All of us dog lovers and guardians love to provide various cuddles, massages and petting to our best friends, right? But eventually, we are surprised to notice that, when caressing them in some areas, such as their belly or back, our furry ones begin to move their paw involuntarily, as if they were touching a guitar in the air or kick nothing at all.
Probably, you have already had this experience and ask yourself questions like " Why does my dog move his paw when I scratch his belly? ", "why does my dog move his paw involuntarily?", or "can dogs feel tickles?".
We will explain to you what it means when you scratch your dog and move your paw This way you will better understand the language and communication of dogs. We will also give you some tips to relax your dog with your caresses, touching him in his favorite areas.
Why does my dog move his paw when I scratch his belly?
This behavior so common in dogs is known as " scratch reflex" (scratch reflex) and usually appears when we scratch behind their ears and, especially, if we scratch their belly. It is an involuntary reaction, that is, your dog does not throw those "kicks in the air" because he wants to, but because his brain sends this order automatically when he perceives some strange stimulus in these particularly vulnerable regions.
In nature, animals often come into easy contact with parasites, insects, small debris (such as twigs, leaves, spikes, etc.) and dirt, which can stick to your hair and skin, causing a tingling or uncomfortable feeling. Upon detecting the presence of a foreign body or stimulus in these more sensitive regions, the nerve endings present in your skin send a message to your brain, which immediately sends the command to activate the "scratch reflex". In this way, foreign bodies are prevented from adhering to their skin that can cause wounds, damage, diseases or allergies in dogs.
For this reason, when we pet or scratch our dogs in sensitive areas where a large number of nerve endings are concentrated, we see how it begins to move its paw involuntarily, as if kicking at nothing or scratching the air.
Logically, we should not confuse this reflex action with excessive scratching caused by an itch or itching In the scratch reflex, we see that The urge to scratch begins when we caress or scratch our dog in a sensitive region, and usually ends immediately when we stop our movements.
Already scratching that tries to end an itch is usually done continuously or frequently, and is almost always more intense. In addition, we observed that the dog usually shows annoyed, irritated or stressed when affected by an itch, while his posture when receiving caresses from his relatives will probably be of pleasure and relaxation.
If you notice that your dog or puppy does not stop scratching, we recommend you check his body for the presence of parasites, insect bites or symptoms of an allergy or dermatitis. After that, the best thing to do is go to the vet to check your he alth and establish an appropriate treatment to relieve itching and eliminate its cause.
If you still don't know what we're talking about, don't miss the following video:
Should I stop scratching my dog if he moves his paw involuntarily?
Depends. Some dogs don't find it pleasant scratching in certain areas of the body, as they provoke a constant stimulation of their nerve endings, causing something similar to the tickling we feel humans. As with people, some dogs may be upset by this sensation, while others seem to enjoy it in the company of their loved ones.
To know whether or not you should pet your dog in sensitive areas of his body, you will need to pay attention to his body language while you are petting him, observing his expressions and reactions to your manipulations in each of these regions. Remember that knowing the postures of dogs and their meanings, as well as being attentive to their behavior on a daily basis, is essential to build and preserve a positive bond with your best friend
If you notice that your dog is relaxed and enjoys your cuddles, you can continue sharing this good time with your best friend. But if you detect signs of anger or discomfort, you must respect him and immediately stop touching him in the regions that are not to his liking.
Where to scratch a dog to relax him?
Just like us, dogs love receiving caresses from their loved ones and enjoying a moment of peace and relaxation together with they. Although they have a lot of energy to spend playing and walking, they are also fans of good naps and a good quality of sleep is essential for their good he alth.
If you wonder how and where to pet your dog to relax, the first thing you should do is avoid tickling, squeezing, patting or squeezing. This moment of calm asks for gentle caresses, slow movements and a lot of tranquility when touching your best friend. The ideal is to use the tips of your fingers and the palm of your hand to apply a relaxing massage or simply caress his body lightly.
As we have mentioned, the ideal is that you take your time to discover yourself which are the favorite regionsof your dog, petting him a little little by little and observing his reactions to each touch. It is also important to choose the right moment to caress him and maximize the relaxing action of your massages. The ideal is always to do it after exercising your dog, when he has already spent energy and released tension, to fully enjoy your caresses.
