Dog Behavior Explained 
You get up to grab a glass of water, and four paws are already moving before you’ve cleared the doorway. You head to the laundry room, and there’s a nose pressed against the basket a second later.…
You set your laptop bag down for two minutes to grab a snack. By the time you’re back, your dog has curled up right on top of it.
Your first thought might be that he’s staking a claim.…
Wolves, the closest living relative of the domestic dog, barely bark at all. Researchers who study wolves generally describe barking as a relatively uncommon part of adult wolf communication.…
Dogs experience the world in ways that are very different from people. Their senses are sharper, their curiosity is constant, and many everyday behaviors reflect how they investigate sounds, scents, objects, movement, and the people around them.…
Every night around the same time, the routine starts.
The dog grabs a fold of the blanket in her teeth. She drags it into a lopsided heap, then starts pawing at it with both front feet, like she’s uncovering something buried underneath.…
Usually, it’s connection. If your dog has ever plopped their chin onto your knee, your foot, or your lap mid-nap, you can relax: this is one of the more reliably sweet behaviors in the canine playbook.…
Why does one dog wedge herself against your hip on the couch while another sprawls three feet away and seems perfectly content? Why does your dog choose the spot right next to your chair during dinner, but move to the hallway when the house gets loud?…
You get up to grab a glass of water. Fifteen seconds later, you turn around and your dog has already claimed the cushion, curled up like it’s been waiting for this exact moment all day.…
Your dog trots past the couch and taps your knee with a cold, wet nose on the way to the water bowl. Ten minutes later, while you’re scrolling your phone, that same nose presses into your forearm and holds there until you look up.…
Say “walk.” Just the one word, nothing else attached to it, and watch what happens. The ears lift, the eyes lock onto your face, and the head drifts to one side like it’s trying to line something up.…