A Detailed Explanation of 6 Common Life Habits of Dogs

Dogs Judge People by Appearance

Dogs were originally social animals that respected their leaders and worked hard to protect their companions. After entering human life, they obey the head of the household: the female owner feeds and cares for them, and children play with them; the male owner, who spends the least time at home, instead inspires their awe. Conversely, if the female owner is more authoritative and leads the whole family, the dog will also obey her completely. It fears, even dreads, those taller than itself, while toward dogs of the same height or smaller, it instead feels curiosity and develops a strong desire to protect them. Hence the saying "dogs judge people by appearance."

Hierarchical Concept

Dogs are naturally fond of living in groups. In dog breeding farms, or among dog packs in rural or suburban areas, there is always a lead dog that leads the pack and dominates and governs them. The lead dog's leadership position is usually expressed through the following specific actions: for example, allowing itself but not others to inspect the genitals of other dogs, and not permitting others to urinate where another dog has urinated. Others may shake their heads, wag their tails, act playfully, sit or lie down in front of the lead dog, and may only stand up when the lead dog leaves. Once the hierarchy is clearly established, the hostile state disappears and they begin to become friends. Therefore, the owner should establish the image of the lead dog, and not be too indulgent, lest the dog think it is the lead dog.

Territorial Concept

Dogs have a strong sense of territory and habitually use urine to mark their "sphere of influence." Within its territory, it can be very cocky, but once it reaches an unfamiliar place, especially one heavy with the scent of dogs and cats, it becomes timid instead. This is commonly seen when it approaches an animal hospital, when it stubbornly refuses to move forward, or trembles, even drooling from nervousness. So it often centers on itself, marking boundaries with its own scent, and frequently renews them; a territory may belong to only one or two dogs or to an entire pack.

The Instinct to Bark

Whenever an ambulance or police car passes by, dogs often bark. Barking is a common way wolves communicate with their companions, and as an instinct, dogs have inherited this trait as well. So when you hear that someone's dog will "sing" along with music, you won't find it strange. But not all dogs bark; there are some exceptions.

Fond of Socializing

Socializing with people is an innate habit of dogs, especially socializing with children, and this innate habit often depends on the degree of "imprinting" from contact with people at 3-7 weeks of age. If a dog spends its first two months only with its parents or other dogs, or does not truly get to know people, it can easily develop a tendency to dislike interacting with people and be difficult to train. If it receives human affection from an early age, this makes it recognize that people are its friends and become familiar with human scent. This will cultivate a personality fond of socializing with people, and it will be easy to train.

Mounting Behavior

Mounting behavior looks very unseemly to humans, but dogs do have this nature; however, due to differences in age and sex, the purpose and expression of mounting also differ. When a puppy sees its owner return home after being away for a while, it will crawl all over you, which is a sign of its happiness and playfulness. Sometimes two young male dogs also engage in mounting actions, but this is merely a game similar to children's play, and also a sign of happiness.