Your favourite unexpected thing about your dog

[Enko]

What is something about your dog you just love that is utterly unexpected that you love?

I'm not talking traits you know foe the breed but something about your dog that just makes you all aww.

For me I have a Basset hound known for sniffing and long ears and being lazy and gentle

My unexpected favourite thing about him is how he sounds like a freight runaway train (dh says a horse galloping) when he comes running full speed at you. It fills my hear with joy each time
100% not something mentioned in the breed descriptions

Our dogs ears (Belgian Shephard) have a mind of their own.
She does "shark fin" when she's doing something she shouldn't be
She goes "sport mode" when we are walking and it's windy
She goes "periscope" when she is sitting at the window, watching the world

Shark fin: one ear up, the other down
Sport mode: both ears tucked tightly into the side of her head
Periscope: ears up, alert and constantly moving, searching

Gives the best side eye ever! Call his name when he's relaxing and you'll get the look. Never grows old and always gives a laugh.

He's really proud too. My friends have staffies who are the friendliest dogs ever, automatically submissive and walk over heads down, tails between their legs wiggling with excitement and it's cute but my dog just walks over like he owns the place, head held high. Unfortunately more of a cat in nature so if I want cuddles, I go to the staffs!

My dachshund is an absolute ass - naughty , stubborn, opinionated.

I got her after I lost my sister to cancer. The unexpected thing about my little dog is how much her temperament is healing and hopeful for me. Even when she is at her most trying . My sister was gentle and kind, sadly she was taken advantage of and abused in relationships throughout her life.
'Be more dachshund' is something I can draw on now. Make a noise , try and get what you want. Don't let the bds get you down or get the better of you. I think dogs and all animals can teach us alot .

This is such a lovely thread. I don't have a dog but want one (when our two ageing cats have passed on).

@Peaceandkindness that is beyond adorable, your labs sound perfect.

Sleeps head first under everything. So if I put a blanket on my lap on the sofa she will paw at an edge until she can get her nose under (or more likely until I lift it) and then burrows in head first. Sometimes she just sits up with the blanket covering her head like that’s completely normal. She does the same in bed - waits until we’re laid down with the lights off then crawls up the bed and goes head first between the two of us under the covers and curls up behind my knees.

She is never happier than when the whole family is together in the same room (preferably with her having squeezed her ample butt onto the same sofa).

I usually WFH most of the time but in recent weeks was gone nearly every day (H is at home full time). One day before I left I gave her a carrot as a snack and H said she carried it around with her all day and didn’t eat it until I got home 🥲

I have a Jack Russell and every time I come home he brings me a present (one of his soft toys) I didn't think terriers did that and it's adorable

So sorry for your loss...
What you said reminds me of what a trainer said in "The Dog Academy": "you don't get the dog you want, you get the dog you need".
It really resonated with me because it's exactly how I feel with my dog (who can be an ass as well haha)
I'm happy that you found a good support and teacher in your girl.

If I say kiss he touches his nose to mine.

I have a cocker spaniel and I absolutely love the way her bum wiggles when we're out on a walk and she is just so happy trotting ahead sniffing everything. It fills my heart with joy every time no matter what else might be going on.

Singing with me! If I’m in the kitchen, singing along to whatever shit I’ve asked Alexa to play, he’ll occasionally appear and howl along in harmony 🥲 the last song he ‘sang’ was Too Much by Spice Girls. The boy has good taste 😁

i did not expect my crazy , extremely energetic black lab to be quite as empathetic as he is. He always knows when someone needs a cuddle, even if he barely knows the person.
My female is so very lovely, she’s a rescue, and clearly happy with us. Her tail wags in her sleep 🥰

If I've had a day when I don't think I've achieved very much, I take the dogs out for a walk and see how joyful they are to be outside, sniffing around, taking note of all the tiny changes in the hedgerows and air, and I think, Well, at least I've made you happy today. It doesn't take a lot.

She will sit and watch a tiny shrew that’s in the middle of the lane washing its whiskers, or whine if we come across a dead creature- clearly this upsets her.
She shows absolutely no desire to hurt tiny creatures or even insects, bless her 😍
She often sees deer on our walk and will simply sit and watch them, makes no effort to chase thank goodness.
I have never known her to even growl at another dog either.

That's she's smaller than expected and I can pick her up.

Iv always had large breeds only ever been able to pick them up for a few weeks after coming home but being able to scoop her up for a snuggle sometimes is amazing

the way she huffs at us if she doesn’t get her own way.

when going down the steps her tail and back end goes like a helicopter.

she get so excited to see us even if it’s only been 2 minutes.

Border collie that will only do tricks if we’ve got treats. None of this people-pleasing for her! She’s a proper madam and gives a good side-eye.

I have a small terrier who has plenty of adorable quirks.

I love the way he does a little indignant sneeze if he doesn’t get his own way or is told he has to wait for something.

Most adorable is when something worries him (eg the demon bin lorry) he runs around in circles making the weirdest noise that sounds for all the world like “Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!” I have had dogs all my life and never heard another dog make a sound remotely like it.

His favourite place is to sit sort of on my hip, when I am curled up on the sofa with my feet up. He kind of snuggles into the crook of my elbow and uses my boob as rest for his own elbow and then wants me to hold his back feet! 😆 He gets very grumpy if he tries to sit like that with anyone else as apparently their boobs are of inadequate proportions for his comfort! 🤣

Oh - and I sometimes have medical episodes in the night and if/when I do he will suddenly appear peering down at me with such a worried look on his little face. He’ll then stay right next to me until my meds kick in and he considers it safe for us both to go back to sleep.

Best of all he is 100% my boy. He loves his whole family, but ultimately his heart belongs to me and he makes that abundantly clear every day. I just hope I can do his adoration justice.

I've said this before, but my elderly lab yips joyfully into the bowl as she eats her dinner. It is so endearing.
She has a dry nose, through excessive digging, and gets the most comical expression on her face for the nightly application of ointment.
We also have the nightly biscuit song.

Her daughter sits at my feet gazing adoringly at me for a while and then flops her (heavy) head on to me.
When she was a pup, she was being taught not to bite and she would run her top teeth gently along my hand, in a “I'm not biting, I'm just touching you with my teeth” sort of way.

Dog #3, great big un, can no longer sit on laps as she did when a pup, so she comes at me sideways and rests her tummy on my knee, which is the new version of lap sitting.
She often goes and gets her favourite noisy squeaky toy when the phone rings and then enthusiastically squeaks along with the conversation.

His hugs 🤗 when I get back in from work, he rushes to greet me, gets all confused and runs around in circles, then jumps up and puts his paws on my shoulders and squeezes me 😊😊. Then he calms down.

How much I could love him ... he's 16 now with lots of health issues he likes to get up at 5am sometimes earlier, has accidents and costs me hundreds a month in vet bills but i see every day he wakes me up as another day with him, now I know our days together are limited. He's adorable in his old age too super cuddly and just wants to be near me, I always knew I loved him, but the realisation that he hasn't got long left has made me realise just how much I love him and how much I'll miss him.

Love this. Yes.

I love all these. Dogs are a gift!

Been out all day doing man trailing with mine. He's snoring flat on his back and so relaxed and tired from all the brainwork and he just melts my heart!

The sound she makes when she eats a raw carrot (her fave). Eating sounds are NOT OK..... Apart from when it's a dog, then it just melts my heart.

Every night when I come in from work my two race in like demons and I have to assume the position - sitting between them on sofa getting kisses and licks till they are satisfied I am home and all is well. They don't do for my H much to his annoyance!