If you have decided to take the plunge and get yourself a dog, congratulations are in order! Pets of all kinds are precious–but dogs have a special charm. Not only are they the best cuddle buddies they also offer companionship, love, happiness, and health. Dog owners and lovers all over the world will attest that owning a pet has lit up their world. Surely, having a little one loitering on your lap, looking at you with unconditional love is a life-changing experience – it makes one more compassionate, loving, and caring. Besides, who does not love late-night snuggles and being woken up with wet kisses!

As joyful as it sounds, dog ownership is also a commitment. Owning a canine companion is no less than adding a new member to the family. At first, it can be daunting to fathom all the responsibilities that come along with owning a dog – so much so that you might get cold feet the day before you welcome your furry friend.

From dog proofing your house to training your dog to follow a routine – it may sound intimidating, especially to those who are first-time dog parents. Being a dog owner is a decision that one should think about clearly beforehand. The accompaniment of a four-legged friend means you are responsible for their health, happiness, and overall well-being. A to-be dog owner must be ready to adjust their lifestyle to accommodate their puppy's needs; this means foregoing long vacations away from home and afternoon siestas and more. Being a responsible dog parent means choosing the right breed of dog suited to your budget and other requirements. One must particularly be careful of the rescue home or breeder they choose. Running a thorough background check is a necessity to ensure staying at bay from illegal malpractices and unethical ways of breeding such as puppy farms.

All research necessary to help you make a perfect choice is available freely; apart from that, medical practitioners, veterinarians, nurses can give valuable advice.

Like all creatures on earth, dogs also come with their quirks and idiosyncrasies. Every dog parent and especially, first-time parents wish they could know what goes on in their furry friend's head. There are so many unanswered questions about their behaviour, nature and personality that crop up again and again in our minds. We all want explanations for some of their strange habits but since not all of us psychologists and veterinarians, there is no way to find an answer for our curiosities.

Contrary to their outgoing and friendly attitude, these little furry friends have not quite opened up about these secrets; but do not fret! In this article, we have chosen to demystify some of these strange habits.

1.   “Why do dogs chew the walls?”

To come home to find remains of plaster all over your floor is something every dog owner takes time to get used to. Although he is normally a cuddly little puppy, it takes him no time to become a furry devil chewing away at walls. Despite the hordes of sticks and squeaky toys in his possession, he chooses to rush to nibble at the walls instead.

Although this behaviour might baffle you, there is a scientific explanation for it. One possibility is boredom. If you have left him alone for too long, do not have enough time to play with him or take him on a walk, or there is simply not enough for him to do, it would be unsurprising to see him gnaw at walls. Besides the fact that it just feels so good, it also stimulates his mind and is a way for him to channelize his potential energy.

Other possible reasons can be anxiety and lack of attention. Sometimes, it may be none of the above. It is likely that your pup might have developed Pica. Pica is an eating disorder that causes your dog to eat non-food objects. In the case of which, see your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Although seemingly unharmful, it is important to get to the root of this behaviour and not treat it with a passé attitude. Do not let your dog think this is acceptable behaviour. Not only is your pet at the risk of ingesting something harmful, it might also cost you a lot of money to get the wall fixed. Don't let your pup become the interior designer of the house!

2. “Are dogs unresponsive to pain?”

It might happen often that your pup falls off the edge of the bed but seems unperturbed – and that is okay! Accidents like this might have you frantically Googling – “What is dog insurance?” and while that is essential to safeguard your pet from any harm that befalls on them, it is completely normal for your dog to seem normal even after a fall.

A canine's sensation of pain is a point of contention among many behaviourists and scientists. The myth that dogs do not feel pain in the same manner as humans do has its roots in the theory that they have wild origins. Canines are believed to have inherited an instinct to hide any pain caused by injury to avoid seeming vulnerable; this has survival advantages in the wild. Dogs also maintain their social standing in the pack by acting stoic even when in pain.

Unfortunately, this makes it difficult for owners to recognise when their furry friends are in pain. However, over time once you establish familiarity with your pet dog, you will be able to identify signs and symptoms of pain. Sometimes it may manifest as unusually quiet behaviour or unexpected whimpering. If the pain seems severe, contact your veterinarian immediately.

3. “How do dogs know when it is time to go out?”

You might be surprised to find out, but dogs have a scarily accurate sense of time. Research has shown that dogs do not have a concept of time like humans but tend to be aware of the passage of time. Unlike your pet dog, you use episodic memory that helps you pinpoint events in the past and await future ones.

