Dog behavior can feel confusing, frustrating, or – at times – worrying. One day your pup is calm and affectionate, and the next they’re barking nonstop, licking their paws raw, or panicking when you leave the room. At Your Pets at Home, we believe behavior is communication. Dogs use actions, body language, and habits to tell us how they’re feeling physically and emotionally. This guide to dog behavior brings together every article our writers have published on the topic, organized by theme, so you can quickly find the help you need.
Whether you’re dealing with a playful puppy, a reactive adult dog, or a senior with changing behavior, each guide below focuses on understanding the why — and then handling the how with kindness, clarity, and proven strategies.
Understanding Everyday Dog Communication & Comfort Behaviors
Dogs express comfort, trust, stress, and affection in subtle ways. These articles help interpret the everyday behaviors many owners notice but don’t always understand.
Why Do Dogs Give Us the Side-Eye?
That sideways glance can be playful curiosity or a warning sign of discomfort. This article explains the difference between relaxed side-eye and tense “whale eye,” showing how to read facial expressions alongside posture, context, and body language.
Why Your Dog Kneads, Nibbles, or Nurses Blankets
Blanket sucking and kneading often trace back to puppyhood comfort and self-soothing behaviors. This guide explains when it’s harmless, when it can signal anxiety, and when you may need to gently intervene.
5 Reasons Your Dog Loves to Sleep Between Your Legs
Sleeping between your legs isn’t random. Dogs choose this spot for warmth, security, protection, companionship, and emotional reassurance — especially during stressful times.
Why Does My Dog Keep Licking His Paws?
Occasional paw licking is normal. Constant licking isn’t. This article breaks down common causes like allergies, dry skin, minor injuries, boredom, and stress — plus clear signs that it’s time to see your vet.
How to Understand Your Dog’s Snoring Habits
Snoring can be cute — or a health clue. Learn how breed anatomy, sleeping position, allergies, weight, and age contribute to snoring, and when noisy breathing deserves medical attention.
Behavior Problems & Training Solutions
Most “bad” behavior is really unmet needs, stress, or confusion. These articles focus on solving behavior challenges using humane, evidence-based approaches.
Why Your Dog Scratches the Carpet (And How to Stop It)
Carpet scratching often comes from instinctual digging, scent-marking, boredom, or separation anxiety. This guide explains the triggers and shows how to redirect the behavior without punishment.
5 Playful Ways to Stop a Puppy From Lunging at Your Face
Face-lunging is common in excited puppies. Learn simple redirection techniques, bite inhibition games, and calm-reward strategies that teach boundaries while keeping play fun.
How to Stop Puppy Biting (When You’ve Tried Everything)
Puppy biting is normal — but it shouldn’t hurt. This step-by-step guide explains why puppies bite and how to teach gentle behavior through consistency, timing, and positive reinforcement.
Do Corgis Bark a Lot? Proven Tips for Quieter Behavior
Corgis are vocal, intelligent herders. This article explains what triggers excessive barking and offers practical training strategies to reduce noise without suppressing healthy communication.
How Can I Stop My Dog From Urine Marking in Public?
Public marking is driven by scent, hormones, and excitement. Learn how to manage it through timing, leash control, training cues, and environment management.
My Dog Attacks My Other Dog on Walks — What Can I Do?
Redirected frustration during walks can lead to sudden aggression. This article explains why it happens and how to rebuild calm, controlled walking routines for multi-dog households.
How to Socialize a Reactive Dog (Practical Tips)
Reactivity isn’t disobedience — it’s emotional overload. Learn how to safely socialize a reactive dog using distance, rewards, confidence-building, and realistic expectations.
Separation Anxiety, Stress & Emotional Health
Anxiety-based behaviors are among the most distressing for both dogs and owners. These guides focus on prevention, management, and gradual improvement.
My Dog Keeps Whining When I Leave the Room
Whining can be an early sign of separation anxiety. This article explains how dependence forms and how to gently build independence without making anxiety worse.
Tips to Fix Separation Anxiety in Nervous Dogs
From structured routines to desensitization techniques, this guide walks through realistic ways to help nervous dogs feel safe when left alone.
