Why Dogs Watch You Cook: Curiosity or Hope for Food?
The steak hits the pan and the sound alone is enough. From across the kitchen, a dog lifts his head, ears swiveling toward the stove like tiny satellite dishes.…
curiosity
Why Dogs Sniff the Air: What They’re Detecting
Your dog is walking along quite happily when he suddenly stops. His nose lifts away from the sidewalk, his head turns, and he begins sniffing at the empty air.…
Why Dogs Lick the Air: What This Odd Behavior Means
Is your dog tasting a scent you can’t detect? Waiting for food? Feeling nauseated? Reacting to an uncomfortable social moment? Or did her tongue simply continue into empty space after a lick?…
Why Dogs Sniff Your Face: Curiosity or Affection?
You come home after lunch with a friend, put your keys down, and lean toward your dog to say hello. Instead of immediately asking for a cuddle, she brings her nose right up to your face.…
Why Dogs Sniff Everything: Curiosity or Instinct?
You head toward the corner, but your dog has other plans. He stops at a telephone pole, investigates the grass beside it, and moves on just far enough to discover something interesting near the curb.…
Why Dogs Bring You Random Items: Communication or Play?
A hairbrush is an odd thing for a dog to deliver. It doesn’t squeak, bounce, dispense food, or look much like anything you would normally throw across the room.…
Why Dogs Follow You From Room to Room: What It Means
Your dog may have a perfectly good bed, a patch of sunlight, and an entire couch available to him. None of that matters once you stand up. You walk from the office to the kitchen.…
Why Dogs Make Funny Noises: What They’re Communicating
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.…
Sensory, Quirky & Play Behaviors — How Dogs Explore the World
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.…
Why Dogs Boop You With Their Nose: Communication or Curiosity?
The room is dark except for the blue-white glow of your phone. You’re halfway through reading something when a cold, damp nose presses into the back of your hand.…