Why Do Dogs Do These Strange Things?

Many dog behaviors make us wonder whether they're a bit crazy, or whether some psychological issue is driving them to do these things, like lying on the ground and rolling around in feces or dead bugs to pick up a rather... peculiar smell.

Chewing on rocks, trying to bite their own tail, running in circles nonstop in a fit of doggy madness, or burying food are just some of the strangest things dogs do that not everyone understands.

And although it can be hard to believe sometimes, every single one of these strange behaviors has a very clear meaning, which we'll explain below so you know what's really going on with your dog.

Scratching Its Bed With Its Paws, a Way of Marking Ownership

It might seem like a strange way to sharpen its nails, or we might think it simply wants to dig a hole in the middle of its bed for... well, honestly, no one really knows why. Though the truth is scratching its bed with its paws is a canine behavior signaling ownership.

Dogs don't sweat, but they have glands under their paw pads that give off a very distinctive scent. Every dog has its own scent, so when our dog scratches its bed with its paws, what it's actually doing is leaving its scent on the bed, to signal it's theirs.

This is an instinctive way of marking territory, in case other dogs pass by (unlikely as that is), so they'll know that bed already has an owner. This behavior mainly happens when we buy a new bed, or when we wash the current one, since that removes the smell.

Sniffing Each Other's Butts When They Greet Each Other

It would be very, very strange if humans sniffed each other's butts when we meet... so why do dogs do it? The answer is simple: dogs have anal glands giving off a unique scent for each dog.

When our dog is out on a walk, it sniffs things on the ground, including other dogs' droppings, and even when the droppings are gone because the owner picked them up, the smell lingers. Our dog knows this way that another dog has been walking and relieving itself around the neighborhood streets.

So, when two dogs meet, the first thing they do is sniff each other's butts to identify their particular scent. Also, this smell provides a lot of other information, like age, sex, or whether they have a health issue.

Rolling Around in Filth to Pick Up a Bad Smell

Looking closely, this behavior mainly happens in dogs that have just been bathed, meaning very clean dogs. Dogs have a sense of smell over a thousand times better than humans', and when we bathe them, the smell of the soap or shampoo we used usually lingers on them.

Dogs hate that smell — even though it smells great to us, to them, it's a very unnatural smell. That's why the first thing they do is rub themselves against grass, a dead bug, or even another animal's droppings, to get a more natural, less artificial smell.

It's not that they prefer smelling like poop — it's a pure survival instinct. A dog that smells strange is easy prey in the wild, since other animals can detect that smell from miles away. But the smell of a dead bug or droppings is a more natural smell in nature, letting the dog go completely unnoticed.

Dragging Its Butt on the Ground While Walking on Two Legs

Among the strange things dogs do, this is without a doubt one of the funniest. Why do they press their little butt to the ground and start walking while dragging it? The reason is very simple — it itches, or something's bothering them.

When a dog poops, sometimes a bit gets stuck to its anus, or a blade of grass or something bothers it because it's not fully coming off. That's when the dog presses its anus to the ground and drags it until it gets rid of the annoyance.

Itching is also one of the most common causes behind this type of behavior — having intestinal parasites causes a lot of anal itching in dogs. Or having full anal glands is another main reason behind itching.

Running Around Like Crazy in Circles

Being calmly with our dog and having it suddenly start running around like crazy is a behavior that amuses us, but we really don't know why they do it. The reason is an emotional outburst or energy release, which is why it happens more often in puppies and young dogs.

Running in circles is an instinctive act mainly seen in herding dogs and hunting dogs, which run this way in the wild to corral their prey. In reality, our dogs don't hunt, but their instincts remain very active.

This isn't a behavior that should worry us at all, since it's simply about releasing stress or energy, so the right thing to do is let them run until they tire out.

Eating Feces From Other Dogs, Other Animals, or Their Own

Among the ten strange behaviors dogs display, eating feces is possibly the most unpleasant and hardest to understand of all. Why would anyone in their right mind want to eat poop? Well, we don't know, but... many dogs love it.

Behind this strange behavior, there are several causes we should pay close attention to, since they're quite important — some of them require urgent veterinary review.

1. If we scold our puppy when it poops indoors and then pick up the poop in front of it, it'll think this is wrong, and to avoid getting scolded again, it'll eat its own feces next time it happens. So now you know — no scolding.
2. Lack of nutrients in its diet is the most common cause behind this behavior — it could be due to poor-quality food or health issues like intestinal parasites or digestive problems. A vet visit is mandatory in this case.
3. Stress can also cause this kind of behavior, as strange as it might seem. To relieve stress, our dog needs to run and play off-leash with other dogs daily, for at least an hour.

Circling Around Before Lying Down

This is a very curious, fun behavior many dogs display many times throughout their life. It's not a behavior indicating anything wrong, not even a health or behavioral problem — it's something tied to their survival instinct.

Believe it or not, when a dog circles around itself before lying down, what it's doing is watching its whole surroundings and checking which points are most vulnerable, where another animal could get in or attack. This way, it makes sure everything's fine around it before lying down to rest and lower its guard.

Dogs That Eat Rocks

Eating rocks is actually very dangerous, since it quickly wears down their teeth, can cause a broken tooth, and even choking, since many dogs also get rocks stuck after chewing them.

This behavioral problem can have several causes, which we'll go over so you can identify why your dog chews on rocks:

1. Bad habit. If we throw rocks for it to play fetch with, like a ball, the dog will end up biting them over and over as if they were a toy.
2. Psychological issue. A disorder known as "pica," very common in dogs, drives them to chew on everything they find — sticks, rocks, metal....
3. Stress. Once again, stress can be behind this behavioral problem, which can so negatively affect their health.

Hiding or Burying Food

We all know dogs love eating, so much that no matter how much food we give them, they always want more. That's why it's strange for a dog to hide or bury its food instead of eating it. What drives them to do this?

The answer, once again, lies in their primal instincts, which tell the dog that when it has plenty of food, it's a good idea to save some for later, in case there's scarcity down the road.

It might seem absurd, since we feed them every day. But dogs don't think about that — they're just that: dogs. So, they're guided by their primal instincts.

Trying to Bite Its Own Tail

A dog trying to chase its own tail once or very occasionally can simply indicate boredom — another way of having fun, passing the time playing with its own tail.

But if it does this often, this indicates a physical or psychological health issue, so it's highly recommended to see a vet for an exam. If no physical health issues are found, we should then see an ethologist, who'll tell us whether there's a psychological issue at play.