Dog Behavior Explained 
A dog sitting on your lap isn’t claiming ownership of you. The position can look possessive because the dog is literally occupying your body, but location alone doesn’t tell you whether she’s trying to control anything.…
The house is quiet, and then it isn’t. A drawer opens near the front door, metal jingles against metal, and a dog asleep on the rug moments ago is suddenly upright, tail going, nails clicking toward the sound.…
Your dog did something today that made you stop and wonder. Maybe they followed you into the bathroom again. Then they started pacing for no obvious reason or dropped a toy at your feet for the fourth time in an hour.…
Your dog looks at you, glances toward the leash hanging by the door, then looks back. A moment later, he paws your leg.
Which part was the message?
The useful answer may be the whole sequence.…
Some dogs seem to organize their day around a person. You stand up, and they stand up. You walk into the kitchen, and footsteps follow a few seconds later.…
The dog had just come out of the bath, towel-dried but still faintly damp behind the ears, and for a moment she stood there blinking, sheepish about the whole ordeal.…
A dog props his back against the couch, lets his hind legs slide forward, and sits with his torso upright. From across the room, the resemblance can be startling.…
Here’s a strange little fact: a sound most people find mildly annoying is, to a dog, one of the most rewarding noises in the house. Squeak a toy in a quiet room and watch what happens.…
You’re sitting on the couch when another dog starts walking toward you. Yours has been lying quietly at your side, but something changes as the distance closes. She lifts her head, gets up, and steps into the narrow space between you and the approaching dog.…
A visitor kneels to greet your dog, the interaction gets lively, and then the person stands up. Your dog steps away, plants her feet, and sends a ripple from her head through her shoulders, ribs, and tail.…