Four-Legged Mysteries: 50 Dogs That Left Their Owners Confused

The most extreme (and gross) case of pica is when a dog eats its own p**p. Coprophagia is the medical term for it and is common with young puppies and nursing females. In fact, it's pretty normal for dog moms – they ingest the stuff while cleaning their pup or stimulating their bowel movement.

Let's move on to some weird behaviors that aren't so stomach-turning. My puppy stashes food and toys in his secret hideout. What's up with that? With all types of hoarding, it comes down to instinct.

Animal Behavior College Dog Trainer Deborah Fenton told the AKC that "most of the time when dogs hide things, they do so because they have an instinct to hoard or guard their food and possessions."

If there's one thing dogs love, it's marking their territory. That's the reason why they start kicking right after doing their business. Preventative Vet writes that it's how they send a message to other dogs.

"There are scent glands on and in between your dog's paw pads. Scratching the grass after urinating or defecating helps spread the pheromones secreted by these glands around the area."

The last one: splooting. It's a funny resting position where a dog stretches their hind legs while lying down, resulting in a pretty comfortable position.

Experts say that it's a way for doggos to stretch their hip muscles and relieve pressure on their lower and back hips. That's especially true with older dogs.

Another reason can be to cool off – the position exposes more of their skin. My beagle, for example, used to sploot on the cold tiled kitchen floor after coming back from long walks in the hot summer. So that one’s definitely true!