Normal dog behaviours can vary depending on breed, age, and individual personality, but here are some common ones:
Dogs often wag their tails when they are happy or excited. However, the speed and position of the tail can also convey other emotions, like anxiety or alertness.
Barking is a normal form of communication for dogs. It can indicate excitement, alertness, fear, or a desire for attention. Different barks can have different meanings and depends dog to dog, so you need to spend some time getting to know your dog.
Dogs explore their environment through their sense of smell. Sniffing is how they gather information about their surroundings, other dogs, or even people. Let them sniff on their walks because this is really tiring and mentally stimulating for your dogs.
Chewing is especially common in puppies, but many adult dogs enjoy it as well. It helps with teething, stress relief, and keeping their jaws strong. However, excessive or destructive chewing may indicate boredom or anxiety.
A common sign of playfulness. Dogs lower their front end and keep their back end up in the air, inviting you or other dogs to play.
Dogs pant to cool down because they cannot sweat like humans. Panting can also be a sign of excitement, stress, or discomfort, so it is important to look at the context and your dogs body language as a whole.
Dogs may dig for various reasons: to bury something, to create a cool spot to lie down, or simply because it’s fun. Some breeds are more prone to digging than others. To encourage appropriate digging some people like to get a childs sand pit and hide toys in there to allow and appropriate outlet for their desire to dig.
Many dogs have a natural instinct to chase things like squirrels, balls, or even other dogs. This behaviour is driven by their prey drive, which is stronger in some breeds than others.
Dogs often circle before lying down as a leftover instinct from their wild ancestors, who would do this to pat down grass or check for threats.
Dogs lick themselves for grooming, to soothe wounds, or to communicate affection to their owners or other dogs.
Dogs sometimes roll in smelly substances, which may stem from a natural instinct to mask their scent or communicate something about their environment.
Dogs often nudge or paw at people for attention or to express a need, like being petted, going outside, or asking for food.
It’s normal for some dogs to guard food, toys, or certain spaces. It’s a behaviour rooted in survival instincts but can be modified with training. We will talk more about this in class or you can have a look at the information I have provided about resource guarding.
This can be a sign of over excitement, stress, or even just a playful behaviour. It’s more common in unneutered dogs but can happen in any dog. To avoid this do something calming with your dog instead like providing a puzzle for them to work out, licky mat, something to chew on, etc.
