Every dog owner expects their dog to bark, especially at a delivery driver at the front door or a stranger coming into the house. There are plenty of other behaviors you'll see daily, though, and you may well wonder what they mean. From long howls to circling before lying down, we've put together a list of the most common dog behaviors and what they're likely to be telling you.
1. Howling
Dogs communicate through sound and body language, and howling is one of the ways they do it. A dog may howl to respond to another dog, to announce their presence, or to get your attention—and many will howl in response to a high-pitched noise such as a siren or an alarm, which is a form of answering back rather than a sign of distress.
Howling can also mean a dog is uneasy about something, so it's worth reading their body language alongside it. And if your dog howls persistently when left alone, particularly if it starts within minutes of you leaving and comes with pacing, drooling, or destruction at doors and windows, that may be separation anxiety rather than ordinary vocalizing. That's something we can help with, so do let us know.
2. Circling Before Lying Down
A dog circling before lying down is a form of nesting, and it usually means they're settling in for a rest. Much as a person arranges their pillows at bedtime, a dog will circle until they've found the most comfortable spot and position. It's thought to trace back to their ancestors, who would flatten grass or leaves to make a safe nest before sleeping.
One thing worth watching for: if an older dog circles far more than usual, seems unable to settle, paces at night, or circles in a repetitive way that isn't followed by lying down, that's different and worth mentioning to us. Restlessness in a senior dog can point to pain, or to cognitive changes we can help manage.
3. Tilted Head
It doesn't get much more endearing than a dog tilting their head, and the reason behind it is rather charming too. A tilt usually means your dog is engaged and paying close attention, and it helps them locate exactly where a sound is coming from—the shape of their ears means moving the head slightly changes what each ear picks up. Almost every breed does it, and dogs who are particularly attentive to their people tend to do it most.
The important distinction is between a tilt and a persistent tilt. A head held permanently to one side, especially with loss of balance, stumbling, circling in one direction, flicking eye movements, or a reluctance to have the head touched, is a medical sign rather than a communication. Ear infections are the most common cause, and vestibular disease and other problems affecting the inner ear or brain can produce it too. If your dog's head tilt doesn't go away when the conversation ends, please have us take a look—the treatable causes respond well when they're caught early.
4. Digging
Dogs dig for all sorts of reasons—because it's satisfying, because they're bored, because they've smelled something interesting, or because they're hot. Terriers and other breeds developed to go to ground find it particularly rewarding, and in warm weather some dogs dig a hollow simply because the soil underneath is cooler.
A dog who digs at carpet or upholstery, or who digs frantically when left alone, is usually telling you they need more to do—or, if it's accompanied by other signs of distress when you leave, that they're anxious rather than bored. Either way, punishing digging doesn't work: it's a self-rewarding behavior, and the underlying reason doesn't go away.
The more effective approach is to give the behavior somewhere acceptable to happen. A designated digging area or a sandbox in the yard, with a toy or two buried in it, satisfies the urge without costing you the flowerbeds. More exercise, food puzzles, and scent games help too, since a dog with enough to occupy them digs less. If the digging is compulsive or destructive, let us know and we can talk through options.
5. Butt Scooting
Funny to watch, but scooting usually means something is uncomfortable back there, and it's worth investigating rather than laughing off.
Full or impacted anal glands are one common cause, and left alone they can become infected or abscess, which is genuinely painful. Scooting and anal licking can equally point to allergies or skin irritation, intestinal parasites such as tapeworm, matted fur or debris caught in the coat, or a mass in the area. Chronic soft stools are a frequent culprit too, since firm stools are what empties the glands naturally as they pass.
Because the causes are so varied, please have us look rather than assuming it's the glands. Routine expressing of glands that don't need it isn't recommended and can cause irritation of its own. The American Kennel Club has more on scooting if you'd like to read further.
6. Kicking Up Grass
Dogs have scent glands in their paws, and kicking up grass or dirt after relieving themselves spreads that scent around—so what looks like tidying up is really a form of marking. It's sometimes called scrape behavior, and the visual disturbance to the ground may serve as a signal in itself alongside the scent.
Incidentally, those same paws are why some dogs' feet smell faintly of corn chips. A dog's sense of smell is by far their dominant sense, and there's a great deal we still don't understand about what these scents mean to other dogs. Only a dog's nose knows.
When a Quirk Is Worth a Call
Most of these behaviors are perfectly normal, and knowing what they mean makes for a better relationship with your dog. What's worth paying attention to is change—a behavior that's new, that's suddenly much more frequent, or that appears alongside anything else unusual.
A dog who starts howling at night, circling constantly, tilting their head permanently, digging obsessively, or scooting regularly is not being quirky. They're telling you something, and we'd much rather hear about it early. Contact us if you'd like to talk through anything you've noticed about your dog's behavior.