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3 Weird Things Your Pets Do and Why

August 28, 2017 by Mary Telesz

petsThere are many bizarre things pets do—and if we’re being honest, it’s a big part of why we love them! Each of our cats and dogs have a completely unique personality, complete with their own set of distinct quirks and eccentricities. Learning the ins and outs of your pets (sometimes) weird mind is absolutely one of the greatest joys of being a pet owner.

Owning a pet is a big responsibility, as we all know, but the rewards are worth it for anyone who truly loves their animal. Grooming, feeding, exercise, affection, discipline, and keeping an animal safe from potential danger are all part of owning a pet. The best way to enjoy a pet is to understand that there are many benefits to owning one, and to take full responsibility for its love and care. An animal can sense when you genuinely care for it: indeed, dogs have been called ‘man’s best friend’ for thousands of years due to their particularly close relationship with their human owners.

Despite this, even the most well-behaved pets that we think we know inside and out have the capacity to surprise us every day with some of their weirder behaviors. If you’ve ever been at a complete loss for words by some behaviors from your pet, or just caught yourself wondering “Why..?” while incredulously watching your pet around the house, this list is for you!

Humping

Dogs often hump people’s legs or other dogs, but did you know that they sometimes hump other things too? For example, if they have a soft toy or blanket, you might pop in to check on them and find them humping to their heart’s content! You may laugh or feel grossed out, and will almost certainly find it very odd. However, humping is a truly normal mode of behavior for a dog.

Why do Dogs Hump?

There are a number of reasons why a dog may be prone to humping both animate and inanimate objects. First, it is a sign of sexual behavior. It is a common assumption that only dogs who haven’t yet been neutered or spayed will hump an object, but this isn’t the case. In fact, any kind of dog can randomly start humping, whether it’s a male or female, neutered or not neutered. Interestingly enough, many dog owners aren’t aware that neutered male dogs can sometimes still get erections!

Dogs may also hump as a way of exerting power and control over the object. It’s a primal instinct that aims to show that they’re higher in the social hierarchy and have superiority over their object of humping.

Over excitement during play time may also cause a dog to hump something in close proximity. If this only happens occasionally it’s perfectly normal, but if your dog tends to hump every time they’re playing with other dogs or in the company of humans, it could be a sign that your dog is under-socialized. This problem can easily be amended over time by arranging more doggy playdates, so there’s no real need to worry.

Similar, dogs that have a particularly excited or easily agitated temperament may be more likely to hump when they start to feel out of control. If you have a docile, placid dog, it is less likely they will take to humping than a high-energy breed.

Is Humping a Problem?

There is generally little to no need to worry if you walk in on your dog humping an inanimate object. Things can get a little embarrassing when they regularly start to hump a particular friend, and may even cause awkwardness in the friendship. If your dog’s humping bothers you, you can train them to stop doing it by either distracting them or commanding them to sit. If they seem particularly stubborn about stopping, rewarding them will treats for obeying the command (even if they already know it) will gradually do the trick.

Eating Poop/Feces

The first time you see your pet eating poo, no doubt you will scream and shout at them for being so disgusting! It’s true that seeing a dog or cat eat poo is enough to make us want to skip dinner, and it just doesn’t seem to make any sense at all. Why on earth would any animal eat poo? Feces is the waste product of what we eat: it is what the body gets rid of because it has no use for it, so why does a cat or dog (particularly dogs) find it appealing and nutritious to eat?

Why do Dogs Sometimes Eat Poop?

The fact is that eating feces is normal for many species of animal (believe it or not). In dogs for example, eating it is sort of how they clean house: mothers with pups will often go around eating the poo in their space as a way of cleaning it! Therefore, if you want your pet to stop eating poo, you should consider cleaning their area as often as possible so that they can retain their sense of domestic pride!

Make sure that your dog is on the right diet and is getting enough daily nutrition. On occasion, dogs who didn’t get enough nutritional balance out of their food will eat feces in order to extract some partially digested food. This is not only disgusting, but also very upsetting to think that dogs would be so desperate for food. There are general guidelines on dog food packaging that tell you how much to feed them, so there is really no excuse for this happening.

Drinking out of the Toilet

Another bizarre and disgusting habit of cats and dogs alike, drinking out of the toilet is something weird that many pets do and we wonder why. It might make a little bit of sense if their water bowl is completely dry and they’re exceptionally thirsty, but more often than not, their water bowl has lots of clean water in it.

Why do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet?

petsWhy, then, do they choose dirty toilet water over clean water from their bowl? First of all, unlike humans, pets aren’t very germ-conscious. It’s a well-known fact that toilets contain millions of germs and can potentially cause diseases such as shigellosis, staphylococcus, and salmonella.

However, you must remember that dogs don’t view the world they do. In fact, they have a completely different value system: including their perception of what is good or bad, or right or wrong. To a dog, drinking from a toilet is a highly logical choice and not disgusting in the slightest. The water in the toilet bowl is always cool and even more enticing just after being flushed: it’s rather like a waterfall! The water we serve them in their bowls is likely to sit around for hours, and it’s not uncommon for a bit of hair, dust, or crumb of food to fall into it. In a dog (or cat’s) mind then, toilet bowl water is much preferable!

If you really hate seeing your pet drink from the toilet, it’s quite simple: put the lid down!

If you need assistance with your pet in the Northern VA region, contact Paw Pals any time. We offer pet sitting and dog walking services, so you can be sure your pets are well looked after even when you need to be on the road, are working late, or are taking a much-needed summer vacation. For more information, check out our About page or Meet our Team of pet lovers.

Filed Under: Pet Advice

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
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Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
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