got food. The best solutions from self-rewarding behaviors are management of the temptation (keeping countertops cleared), and a clear boundary or containment system.

 

• It makes something they don’t like go away: This is kind of the flip side of accidental reinforcement. This is actually a perfect example of negative reinforcement, gone super wrong on the handler part.  For example, a small child is holding a dog too tightly or in a way that is uncomfortable, the dog learns to nip to be dropped and left alone. Or, a dog who fights nail trims may not have to endure them that night. Dogs learn that they can make scary or uncomfortable things go away. This is often the base reason behind reactive behavior. Often, the dog is uncomfortable or scared of other people and animals in their environment and so by barking and acting tough, they make keep those perceived threats away from them.

 

• They are showing displeasure: Your perfectly housebroken dog goes out of their way to poop on your bed is not punishment, but is just your dog letting you know they are not happy with you. They might chew something of yours up because it smells like you and is calming to their emotional state. They may howl or bark when left alone to voice that they are really unhappy at the moment. Making your dog unhappy is bound to happen. You might get held up at work and not be home at your usual time, or the weather may be preventing their much needed exercise. You may have a major change in your life that is affecting your dog in a way that they might not like.  To help dogs feel less of this displeasure,  provide plenty of mental and physical exercise and attention. Perhaps consider a dog walker for days you know you will be out late. Keep stuff they may chew picked up and out of reach and don’t punish their behavior.

 

• It makes them feel safer: Sometimes dogs dig themselves a den to be less exposed in the yard. It may be in your flower bed and they appreciate the soft dirt you provided for them. This may be annoying and expensive. Then, there are the gross habits. Dogs roll in poop to mask their scent. It also smells good, so is self-reward. Sometimes in search of safety, dogs put themselves at risk of serious injury. A dog who feels trapped indoors may try (and sometimes succeed) in chewing through a door or wall or jumping through a window to escape. They have those same fight, flight or freeze instincts that we have and will do one of these if they feel in danger. Again, reactive dogs are often fearful dogs who have learned that by being louder and more forward than other dogs will keep perceived threats away from them.  

 

• They are not in a good emotional state: a dog who resource guards, is reactive or shows separation anxiety is not in great emotional state. Best case scenario for resource guarding, the dog is vocal, but it can also result in bites and dog fights. It is usually a learned behavior, and even if the dog has no reason to resource guard anymore, it takes a long time, careful training and management to help a dog overcome this. For reactive dog behavior, dogs are most often reactive because they are fearful, feel threatened, are frustrated, are sensory overloaded, or lack exposure and socialization to the world around them.  The dog may have been given a good reason to feel this way or it could be a perceived threat.  They can be counter-conditioned to stimuli to create a positive association by a handler and trainer who is patient and willing to put the work in training and for management. Separation anxiety is hard to watch. The dog might just whine and pace all day long, and are highly stressed inside and out. They also can bark all day, items in your house, may eliminate repeatedly in the house and may even try to chew their way out of the house. Separation anxiety is a long slow process to treat, but with management and patience it can be done.
  • Note, aggression usually falls under emotional state as well, although it can be a breed related trait. I don’t feel equipped to deal with aggression nor do I feel that I have a good understanding of the subject matter, so I don’t touch on it much.

 

• They are doing what they were bred to do: Dogs were selected for a reason to do a specific task. While many dogs are no longer working in their specific tasks, they still have the desire and instinct to do those tasks. Including tasks that are now obsolete and illegal, such a s dog fighting or bull baiting. Many dogs are now being used for a different task than they were bred for, but still have that desire to work.  So, your Aussie may herd you or kids, your lab may want you to throw a tennis ball all day long and jump in ice cold water, your hound will sniff, your husky will pull, and your livestock guardian may not like other dogs coming around their home.  Each breed interacts with their fellow dogs, other animals, family and strangers differently. Some are bred to be independent and others want to work with people. Some dogs like their family but are wary of strangers and others are social butterflies. Some dogs are bred to keep predators away from their homes or to keep intruders out, and these dogs may never be safe around other pets.  While breed isn’t the only predictor of behavior, it is a pretty good indication of why a dog is behaving a certain way.  This is why researching breeds before falling for a cute puppy will save you a lot of heartache and headache.

 

• They somehow feel uncomfortable: Some behavior is caused by discomfort, either trying to soothe the dog, to make the discomfort go away or they are thinking of a solution to the problem. Discomfort can be physical, emotional, or mental. For example, a dog may lick a surgical site if allowed to soothe the site, possibly resulting in additional vet visits. They may chew up something of yours because the smell is comforting. They may lash out if another dog or human continues to approach, despite all of the warnings they gave of their emotional state. Dogs can become obsessed with soothing behavior, licking and chewing hair off their legs as an example. They also can be claustrophobic, which most often pairs with separation anxiety. Some dogs panic so much at the thought of being locked up, they chew through walls or jump through a window.  This is an extreme example of uncomfortable and moves in the emotional state area. Dogs that are uncomfortable generally would rather avoid conflict rather than initiate it. Learn to read a dog’s body language, give them a space in the home or yard where they feel safe, don’t push them too hard, and understand how your dog presents pain.

 

• They are under stimulated or over-aroused: this kind of goes back to the poor emotional state again, but both of these mental conditions are usually brought about by the dog’s owner. Often times by well-meaning owners who are trying to do what’s right by their dog. Over-arousal can be brought on by a few different things. Dogs can actually be exercised too hard. Think, running a dog for miles or hours every day. Yes, most dogs like to run and can run long distances, but just running, with no mental stimulation included, can do the opposite of what the owner was trying to accomplish. It can also happen when a dog is put in a situation they are not comfortable in, such as taking a timid dog to a dog park. Dog brains secrete the same stress hormones that ours do, and stress can stay with a dog for days or weeks. Over-aroused dogs are more likely to jump on people, nip or bite, chew and bark. Under stimulated dogs may also be over-aroused, from only getting physical exercise each day. Dogs who are under or unstimulated are more likely to make their own mischief. Like chasing a kid on a bike and running tracks in the backyard. Or chewing up the couch. Dogs need both physical and mental exercise to be at their best. 

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