Dogs can recognize other dogs in videos and their owners in photographs. But watching a screen, recognizing an image, and understanding it aren't the same thing.
Your dog ignores three trees, then stops to sniff one particular patch of grass before urinating. Other dogs’ scent may explain part of the choice—but not all of it.
Dog facial expressions, from puppy-dog eyes to the guilty look, offer clues to their emotions, but understanding them requires body language and context.
A dog can destroy a door while alone—or leave everything untouched and still be distressed. Understanding what happens after you leave is the key to helping them cope.
Dogs can change what they show people depending on who is watching, sharing, or competing with them. Research suggests flexible, sometimes misleading behavior without proving human-like lying.
Your dog licks your hand after you've prepared dinner—and again while resting beside you. The gesture looks the same, but the reasons behind it may be very different.
A dog spinning after its tail may be having fun, but sometimes there's more to the behavior. What matters is when it happens, how it changes, and whether your dog can stop.
Urine marking turns ordinary trees and posts into scent-rich places for dogs, while sudden changes—especially indoors—can signal that something else is going on.
That sideways glance is irresistible, but what does it mean? Two studies offer intriguing clues about head tilting, communication, and the difference between a curious gesture and a medical warning.
Begging, barking, pulling, digging, whining, separation distress, and aggression can arise for very different reasons. The useful response depends on what is driving the behavior.