21. Taking A Bow
They don’t call the popular yoga pose “downward dog” for nothing.
Bowing – the position a dog takes when they straighten their front legs and angle their backs upward toward the rear – is a common position for dogs that may look like they’re ready to pounce.
But the meaning behind a dog’s bow is much less intimidating.
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Dog trainers often refer to this movement as a “play bow.” That is because when a dog bows, it means the pup just wants to play.
The behavior often indicates that a canine is trying to encourage its human or dog friends to play along with them.
Add a wagging tail, and you’ve got yourself a dog desperate for a little fun.
22. Standing With One Paw Up
It might look like a dog is about to dart off for a run or gearing up to get out some of the “zoomies,” but when you see a dog raise up one of its front legs it has a whole other meaning.
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This head-scratching behavior actually means that your dog is playing a little game of detective.
Raising one leg somehow helps a dog focus on solving challenges, much like humans will raise an eyebrow or furrow their brows.
Combined with a whole lot of sniffing and looking in all different directions, a raised paw might just be that little push your dog needs to figure out what they’re smelling, and where.
23. Sleeping In Your Bed
It is the first thing that many dog owners teach their dogs is not to jump up on the bed.
Whether or not you let your dog sleep on your bed is a point of personal preference.
some owners choose to sacrifice space in their bed and put up with a little dog hair just for the opportunity to get to wake up next to their ‘lil nugget, the action actually has similar meaning for doggos.
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A dog’s desire to sleep in bed with a human is often mistaken as a sign of over attachment to their human companion, but that is not the case.
A dog can have a perfectly healthy level of attachment and still just want to sleep next to you.
There’s no higher sign of affection than for a dog to park itself beside you, snuggle up and sleep.
24. Sniffing The Air
Anyone who has seen two or more dogs cross paths know that the entire process of dogs getting to know each other involves a lot of sniffing.
Not to mention, it involves a lot of sniffing in what we’d consider awkward places. But when a dog sniffs the air, it is trying to get to know something else entirely.
Instagram/westladogs
Dogs demonstrate this behavior when they’re picking up on ancestral hunting techniques inherited from their wolf predecessors.
Dogs don’t usually bark or growl or make any noise at all when they’re sniffing around (besides the cute sniffing sound, of course).
Instead, they are picking up the scent of a squirrel or some other animal it would love to chase.
25. The Two-Legged Tackle
As soon as you open the door to a house with an over eager dog, you know to brace yourself.
That’s because a peppy puppy is probably barreling in your direction, ready to jump all over you.
So why do dogs so often engage in this type of in-your-face behavior?
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Tackling is not a desperate plea for attention or a way to annoy you as soon as you enter the door.
Instead, it is the dog’s way of saying they love you. Like many other behaviors, this action is all about showing love.
What can we say? Dogs just love to love!
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