Our four-legged friends live in the present but can perceive how much time has passed since a certain event. For example, on being left alone for too long your dog is likely to display more affection toward you because they are capable of identifying and responding to variable spans of time. This is also why it is common for pet dogs to suffer from Separation Anxiety. Thankfully, there are several ways to help your pet cope with Separation Anxiety.  Methods include leaving an item of your clothing at home, distracting them with toys and arranging for a dog sitter.

So the next time you find your dog excited even before you have taken out the leash or pressing her face against the window and waiting for you to come back from work – you know exactly why!

4. “Why do dogs eat poop?”

Dogs are comedians by nature but sometimes their jokes do not land and leave the audience confused. Dogs eat everything, quite literally. While it is cute to watch your little furball nibble away at a bone, it can be annoying, maybe even disgusting to watch her enthusiastically eat faeces. Like all their strange habits, scientists have dug deep and found an explanation for this as well.

Research suggests that dogs are rather particular about their poop! The fresher the better. This is a behaviour commonly found in other mammals like beavers, rabbits and elephants as well. Eating faeces is a way for starving dogs to make up for lacking nutrients in their diet.

However, this does not explain why a healthy puppy who is being raised in a pristine condition would develop a taste for what-must-not-be-named. The answer is infancy. Mother dogs lick their younglings to encourage them to release stool and clean them up. Hence, puppies who eat doo-doo have most likely picked this habit up from their mothers. But most canines tend to flush this habit away by the time they are nine months old.

5.  “Why do dogs sniff crotches?”

In the series of embarrassing things your puppy might do, sniffing a stranger's crotch might lead to the most awkward situations. It is commonplace to spot your canine poking her nose in someone's butt in public or trotting over to a passenger on the train to inspect their groin. The question is: why do they do it?

Dogs are scent driven creatures. It is how they perceive the world around them. Dogs have a special organ specifically dedicated to processing smells called Jacobson’s organ. Located above the roof of the mouth, it is also connected to the scent-driven part of a dog's brain. It plays an important role in how a dog interprets the smell. There are about 300 million sense receptors in their noses which makes them effective at detecting health conditions like cancer and migraines.

The pheromones that humans secrete can deliver a lot of information to dogs. Since these pheromones are concentrated around the groin area in human beings, our four-legged friends make sure to investigate it. These sniff-perts can find out if you are menstruating, have recently given birth or have had sexual intercourse.

Since it is likely to put you in an awkward situation if your pup starts sniffing a guest's groins, the best method is to ask the guest to first offer their hand for your canine's preliminary inspection. Canines can gather necessary information even without probing someone's butt. You can distract her with a toy to help her focus on besides the crotch of a stranger. Other ways include training your furry friend to sit calmly, practice boundary training, or crate training and to put her on a leash when someone new walks through the door. These training cues such as practising your pet dog to sit and rewarding her with treats are helpful to teach your dog obedience.

6. “Why do dogs twitch in their sleep?”

You might notice your puppy whining, twitching, maybe even growling in their sleep, giving the impression that they are dreaming. If you have thought so – you are spot on!

Dogs, like humans, go through different stages of sleep. At a basic structural level, a human brain and a dog brain share many similarities. According to Dr. Stanley Coren, of the University of British Columbia, during sleep the brain wave patterns of dogs are similar to those of humans. They also exhibit the same stages of electrical activity that are observed in humans when they dream. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have shown that the brain activity of much simpler creatures such as rats also suggest that they dream. Since a dog's brain is much more complex it would be fitting to assume that dogs dream as well.

All of these findings are consistent with the proposition that dogs do dream. Dogs are speculated to dream during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep.

So, if you ever find your dog growling and snapping in their sleep – thank them. They are probably busy protecting you from a burglar in their dream!

In conclusion:

Owning a dog can be a bewildering, exciting, and challenging experience. You might have pet hundreds of dogs on the street, in front of your office or University or your backyard but becoming a dog owner is completely different territory. Many commitments, responsibilities, sacrifices come with owning a dog. A dog is as smart as a two-year-old – they experience a range of emotions from suspicion to envy. We think we have it all figured out about our furry friends but there is much left to be explored. There are many strange, questionable, and frankly confusing things a puppy might do but the purity of your bond with your silly goofball is inimitable. Dog parenting is more than simple ownership, it is a journey an individual takes with a companion until death does them part.