The Meaning Behind 21 Strangest Dog Behaviors

Why dogs kick when you scratch their belly.
This movement is an involuntary reaction called scratch reflex.
When you scratch a dog’s belly, you activate the nerves under the skin that are connected to their spinal cord. These nerves send a message to your dog’s leg muscles to kick and twitch in an attempt to get rid of an irritant.
Why dogs kick their feet after pooping.
By scratching the ground, your dog is releasing the pheromones located in the scent glands of its feet. This is the main way your dog marks its territory.
Why dogs drag their butts on the floor.
Your dog dragging their bottom on the ground, also known as Scooting, is almost always a sign that something is irritating your dog— like Infection, inflammation, or worms.
More often than not, this irritation has to do with anal sac problems. dogs have anal sacs located on both sides of their rear end.
Why dogs hump.
In general, dogs hump something to establish their territory. Even a stuffed animal.
Both male and female dogs hump.
Why dogs poop along a north-south axis
After a two-year study involving 70 dogs, it was found that dogs disregard personal preference and prefer to poop facing the North-South magnetic axis.
Why Dogs Twitch in Their Sleep
Dogs dream during the REM stage of sleep, and those twitches are responses to whatever's happening in their dreams.
Showing empathy
Dogs can sense when you are sad or upset. They show empathy to comfort you when you are in distress.
Sleeping on your clothes
If your dog sleeps on your clothes or in your bed, it means they love you. Your clothing and bed have your scent on them and dogs always want to feel closer to you.
Sitting on your feet
Dogs lay or sit on your feet as a sign of marking their territory.
Dogs also sit on your feet to show you affection, just as you would choose to sit next to a friend.
Staring at you so intensely.
Dogs stare to get signals as to what is happening next.
Dogs also stare to manipulate their owners to get what they want. This is a common scenario with begging at the dinner table.
Squinting Their Eyes
Dogs squint their eyes to indicate peaceful intentions. If your dog squint their eyes when they look at you, they are expressing their love and desire for your attention.
Rolling on their back in the grass.
Dogs roll in grass for a lot of reasons.
They could be scratching an itch, or attempting to change their own body scent. Another reason your dog may roll in the grass is to mark their territory or deposit their scent.
By rubbing their scent off on an area, like a carpet or a new dog bed, they are marking it as theirs.
Hunching over
A hunched-over posture in dogs can be seen when they are fearful and feeling particularly vulnerable. By hunching over, dogs try to make themselves small.
Dogs also hunch over when they are abused, attacked, or scolded.
Why dogs lick you.
Dogs lick you to show you affection and love. They may even want to groom you to show that they care about your well-being. Or they may simply enjoy the taste of your salty skin.
Urine Marking
Some dogs scent mark by urinating small amounts on vertical surfaces. Both male and female dogs can urine mark. Dogs who aren’t neutered or sprayed are more likely to mark than those who are.
Fuzzy Bagel Sleeping Position
If your dog tucks its paws beneath itself and curls up so that its head rests on its tail, it means that your dog might be trying to conserve body heat and provide protection to the fundamental parts of its body. It’s the most common sleeping position for animals in the wild, too, as it helps conserve warmth and protects the vital organs.