Quite a few of us see everyday dog habits as adorable. We rarely give these behaviors much thought, and that’s why we’ll share videos or photos of our furry friends doing them. But a few of these can actually be worse than we might realize. Here are six “cute” dog behaviors that are actually warning signs.
1. Whale eye during cuddles
A dog giving a whale eye isn’t as cute as it sounds. It involves a dog showing the whites of their eyes as they turn their head away, and many dog owners brush it off as an adorable side glance. But it’s not. Veterinary behaviorists like Dr. Sophia Yin claim that giving a whale eye is a common sign that a dog feels uncomfortable. You’ll see such behavior when a dog is dealing with forced handling like hugs. They’re trying to show you that they’re feeling uneasy.
2. Nose licks when someone gets close
It’s easy to mistake a fast tongue flick across the nose as your dog being silly. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Research by Giulia Pedretti and her team has found that dogs are trying to send calming signals when they repeatedly lick their lips without having any food nearby. They tend to only behave in such a way when someone leans over them or reaches towards their face. It’s also common when a person or another animal invades their space too quickly.
3. Raise front paw “please” pose
You might think that a dog lifting its paw looks polite because it’s almost as though the dog is asking nicely for something. But the truth is that the American Kennel Club claims that this kind of behavior isn’t a good sign. It suggests that your furry friend is feeling hesitant. Dogs do the “please” pose when they’re unsure about a person or sound. They’re not feeling especially confident or playful.
4. Toothy smiles
Some dogs give something that looks a lot like a grin. They’ll pull their lips back to show their teeth, and many dog owners assume that their pet is trying to smile. But the American Kennel Club states that this sort of behavior is more of a submissive grin than a form of happiness. You may see your furry friend giving a “grin” while also lowering their posture & squinting their eyes. They may also do some wiggly movements. The goal is to reduce any tension when they’re greeting other dogs, so you should take it as a sign that your dog is nervous, not happy.
5. Excessive tail-chasing
What could be funnier than a dog that keeps chasing after its own tail? It’s especially cute when a puppy does it. Yet the Merck Veterinary Manual lists intense tail-chasing as a possible sign of a compulsive disorder in a dog. It may be caused by your pup feeling anxious or having some sort of skin irritation. It could even be something worse, like a neurological issue. That’s not to say that a dog chasing its tail is bad, but when it’s hard to interrupt or causes your dog to become injured, then it’s likely that your pet is no longer simply playing.
6. Constant paw licking
Forget the idea that a dog that keeps licking its paw is trying to do self-care. It’s not even trying to calm itself. The Merck Veterinary Manual says that excessive paw licking is a common sign that your dog may have an allergic skin disease, like pododermatitis. This is a condition caused by inflammation or infection between the toes. Pay attention to your dog if it starts licking its paws every day, or when it keeps licking the same paw each time, as it could be a sign of a medical issue.
Veterinary behavior research shows that the majority of dogs try to use subtle signals at first to show that they’re unhappy. Many people ignore these signs because they expect growling & snapping from an uncomfortable pup. But these tend to come later. Paying attention to the less-obvious signs can often tell you a lot more about your pet than the obvious ones.
