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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter.

All dogs are unique. They have very different personalities and quirks but at the same time, they can also share certain habits often seen across their species. These habits are easily recognizable, and all dog owners have some sort of experience with them.

 

1. The longing gazes while you eat

It’s hard to not notice how much your dog stares whenever you start eating. They’re eyes will literally follow your food from plate to mouth, and most of the time, they’ll shoot you a sad look so you’ll feel guilty enough to share. I mean, who can resist those puppy dog eyes? Well, even if you do share a bite, the staring will continue.

 

2. Your dog acting like you’ve been gone 5 years when you were only gone 5 minutes

Any time spent separated from your dog is treated like a big deal. To them, short trips to check the mail are just too long for you to be away. Once you make it back home to them, they get overly excited as if you had been gone for decades. It’s nice to shower them with love since you can tell just how much they missed you while you were gone.    

 

3. The guilt you feel when you come home smelling like another dog

As a dog owner, you enjoy greeting and petting dogs you may run into on your way to class or work. However, when it’s time to make your way home, you start to wonder if your dog will somehow notice that you were with another dog while you were away from them. That guilt you feel when your dog gives you a look of betrayal after vigorously sniffing you up and down is harsh.

 

4. Your dog taking up all the bed space

If you sleep with your dog then a lot of your bed space gets taken up by them, no matter how small they are. Your comfort basically comes second to theirs once they stretch and knock out. You can try moving them out of the way so you can sleep the way you want, but they’ll probably just wake up a little later and return to how they were before, leaving you to sleep in awkward positions.

 

5. When your dog eats something they’re not supposed to and they fight you off to swallow it

Dogs are a lot sneakier than given credit for. They always find a way to snatch up some food not meant for them when you’re looking away. Then, when you call them out on it and try to take it out of their mouths, they shut and lock their jaw while trying to swallow whatever they took as fast as they can. Something like a wrestling match ensues when you’re trying to pull out whatever they ate.

 

6. Being constantly alerted on what’s going outside your home

Most dogs are natural alarms thanks to their territorial nature. Something as trivial as someone walking past your window puts your dog in alert mode which is usually accompanied by barking. They don’t care if you’re napping or if it’s 3 a.m., they will bark whenever they sense a potential danger, which is usually just some really loud wind hitting your window.

 

7. Your dog wanting to stick their head out of the car window

Car rides with a dog usually consist with their head out of the window. There is just something about the window being rolled down that puts your dog in a really good mood. It’s not unusual for them to want to stick half of their body out the window, so you just have to make sure that the rest of their body stays planted on the car seat while they enjoy their gums flapping in the wind.

 

8. Getting nudged for all the pets

Getting homework and studying done while your dog is shoving their head under your hands and pleading for pets is tough. Then, if you add whining into the mix, you pretty much have to set aside what you’re doing so you can please them. At least they look extremely cute while they’re begging.  

 

There is no question that dogs are “man’s best friend,” as half of these habits they’ve developed are a result of loving, missing, and wanting to protect their human. (The other half have to do with their huge stomachs and their fondness of the outdoors.) All in all, it’s a whole lot of fun sharing your life with a dog!

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Danielle Villa is an Animal Science major and Entomology minor at Texas A&M University. She spends most of her time studying to get into veterinary school but when she isn't, she's writing, watching Korean dramas, and giving all the cuddles to her dog.
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." – Ernest Hemingway Carina received her B.A. in English from Texas A&M University in May 2019. She was employed on campus at the University Writing Center as a Writing Consultant and in the Department of English as a Digital Media Assistant. She was the Editor-in-Chief for the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and was also the President of TAMU’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honor Society. She previously interned with the Her Campus National Team as a Chapter Advisor and with KVIA ABC-7 News as a News Correspondent Assistant.