Or did you notice how often your dog will come up behind you and give you a big lick on the back of your neck?
Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, but they were never bred to act like people do.
They’ve always had their own unique set of behaviors and instincts.
For example, dogs can’t lie down in bed with you.
Instead, they’ll curl up next to you, or under the covers.
That’s because while they’re sleeping, they feel safe and protected.
But then there are things that we don’t know about our dogs until we stop to think about them.
For example, some dogs love to chew shoes just to see what happens.
Others seem to enjoy eating socks, especially if they smell like food.
We understand that each dog has his or her own personality, which makes it hard to predict exactly what they’re going to do.
The History of Dog Head Rubbing
Dog head rubbing may seem like something new, but in fact, it has been around for a very long time.
The earliest reference to dog head rubbing was found in an ancient Egyptian text called the Papyrus Ebers.
In this document, a man named Ani describes his dog as “the one who gives me kisses and licks my face” (1).
This suggests that dog rubbing was common enough that someone thought it worth mentioning!
In addition to being mentioned in the papyrus, dog head rubbing has also been referenced in other texts dating from about 1500 B.C.E.
to 1000 C.E., including those written by Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Chinese.
It wasn’t until the 19th century, however, that people started to take note of the behavior and figure out what exactly was going on with their dogs.
One of the first reports of dog head rubbing came from a zoologist named Karl von Frisch in 1905.
He reported seeing a specific type of birds known as a sandgrouse do this behavior and wondered if they were rubbing their heads onto their owners because they were so happy to see them.
This led him to wonder if there was any connection between bird-dog head rubbing and human-dog head rubbing.
Since then, scientists have studied the behavior and discovered that it can actually help dogs communicate with us.
We’ll explain more on that next.
The Science of Dog Head Rubbing
There are a few reasons why your dog might be rub its head on you.
It could be a sign of affection, or it could be a way to assert dominance over you.
It could also be that your dog is trying to get your attention or get you to pet it.
If you’re not sure why your dog is doing this, here’s what you need to know.
1. The History of Dog Head Rubbing
Dog head rubbing has a long history in many cultures.
In ancient Egypt, dogs were considered sacred animals and were treated with great respect.
They would have been kept as pets for their companionship and protection.
When Pharaohs died, they were buried with their beloved dogs.
This was because dogs were believed to possess magical powers and could protect them from evil spirits.
In China, it is still common practice for people to rub their heads on their dog’s heads.
Some believe that if someone does this, then the person can communicate with the spirit of the dog.
Others believe that if you rub your head on a dog’s head, you can receive good luck or blessings from the dog.
For example, if he loves playing with balls, go outside and throw a ball for him every day.
Do this for a week or two and see how much better he gets at fetching the ball whenever you throw it for him.
Conclusion
The point I want to make in this article is that we as humans are very good at reading body language.
We can tell when someone is being friendly towards us, when they are angry with us, and even when they are lying to us.
Dogs are no different.
They have their own unique way of communicating with each other.
When you take a look at some of the most common ways that dogs communicate with each other, you’ll see that there really isn’t anything too surprising here.
Touching
It should probably go without saying that touching is one of the most basic forms of communication that dogs use.
Dogs will touch each other all the time.
This includes things like licking, biting, and rubbing.
All of these gestures are used by dogs to show that they are friendly towards another dog.
The more they touch, the friendlier they feel towards each other.
Barking/Whining
A dog barking at you is a pretty clear indication that he wants you to do something for him.
He may be asking you to play with him, to fetch his toy, or to bring him food.
If your dog is whining at you, it is likely that he is either begging for food, water, or attention from you.
Whining is simply a form of communication that many dogs use to express their need for something.
If you don’t respond to your dog’s whines, he will continue to whine until you give in and fulfill his request.
Walking With Their Heads Held High
This is a gesture that dogs make when they are pleased with themselves.
Often times, they will hold their heads high while walking around.
This means that they are proud of themselves, and they want to share that pride with others around them.
When you see your dog holding his head high, you know that he is happy about something.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that he is happy about you.
More than likely, he is just happy because he has accomplished something that he considers to be a success.
Maybe he has found a new ball to play with, or maybe he just won an imaginary game of tug-of-war.
Trying To Get Your Attention
This next category comes from my personal experience with my dog.
I have noticed that whenever I am having a conversation with someone else, if my dog starts jumping up on me and rubbing his head on mine, then he knows that I am paying attention to what the person is saying.
In turn, he feels comfortable enough to start looking at me as well.
I believe that dogs use this trick to try and get our attention.
They want us to pay closer attention to them.
Sometimes, they will start jumping up on us to get our attention, and sometimes they will start licking us to get us to pay closer attention to them.
Hi, my name is Megan Turner and I have worked in a dog’s shelter for four years now. It is truly my dream job, and I see hundreds of dogs every month being united with new owners to give them a loving forever home.
Unfortunately, handicapped dogs are much more likely to be ignored when a family is picking out their new pet. Handicapped pets need more care than non-handicapped pets, so it is understandable why they are often harder to rehome.
