How Does A Dog Keep Itself Clean?

How Does A Dog Keep Itself Clean?
How Does A Dog Keep Itself Clean?

Video: How Does A Dog Keep Itself Clean?

Video: How Does A Dog Keep Itself Clean?
Video: 9 Weird Dog Behaviors Explained 2024, March
Anonim

Actions aimed at maintaining cleanliness are easily seen in the dog, but quite often the animal uses them as components of other types of behavior.

The wet dog shakes off the water from the coat with vigorous movements. But the same action acts as a displaced reaction in cases where nothing irritates the dog's skin or affects its coat. By licking, the dog removes the water. The first thing she does is lick her paws. A wet dog happily falls on its side or back and rubs against soft dry objects.

The dog, as a rule, does not selectively shake off only the back of the body, or the tail, or the paw. Even when only the tail and rear are wet, the dog shakes first the head or at least the front of the body. From here the movement seems to spread backward. True, in this generally accepted rule, I found one exception: my youngest male dachshund can only shake the back of the body and most often does just that; he does it very easily. A cat (or any other representative of the feline family) quite deftly shakes off water even from one paw; while the rest of her body remains motionless. The dog can interrupt the shaking movement so that only the head (or the head and front of the body) is involved. In such cases, the shaking process does not extend to the rear and tail.

Groenendael runs on water, dog photo
Groenendael runs on water, dog photo

A simple shaking of the head can mean an infection has entered the dog's ear. The shaking motion caused by painful irritation does not extend to the body. Before making such a movement, the dog often tilts its head slightly, while the neck is slightly lower than usual. Before the shaking motion to remove water, the dog, of course, stretches its neck, but does not tilt its head to one side. An elongated neck and forward forelegs are easily recognizable signs of an initial shaking motion.

Shaking occurs under the influence of other external stimuli, that is, not only when the wool gets wet. After being outside in cold weather, the dog, barely finding himself in a warm entrance, shakes itself. The animal also resorts to shaking when something stuck to the back and the foreign body cannot be reached with its muzzle.

As a biased behavior, the dog begins to shake itself up if it suddenly receives some information that makes it tensely expect something pleasant. Upon receiving the news of a highly active event, the dog will often make a series of intense shaking movements. First of all, the upcoming walk is such a pleasant event - the dog learns about it by observing the collection of the owner. But she also makes shaking movements when she rises from her bed, and there is not even a hint of something pleasant. In this case, shaking is nothing more than tidying up the coat, or even just stretching after sleep. We will dwell on this later.

The more the dog, getting up from the bed, expects something, the more it shakes itself before starting to move. I see these movements as a kind of ritual that affects other dogs in a certain way. In fact, having noticed that one of the dogs got up and shakes itself, the other responds to this with a very definite reaction. I have been convinced of this on the example of dachshunds and Scotch Terriers: if one dog, standing up, begins to actively shake himself, the other immediately knows that something interesting is expected. However, I have not been able to establish whether this property is acquired or whether animals simply respond to the noise from shaking due to an innate instinct. Shaking itself, of course, does not carry any social burden. But combined with other movements and sounds of shaking,accompanied by a rather loud sound, it easily acquires the character of a signal. If, shaking himself, the dog makes high, piercing sounds, then it is anticipating pleasant events.

When scratching, the dog scratches or scratches the torso. With its hind paw, it scratches the neck, chest, sides, belly and ears. The animal treats those parts of the body that cannot be reached with its hind legs with its mouth: instead of scratching, it gently, quickly, tinglingly bites, often accompanied by licking. The dog cannot scratch with its front paw, but sometimes it uses it to remove foreign bodies from the muzzle and palate.

Sometimes the dog sits down and starts to ride on a sled. At the same time, she slowly moves on her front legs, while simultaneously pulling her hind legs in front while sitting on the "mirror". Apparently, wild canines in this way are trying to clear the anus from adhered feces or large worms that have multiplied in the rectum. Severe worms are common in dogs and are most commonly caused by raw freshwater fish. The dog's habit of eating grass should be noted. The animal resorts to this method mainly in case of malaise caused by inappropriate food or overeating. The herb induces vomiting, after which the malaise disappears. But sometimes the dog eats grass without any visible ill health: fresh, soft and moist, it clearly suits her taste.

Rising after a long sleep, the dog usually stretches with its paws and the whole body. This movement is simpler than in felines: when stretching, the dog stretches its front paws forward, and sometimes - when the animal is still lying - and back, and also pulls its hind legs back (a posture resembling movements when walking) and simultaneously stretches its neck. Sometimes the dog takes several steps forward, dragging its outstretched hind legs, and, as if imitating a seal, drags the body along the ground. One of my dachshunds did it regularly instead of exercising in the morning. Dogs often yawn while stretching. Sipping is basically the same in all mammals and birds. These movements are believed to help improve circulation after prolonged rest. Whether this is so is difficult to say.

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