Dogs are man’s best friend, and while we don’t share the same language, a form of communication is necessary for both sides to understand each other’s behaviors. In this article, we discuss how to understand dog behaviors for beginners.
Everyone loves dogs, whether they’re cute puppies or charming senior dogs, all of them are loveable; even dogs that seem like they come from bad homes. One thing we can all agree on is that no dogs have the same personality. Some dogs may be more well-behaved, while others need a little more time and discipline.
Before adopting a dog, you have to be prepared. Bad owners are worse than misbehaving pets, which is why understanding their behavior is necessary if you want peace between you and your pet. In this article, we talk about how to understand dog behaviors for beginners.
Understanding your dog makes it easy to avoid accidents, disappointment, and allows you to communicate with your dog in some way. Aside from that, understanding dog behaviours gives you a chance to know more about dogs before you take the leap.
If you’re new to owning a dog and you’re planning on adopting one sometime soon, we hope you read our article so you have a clearer idea of what to expect when you adopt a dog. Most people get surprised and don’t persevere with taking care of their pets.
Let us know if these tips help!
Different Dog Behaviors To Expect
There are a lot of different dog behaviors that are observed with all dogs, and before you adopt one, you should know them so you don’t wonder or worry when you’re training your dog. Here are some behaviors you will observe in dogs:
- Leaning: If you notice, some dogs, (usually the bigger breeds) like to lean on their owners, or never seem to leave their owners’ sides. This is usually done when dogs feel afraid, or feel they need to be protective of their owner.
- Eating poop: One of the worst dog behaviors that is noticed is when they eat their own poop, or the poop of other animals. While there’s no specific reason, a lot of dog experts suggest that this may be related to anxiety. If you notice a dog eating their poop, you might want to check if the dog is exhibiting other signs of anxious behavior.
- Tail wagging: Most people have this idea that a dog that wags its tail is happy, but that’s not always the case. A dog wagging its tail may be displaying signs of emotional arousement, and that emotion can range from frustration to happiness.
- Panting: On a hot day, most people cool their body off by hanging out in a shaded area and getting cooled by a fan; for dogs, they cool off by panting. If you notice a dog panting, you might want to give them some water.
- Digging: When you adopt a dog, something you will notice is that dogs tend to dig randomly. This may be their way of making their resting place more comfortable and is actually an instinctual behavior that is passed on from their ancestors.
How to Understand Dog Behaviors For Beginners
Now that we know some of the common behaviors observed in dogs, let’s talk about how to understand dog behaviors for beginners. The most important thing to do is to know these behaviors so you can react accordingly.
How you react teaches your dog either to retain the behavior, or avoid it. Aside from that, knowing this behavior will make it easier for you to train your dog. It’s important to note that while all dogs may share common behavior, their personality is a different thing altogether, and something that you will need to work on.
Key Takeaways
Adopting any pet is a big responsibility, but caring for a dog is like caring for a child that never learns how to say words. If you are looking to adopt a dog but are worried about their behavior, we hope you learn from this article about how to understand dog behaviors for beginners.
We know that all dogs are loveable, but adjusting to their behavior is a necessary step to ensure that you and your furry friend will get along, even on the bad days. Let us know which behavior was surprising for you and which one is common.