Why does my dog wait for me?
Companionship. Perhaps the most obvious reason, some dogs simply prefer the companionship of their human owners. Over the process of domestication, natural selection has shaped dogs to become companions for humans. Domesticated dogs are now ‘bonded’ with humans in some of the same ways as children.
If your dog is destroying furniture, they could be bored.
Your pup can act crazy when shes not getting enough playtime. If shes urinating on the floor, chewing the furniture, or running circles around the coffee table, your dog is probably trying to tell you she needs more activity in her life. “Thats where we see a lot of behavioral issues with dogs in households,” Brent says. This is particularly true for active breeds, such as herding or hunting dogs. “The Dalmatian was trained to be a hunting dog. You cant take an animal thats used to running eight miles a day, put it in an apartment, and expect it to be OK. If your dogs destroying stuff, hes saying, Im bored, you need to give me something to do.”
While exercise is important — dogs should receive 45 to 60 minutes of physical exercise and 15 minutes of behavioral training per day — Dr. Becker says you can also play mental games to keep your pooch entertained. Make her play search-and-seek games for her food or even use food puzzles that she has to solve before her meal is dispensed. You can incorporate both outdoor dog toys and indoor toys and activities to keep your pup entertained all day long.
How do you know your dog is happy?
Physical signs of a happy dog
A soft, partially open mouth. Ears that are relaxed, not pulled back or taut with alertness. Overall relaxed posture, with a raised head, relaxed tail, and confident stance (click here for more on dog body language) A tail wag that involves whole-body wiggles, or at least a relaxed body.