7 Ways to Keep Your Dog Happy While You’re at Work
Long workdays don’t have to mean unhappy dogs. Learn how enrichment, exercise, structure, and calming tools can dramatically improve your dog’s day while you’re away.
Gross, Confusing, or Health-Related Behaviors
Some behaviors seem strange or even alarming — but often have logical explanations.
Why Is Your Dog Drawn to Eating Revolting Things?
From poop to socks, scavenging has multiple causes, including curiosity, boredom, stress, and nutritional gaps. Learn how to manage it safely and when to worry.
Why Do Dogs Eat Dirt, Soil, or Clay?
Dirt-eating can be linked to mineral deficiencies, instinct, or gut imbalance. This article explains possible reasons and how to reduce the risk of parasites and toxins.
Breed-Specific & Age-Related Behavior
Some behaviors are closely tied to breed traits or life stage changes.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Puppies: Temperament, Training & Insights
Corgis are smart, affectionate, and strong-willed. This article covers common behavioral traits, training approaches, barking tendencies, and social needs.
Common Behavior Problems in Old Dogs
Cognitive decline, pain, and medical issues can cause sudden behavior changes in seniors. Learn what’s normal, what’s not, and how to support aging dogs compassionately.
Fascinating Dog Behavior Research & Social Insight
Can Dogs Lie? Scientific Proof of Their Cunning Ways
Research shows dogs can intentionally mislead when it benefits them. This article explains what studies reveal — and why it’s intelligence, not malice.
Do Dogs and Cats Understand Each Other?
Dogs and cats communicate differently, but they can learn each other’s signals. This piece explores interspecies understanding and how cohabiting pets adapt.
Final Thoughts
Our guide to dog behavior tells a story. Sometimes it’s about comfort. Sometimes fear. Periodically, health. And occasionally it’s simply instinct.
By understanding what your dog is trying to communicate (and responding with patience instead of punishment) you build trust, confidence, and a better relationship. Bookmark this hub and return whenever a new behavior pops up. We’re here to help you figure it out!
More ‘Dog Behavior’ Articles
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Our Practical Guide to Understanding Your Dog’s Behavior
At Your Pets at Home, we believe behavior is communication. Dogs use actions, body language, and habits to tell us how they’re feeling physically and emotionally. This guide to dog behavior brings together every article our writers have published on the topic, organized by theme, so you can quickly find the help you need.
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Why Your Dog Scratches the Carpet (And How to Stop It)
Ever wonder why your dog scratches at your carpet? Some dogs use digging as a way to cope with stressful situations. You may notice your pup behaves this way suddenly during thunderstorms, fireworks displays, or when worried about being left home alone. Here are tips to stop it.
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Do Corgis Bark a Lot? Proven Tips for Quieter Behavior
Corgis are one of the most beloved dog breeds, and for good reason. They are known for their intelligence and loyalty. However, they are also known for something else: barking! Here are some gentle ways to train your Corgi to bark less.
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Why Do Dogs Give Us the Side-Eye?
Have you ever caught your dog giving you that unmistakable side-eye? It’s when they keep their head relatively still, subtly shifting their eyes to the side to glance at something or someone. Many pet parents are curious about what this expression means, and the answer might surprise you.
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5 Playful Ways to Divert Your Puppy From Lunging at Your Face
Using toys is a gentle and effective way to redirect your puppy’s enthusiasm. Here are five friendly techniques that have worked well for me over the years. These ideas help shift your dog’s attention, teach good manners, and create fun, safe ways to play.
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How to Stop Your Puppy Biting When You’ve Tried Everything
Do you have a puppy that bites you all the time? Are you looking for a way to stop this annoying and painful behavior (and feel you’ve tried just about everything)? The good news is you can stop searching for answers now, because here’s the solution: you need to revert back to basic, proven methods.…
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Pembroke Welsh Corgi Puppies Temperament, Training & Insights
Discover, with the help of breed experts, if Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppies have the right temperament for your family pack’s lifestyle!
