Splooting, Digging & More – Dogster

Hi, I’m Allison! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my three mixed-breed dogs from Thailand, Jelly, Lorraina, and Manic.

Have you ever looked at your dog doing something and thought, “Wow, they are strange.” We all have. I am convinced that all dogs have some odd little quirks. Otherwise, what would people’s social media feeds look like? Personally, my Instagram would be a barren wasteland of joylessness without videos of dogs doing silly stuff.

Thankfully, Jelly, Lorraina, and Manic all have these quirks that make them unique and strangely lovable to keep me thoroughly entertained.

Why Do Dogs Have Strange Quirks?

As the old saying goes, “Dogs are gonna dog.” Okay, this is not an old saying; clearly, I just made it up. But it does hold some truth, doesn’t it?

Some of the things dogs do—things we think are ‘quirks’—are instinctual. For example, have you seen your dog cocking their head to the side when they hear or see something? Research has shown that dogs probably do this because they process information with a preferred ear or nostril¹. Titling their head allowed them to assess what they smelled or heard better for protection. Things dogs do today go back to what their ancestors did for survival.

This helped me understand Lorraina’s strange quirk.

Why Does Lorraina Dig in Her Bed?

Since Lorraina is smaller than Jelly and Manic, she claimed the majority of the dog beds around the house since she can’t jump on ours. She had her main bed in our bedroom, a curved lounge used during the day, and Manic’s toy bed. His toy bed is a large orthopedic pad where we keep all his toys. During the day, he often sleeps on it or lays down and chews on one of his stuffed animals.

When Lorraina wakes up and goes out for her morning pee, she comes in and starts digging on Manic’s toy bed (Manic sleeps on our bed at night). She digs for a good few minutes and then settles down. She does not do this on any other bed; just Manic’s toy bed.

Why? Because he stinks.

Now, I am not being mean but just stating a researched reason as to why dogs dig on their beds. They are marking their territory with the scent glands on their paws². It seems like Lorraina is trying to put her scent on the bed to claim it. But since Manic likes to lay on it in the evening, his scent still lingers. Little Lorraina is taking a stand—albeit she needs to repeat it daily!

But not all quirks are related to instinct and survival. Some are all about comfort.

Why Does Manic Sploot?

When dogs sploot, it is so cute! Hey, I can rhyme! Anyways, dogs splooting is adorable. The girls never did this, but Manic is the KING of splooting. He has done this ever since he was a puppy and shows no signs of stopping now that he is an adult.

In Thailand, it made sense why he splooted. News flash: Thailand gets HOT! Manic would sploot on our tile floor as a way of cooling off. But why did he continue doing this in the USA? He sploots on the lawn, the bed, the carpet, anywhere! He loves it. Besides cooling down, dogs sploot because it is comfortable or they feel relaxed³.

But studies have also shown that dogs also sploot to show dominance by taking up a lot of space. Ladies: have you ever been on public transport or a plane, and the man you are sitting next to spreads his legs really wide, and now you have 50% less space to sit? If Manic were human, he would be that man-spreader. Who have I raised?

But what about Jelly? What is her quirk?

Why Does Jelly Chew on Her Paws?

Last, we have my senior matriarch. What does Jelly do that is a bit odd? When she is getting ready for bed, she will roll on her back and rub her face. This is a behavior Manic mimics. But sometimes, she will lie on her back and chew her paws for a few moments. She almost looks like a baby sucking their thumb.

I tried to find out why she does that. I found some answers related to itching paws, anxiety, boredom, or injuries. Older dogs also chew their paws due to arthritis. Jelly is old, but she only chews her paws when on her back, getting ready to fall asleep. I sincerely hope it is not arthritis.

Perhaps this is one quirk that has not been studied formally. Maybe she just does it because it makes her happy.

I Love Them, Quirks and All!

Dogs are unique creatures—and not just their physical traits. They have varying personalities and adorable quirks, just like people. We chew our nails when nervous or squint our eyes when trying to read fine print. We twirl our hair around our fingers when bored or fiddle with our fingers agitated.

It might be forever a mystery why our dogs do the things they do. And that is okay. After all, dogs are gonna dog.