What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
Licking the face, especially around the mouth, is a normal, friendly greeting behavior that dogs often display toward when saying hello.
Scooting can indicate that something is irritating, itchy or painful, such as worms, anal gland problems, itchy skin, or something stuck around the bottom.
Sources: (Reader's Digest) (BBC) (Business Insider)
See also: The most common mistakes dog owners make
However, if it seems excessive, it could indicate underlying stress or a medical condition.
While this act can be interpreted as an expression of love, your dog pawing at you can also be credited to numerous other feelings.
Have you ever observed your dog running or twitching in their sleep? This is most likely due to your dog dreaming.
Usually it's a positive indication for you to give them more attention and to play. But it can also indicate that they're feeling anxious or be in pain.
Although it can look comical, it may also be one of those things dogs do to let you know they're sick.
With 300 million olfactory receptors in their nose, a quick sniff can determine whether the other dog is male or female, happy or sad, scared or stressed.
There's a good chance you've seen your pooch picking up objects, usually sticks, during its walk.
Naturally curious about the world, if dogs find an object interesting, they may want to pick it up and carry it for a while.
A simple butt sniff can tell your dog a lot of useful information when meeting another pup. The closer a dog can get to a source of body chemistry, the better they can sense if new dogs are friends or foes.
Now and then, dogs will get a random burst of energy, which results in them doing laps around the home or park. Commonly known as the zoomies, it's simply because they're happy.
Dogs collect a lot of information via their noses, and the most concentrated sources of pheromones are in the crotch or butt areas, whether you have two legs or four.
Although this dog behavior presents an awkward situation, it's totally normal and nothing anyone should be embarrassed about.
An instinctual dog behavior, they do so to prevent their treasures from being stolen by another animal.
There are a couple of theories for this behavior. One, your dog is stamping down the grass for a clean place to poop.
The second theory is that your dog is scanning the area for predators before it goes.
Many dog owners know how alarming it is when we see our pets eating poop, also known as coprophagia. However, it's fairly common and goes to ancestral survival instincts.
Whether it's mud or grass, dogs love to roll in stinky things. If there is something smelly, such as a dead insect, dead animal, or a high concentration of urine or musk smells, they're likely rolling in it to cover themselves in the smell.
It's also important to spay and neuter pets at the recommended age to reduce the chance of urine marking, which is especially common in male dogs.
Many believe it's an instinctual behavior, which goes back to the days when the dog's wild ancestors would mask their scent to help them sneak up on their prey.
Also, biting can also be a result of a dog’s anxiety and stress, or a warning sign your dog is in pain, especially if it nips at you when you touch or move them.
Why do some dogs bury their bones and toys, or stash them behind chairs or under a stack of pillows on the sofa?
Expect accidents in the house when potty training. But what happens when your house-trained dog suddenly starts peeing and pooping inside? This might be an underlying medical condition, such as urinary incontinence, inflammatory bowel disease, urinary tract infections, or even kidney failure.
Little puppy nips can be cute, but it's important to train your pup early on to stop this behavior. Dogs may bite playfully at their owners' hands or feet because they know it results in them getting attention. However, playful biting can quickly become more serious as dogs become excited or overstimulated.
When their ancestors relied on scavenging for food, they likely would have eaten fecal matter if it was all that was available.
A completely healthy behavior, many dogs also get the zoomies after a bath because it feels good to move and shake off all that water.
What about other body parts? Well, when it comes to feet, fingers, and in between toes, the stronger the smell, the higher the attraction.
Any dog owner can confirm that dogs do some very strange things. Amidst the everyday behaviors like cuddling, playing, and giving kisses, our furry friends sometimes do things that we just don't understand. From strange behaviors, like sniffing other dogs' butts, eating poop, getting the zoomies, most of the weird things dogs do are completely normal, but others can be signs of health conditions.
Click on to better understand the furry goofball you call your best friend.
Decode your pup: strange dog behaviors explained
Does your dog like rolling in poo?
LIFESTYLE Pets
Any dog owner can confirm that dogs do some very strange things. Amidst the everyday behaviors like cuddling, playing, and giving kisses, our furry friends sometimes do things that we just don't understand. From strange behaviors, like sniffing other dogs' butts, eating poop, getting the zoomies, most of the weird things dogs do are completely normal, but others can be signs of health conditions.
Click on to better understand the furry goofball you call your best friend.