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Can Dogs Lie? Scientific Proof of Their Cunning Ways
Have you ever felt tricked by your dog? Does your dog bark without a noticeable reason, or were you able to observe how your dog tricked another dog to get to a toy? Recent studies suggest that dogs indeed can “lie” or deliberately deceive!
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Why Your Dog Kneads, Nibbles, and Nurses That Old Blanket
Ever wonder why your dog kneads his blanket like a cat, suckling it or carrying it around proudly in his paws? And then they’re pawing at their blanket so hard, you’d think they were attempting to burrow their way to Australia. Here we look at the deep emotional and instinctual significance of this behavior.
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How to Understand (and Appreciate) Your Dog’s Snoring Habits
As pet caregivers, we become fascinated by quirky dog behavior. If it fascinates you to watch your pet sleep, one question might linger in your mind: Why does my dog snore the way he does?
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Why Is Your Dog Drawn to Eating Revolting, Disgusting Items?
As dog owners, we’ve all been there — Fido has something revolting in his mouth again. And the dread kicks in: what did he pick up this time? Rabbit poop? My socks? Or heaven forbid, a tub of shortening from the kitchen counter (trust me, I’ve been there). But you might ask yourself why our dogs eat…
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Why Do Dogs Eat Dirt, Soil or Clay and What to Do About It
Have you noticed your dog digging holes in the backyard and devouring dirt, soil, or clay? I noticed my dogs doing that last summer, and wondered, “Does this mean they have parasites? Are they missing something in their diet, or are they hungry, or just plain bored?” Then in the fall, they quit eating dirt…
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Do Dogs and Cats Understand One Another?
I find it interesting that cats and dogs, two of the most beloved companions in human households, are often depicted as rivals. Yet, for many pet parents, dogs and cats coexist peacefully (they even form unexpected friendships). So that leaves many of us wondering: do dogs and cats truly understand one another?
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My Dog Attacks My Other Dog on Walks, What Can I Do?
“My dog attacks my other dog on walks, and lately this behavior is starting to get out of hand. This new issue has surfaced since we got our second dog. Although I am glad my dog now has a new playmate, he’s getting overstimulated more often. I notice that he’s still hyper even after an…
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My Dog Keeps Whining When Leaving the Room: Help!
Separation anxiety takes place in dogs who develop a dysfunctional attachment to a particular person. Your dog keeps whining when you’re leaving the room due to the dog’s inability to emotionally cope with his owner’s absence. Let’s look at some ways to help your dog.
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How Can I Stop My Dog from Urine Marking in Public?
Are you worried about your dog’s urine marking in public? As a dog owner, very few moments rival the mortification of realizing your pet has turned a vendor’s table at the farmer’s market or a perfectly arranged wedding flowerpot into his personal restroom. Once people realize this, it’s the ultimate walk of shame as you…
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Common Behavior Problems in Old Dogs
While a longer lifespan sounds like a great thing, it can be both a blessing and a curse, as behavior changes in an old dog often arises, posing challenges for pet owners. This post examines some common behavioral problems in older dogs.
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How to Socialize a Reactive Dog? Practical Tips
Dealing with a reactive dog can be a real challenge. You might wonder how it’s possible to steer your way through the process of helping your pet overcome its fears and frustrations. Learning how to socialize a reactive dog doesn’t happen overnight, but here’s the good news: you can make substantial progress at home with…
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Tips to Fix Separation Anxiety in Nervous Dogs
Louise offers practical tips to ease separation anxiety in dogs. From music to Adaptil diffusers, these tips can help your dog stay calm when left home alone.
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7 Ways to Keep Your Dog Happy While You’re at Work
Leaving your dog home alone while you’re at work can be difficult for you and your pet. These seven tips keep your dog happy and content while you’re away.
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5 Reasons Your Dog Loves to Sleep Between Your Legs
Ever wonder why your dog likes sleeping between your legs? Here are 5 excellent reasons to explain the motivation and meaning behind this canine behavior.
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Why Does My Dog Keep Licking His Paws?
Dogs naturally lick their paws to soothe themselves and alleviate stress or to help them unwind. But when it becomes a habit, something more could be going on.
