10 common dog behaviours and what they mean
News Desk | Apr 07, 2025, 13:00 IST
Understanding common dog behaviours and meanings helps build a stronger bond with your pet. Tail wagging can signal happiness, while growling may indicate fear or discomfort. Dogs may lick to show affection or submission. Recognizing these signs allows you to respond appropriately, ensuring better communication, training, and overall well-being for your furry companion.
Dogs are simple creatures who often convey their love through body language and actions. Decoding these actions and their behaviours will help you understand their needs better and address the concerns as they come. Below are ten common signs associated with your dog's behaviour.
1. Barking: A common form of communication for dogs. It can have different meanings depending upon the situation. It could mean either they are excited or frustrated. Dogs may even bark to gather the attention of thier owners or as a sign of warning against a potential threat. It is important to pay attention to the pitch, volume and duration of the barking as well as accompanying body language to understand what your dog is trying to convey. A single bark or two bark may indicate interest or attention to something, repeated barking indicates excitement or urgency
2. Whining: For puppies, often the first sign of communication is whining. It can indicate various things such as anxiety, fear, pain or desire for attention. Dogs whine to express their happiness or when they are feeling energetic. Adult dogs might do it to express frustration or indicating discomfort of any sort.
3. Licking: It is a dog's way of bonding greeting and showing affection. It is their way of cleaning themselves or showing affection to their owners. Dogs may also lick humans as a sign of submission or to seek attention. However, if the licking is excessive please consult a veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical issues.
4. Head tilting: While mostly its harmless, but if you notice your dog is excessively tilting their head, it is worth consulting a vet. Dogs have a keen sense of hearing, to better locate the source of the sound they often tilt their heads. Often considered adorable and this behaviour is generally displayed by dogs.
5. Pawing: It is a sign where dog use their paws to interact with the environment or communicate with humans or other animals. It is often a sign of seeking attention, affection or play. Pawing also could be linked to distress like pacing or whining.
6. Rolling over: When dogs roll over, it indicate various things, depending upon the context. For example: Dogs may roll over to invite belly rubs as a sign of submission during social interaction with other dogs and animals. It is essential to read your dog’s body language as a whole, as rolling over can sometimes also mean that they are uncomfortable.
7. Tail tucking: It is usually linked to fear or submission. A tightly tucked tail means that the dog is fearful, while lowering the tail from a neutral position can represent a dog’s intention to maintain a submissive role.
8. Jumping up: Especially when dogs are extremely happy, jumping up can indicate a friendly gesture. However, it can be problematic if the dog’s enthusiasm leads to potential injury or discomfort. Scientifically it is said that the dog jumps up to greet people, often seeking attention or mimicking a canine greeting behaviour. Sometimes it is also done to assert their presence.
9. Marking territory: It is a very natural occurring behaviour for dogs. Generally, through urine leaving small amounts on the vertical surfaces to communicate their presence and establish boundaries. It is a sign of showing dominance or as a response to changes in the environment if and when a new pet comes or a new visitor.
10. Howling: A vocal behaviour exhibited by dogs; they howl for various reasons including communication, sometimes to express loneliness or even respond to certain sounds.
Understanding and responding well to your dog behaviour is essential to make a strong bond with your furry friends. From tail wagging to barking, every behaviour has a hidden meaning behind it just like any other human action, dogs also indicate what they want. Let’s take the time to decode their love language and in return, they will reward us with boundless love and endless tail wags.
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1. Barking: A common form of communication for dogs. It can have different meanings depending upon the situation. It could mean either they are excited or frustrated. Dogs may even bark to gather the attention of thier owners or as a sign of warning against a potential threat. It is important to pay attention to the pitch, volume and duration of the barking as well as accompanying body language to understand what your dog is trying to convey. A single bark or two bark may indicate interest or attention to something, repeated barking indicates excitement or urgency
2. Whining: For puppies, often the first sign of communication is whining. It can indicate various things such as anxiety, fear, pain or desire for attention. Dogs whine to express their happiness or when they are feeling energetic. Adult dogs might do it to express frustration or indicating discomfort of any sort.
3. Licking: It is a dog's way of bonding greeting and showing affection. It is their way of cleaning themselves or showing affection to their owners. Dogs may also lick humans as a sign of submission or to seek attention. However, if the licking is excessive please consult a veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical issues.
Common dog behaviours and meanings
4. Head tilting: While mostly its harmless, but if you notice your dog is excessively tilting their head, it is worth consulting a vet. Dogs have a keen sense of hearing, to better locate the source of the sound they often tilt their heads. Often considered adorable and this behaviour is generally displayed by dogs.
5. Pawing: It is a sign where dog use their paws to interact with the environment or communicate with humans or other animals. It is often a sign of seeking attention, affection or play. Pawing also could be linked to distress like pacing or whining.
6. Rolling over: When dogs roll over, it indicate various things, depending upon the context. For example: Dogs may roll over to invite belly rubs as a sign of submission during social interaction with other dogs and animals. It is essential to read your dog’s body language as a whole, as rolling over can sometimes also mean that they are uncomfortable.
Understanding Dog Behavior
7. Tail tucking: It is usually linked to fear or submission. A tightly tucked tail means that the dog is fearful, while lowering the tail from a neutral position can represent a dog’s intention to maintain a submissive role.
8. Jumping up: Especially when dogs are extremely happy, jumping up can indicate a friendly gesture. However, it can be problematic if the dog’s enthusiasm leads to potential injury or discomfort. Scientifically it is said that the dog jumps up to greet people, often seeking attention or mimicking a canine greeting behaviour. Sometimes it is also done to assert their presence.
Dog Body Language and Its Meanings
9. Marking territory: It is a very natural occurring behaviour for dogs. Generally, through urine leaving small amounts on the vertical surfaces to communicate their presence and establish boundaries. It is a sign of showing dominance or as a response to changes in the environment if and when a new pet comes or a new visitor.
10. Howling: A vocal behaviour exhibited by dogs; they howl for various reasons including communication, sometimes to express loneliness or even respond to certain sounds.
Understanding and responding well to your dog behaviour is essential to make a strong bond with your furry friends. From tail wagging to barking, every behaviour has a hidden meaning behind it just like any other human action, dogs also indicate what they want. Let’s take the time to decode their love language and in return, they will reward us with boundless love and endless tail wags.
- What are normal dog behaviors?
Normal dog behaviors include barking, digging, chewing, tail wagging, and sniffing as ways to communicate and explore. Social interaction, playfulness, and following routines are also typical signs of a happy, healthy dog. - What are the 4 F's of dog behavior?
The 4 F's of dog behavior are Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn — instinctive responses to stress or perceived threats. Understanding these helps in managing fear-based or reactive behaviors in dogs effectively. - How do dogs say "I love you"?
Dogs say "I love you" through eye contact, tail wagging, cuddling, and following you around. They may also bring you their favorite toy or gently lick you to show affection and trust.