Most animals have customs or habits that may seem strange to us, even though they are quite normal to them.
Without a doubt dogs are no less and with their actions they try to tell us things, we just have to learn to understand them to improve communication.
One of those actions that we find difficult to understand is when a dog rubs himself like a cat. If you want to know what that means, keep reading the article!
Dog rubs himself: why does he do it?
One of these unusual but highly characteristic canine behaviors is rubbing. Although felines also rub, dogs have their own reasons for doing so and these are the ones we will cover.
There are two main reasons your dog rubs against things:
- Behavior-related reasons: determined by an acquired behavior or by a basic and primitive instinct such as: habits, calls for attention, changes in body odor, marking of the territory or manifestations of affection.
- Reasons related to health problems: affected by a change in the dog’s health: itching, allergies, pain …
Behavioral reasons why a dog rubs against things
Many of the reasons your dog rubs against things are directly related to behavior. These below are the most common ones.
1. The dog rubs himself against the grass
It is common to go for a walk, take the dog off the leash and see him run away to rub himself against the grass or the ground.
Dogs usually do this because he’s like a little one to them massage in the back, a way to scratch the back and cuddle.
2. The dog rubs himself after bathing
You just bathed your dog, with his shampoo, leaving him very clean and with a smell that seems great to us.
Once the cleaning session is over, the first thing Fido does is roll around: on the carpets, on his kennel, on the sofa or if you go for a walk against something that is close to him.
He doesn’t like that smell that seems so wonderful to us at all, that’s why he rubs himself against everything, to eliminate the smell of cleanliness and try to recover its natural smell or just to cover up the smell of shampoo.
3. The dog rubs against me
There are times when when you get home your dog goes crazy rubbing against your legs, soaking you in his scent and leaving you full of fur!
Other times, you are so quiet at home and he starts rolling around on you, clinging to you while you are on the sofa or when you sleep in bed with him.
With this behavior, your dog is telling you that he holds you in high regard, that you are important and leaves you with his scent so that everyone knows that you are “his property”!
4. The dog rubs himself against objects in the house
If there is one thing dogs tend to do is take possession of things, they usually feel like everything in the house is theirs and they have a very particular way of doing it of their own.
Dogs have glands all over their body that give each dog a distinctive smell, they know it and use it to their advantage. For this they rub against furniture, sofas or objects of the house they want claim as your own!
5. The dog rubs himself on different things
Dogs often find that rubbing against things triggers your reaction or makes you go their way.
They are very intelligent and when they are aware that this acfalls, they use it to their advantage per grab your attention.
Reasons related to the health of a dog that rubs itself
There are various diseases that cause itchy skin, as well as various parasites that cause our canine companions to rub on all sides. As a result, their behavior changes.
When your pet crawls his butt on the ground, his anal glands are most likely full and annoying him. For this they are rubbed, to try to empty them.
Food or topical allergies. Dry skin, seborrhea or even stress can make the discomfort unbearable for our faithful friend.
Always remember that if you see your dog rubbing against things too much or starting to scratch against objects more than usual, you should check his coat for abnormalities such as dandruff or eczema.
If you can’t find a reason and the dog keeps scrubbing all over the place, consult your vet.
The animal health professional will check on your canine companion and tell you if he needs medication, if he needs to go to an ethologist, or if it is just usual behavior of the four-legged.