Why Does My Puppy Do That? Common Puppy Behaviors
Why Does My Puppy Do That?
Common Puppy Behaviors Explained
Puppies are endlessly entertaining, and occasionally completely baffling. If you've found yourself watching your new pup do something strange and wondering whether it is normal, funny, or something to be concerned about, you are in very good company. Most of the quirky things puppies do have a perfectly sensible explanation once you understand a little about how dogs experience the world. Here is a look at some of the most common puppy behaviors that leave new owners scratching their heads.
The Zoomies
The technical term is Frenetic Random Activity Periods, which does absolutely no justice to the sheer chaos of watching a puppy suddenly tear around the house or yard at full speed for no apparent reason. Zoomies are completely normal and almost universally happen at the same kinds of moments: after a bath, after waking up, in the evening after a period of calm, or when a puppy is just overwhelmed with a feeling that can only be described as being a puppy. It's a natural way for dogs to release built-up energy and excitement. Let them run it out in a safe space and enjoy the show.
Eating Grass
Most puppies eat grass , and most of them do it for fairly mundane reasons: it tastes interesting, it is a form of exploratory behavior, or occasionally it helps settle an upset stomach. The idea that dogs eat grass because they are sick is only sometimes true. Many dogs eat grass perfectly happily and show no signs of illness whatsoever. Unless your puppy is eating grass obsessively or vomiting frequently after, it's generally nothing to worry about. The more important thing is making sure any grass they have access to is free of pesticides and lawn chemicals.
Sudden Naps
If your puppy goes from full speed to completely flat in what seems like thirty seconds, you are not imagining it. Puppies sleep a lot and their energy levels tend to come in short, intense bursts followed by genuine crashes. This is completely normal and actually important: sleep is when puppies process everything they are learning and do a significant amount of their physical development. A puppy that sleeps a lot is a puppy that is growing well.
Biting Everything
Puppy biting, or mouthing, is one of the most universal puppy behaviors and one of the most important to address early. Puppies explore the world with their mouths, play with their mouths, and learn bite inhibition through interaction with littermates and people. When a puppy bites too hard during play, the appropriate response is to stop the interaction immediately: stand up, turn away, and give the puppy a moment to settle before re-engaging. Consistency from everyone in the household is the key. Mixed signals make the behavior take much longer to resolve.
Sudden Barking
Dogs hear and smell things we cannot detect, and what looks like barking at nothing is often a puppy responding to something completely real that is outside the range of human perception. This can be a sound from outside, a scent through the wall, or the vibration of someone walking down the street. Puppies are also still calibrating what is and is not worth responding to, which means their alert threshold is lower than an adult dog's. Most puppies become more selective about what they bark at as they mature and gain confidence that not every unfamiliar thing is a threat.
Hiccups
Puppy hiccups are extremely common and almost always completely harmless. They typically happen when puppies eat or drink too fast, swallow air during excitement, or simply as a quirk of having a developing diaphragm. Most puppies grow out of frequent hiccups as they get older. If hiccups are prolonged, happen very frequently, or seem to cause your puppy distress, it is worth mentioning to your vet, but in the vast majority of cases, puppy hiccups are just one of those endearing things.
At Waggles, we think understanding your puppy is one of the best parts of having one. The more you know about why they do what they do, the more you can appreciate them, quirks and all. If you ever have questions about your puppy's behavior or health, our team is always happy to help.