The best way to understand your dog’s behavior is to understand what their actions mean. Canine Journal can give you advice and feedback that will have you, your dog, and your family on a level of understanding that will make it fun and rewarding to live together. We address both ends of the leash in our behavioral topics, as it’s just as important that your pup understand your actions and the reasons behind your behavior.
Why do dogs dig holes? Is your yard starting to look like a minefield? It’s important to know that your dog isn’t intentionally trying to be malicious and ruin your landscaping. Instead of getting upset with your dog, consider why your dog may be digging holes in your backyard. Here are some common reasons your dog might dig holes in your yard and how to stop a dog from digging.
Puppy and dog chewing is normal behavior because canines use their mouths to explore the world around them (and help relieve teething). But excessive or destructive chewing can be a frustrating problem with some of our furry friends. If you’re looking for the best solutions to deter your champion chewer, you’re in the right place. We’ve got expert tips on how to stop the incessant chomping, including our top picks for the best bitter apple spray for dogs.
Ever wonder why your dog shakes all the time? Why is she shaking? You may notice that your dog shakes when she gets out of the water, but dogs shake when they’re dry too. Your dog may shake after greeting people, while playing, when getting up, or readjusting to a different position. Each shake has a different reason. You may also notice that your dog’s shaking is more like shivering or trembling – and there are other reasons for that too.
Our dogs are so cute when they are sleeping — twitching, whimpering, and chasing squirrels. But do dogs have dreams? If so, what do dogs dream about, and why do dogs dream? Do dogs dream about their owners? One can wish! Learn more about what might be going on inside a dog’s head when he sleeps and how to tell if your doggy is dreaming when he dozes off.
If your dog occasionally twitches or looks like he’s trying to run when he’s snoozing, you may wonder what the heck is going on. Is he dreaming of something fun or frightening? Scientists have studied many aspects of animal sleep patterns and habits, and we’ll explore their findings about this typically normal canine behavior. But we also share the signs when excessive twitching or other movements during sleep could be a red flag.
Is the joy of your new family member wearing thin because your puppy won’t stop crying and whining in his crate? His crate is supposed to be his happy place, and nothing is more frustrating than when it’s a torture chamber instead. The good news is, there’s a lot you can do to nip the crate whining in the bud so it doesn’t become a prolonged problem. These tips can help stop your puppy from crying in crate so you’ll both sleep at night.
Many of us pup owners have to walk our dogs once the sun goes down or early in the morning before the sun fully rises. If you’re among us twilight or nighttime walkers, you may be wondering, do dogs have good night vision? See what we’ve uncovered about our canines’ ability to see in the dark and how it compares to humans and cats.
There’s almost nothing more adorable than when our dogs tilt their heads at us. It’s such an endearing behavior and impossible to resist gushing over your furry friend. But why do dogs tilt their heads? Is it merely for your loving praise? It turns out there are several different reasons our pups cock their heads to the side, and it’s not just to put on a cute display for us.
Dogs can’t talk, but they have an effective way of communicating with their body language, showing signals to indicate their feelings. As we learn to recognize how dogs communicate, we can better understand what our furry friend is telling us. You don’t have to be Cesar Millan to know when a pup is happy, hurt, or angry. Dog facial expressions and dog tail and ear languages are ways to find out what your dog might be thinking.
Although all dogs do it, butt sniffing is offputting for many owners. After all, it’s a bit embarrassing when your dog sticks his schnoz right into the rear end of a fellow canine while you’re on a walk or at the dog park. Just why do dogs smell butts? The reason isn’t nearly as gross as it seems. And it’s more important to dogs than you might think.
As dog owners, we know all too well that our furry friends aren’t skilled in the art of social graces. And crotch-sniffing tops the list of their faux-pas behavior. After all, when your pup shoves his snout in someone’s crotch, this intrusive behavior is downright embarrassing and usually disconcerting for the recipient. So, why do dogs sniff humans’ private areas? It turns out, our pups have a perfectly good reason. Still, it’s unwanted behavior for all humans involved, so we’ll give you tips on how to curb this natural canine instinct.
Friends, dog lovers, it’s time we had the talk about a…sensitive topic. It may be a bit uncomfortable, but let’s try to be mature about it, shall we? Let’s talk about humping and why our furry friends do the bump n’ grind on other dogs, our legs, their beds and the occasional throw pillow…
