Dog

[karenmac60]

Ok you dog experts, my OH is curious as to why my dog lifts his front paw when he is listening for something. He often does it when he's out at night and hears a noise in the distance, or even when he's at home and there's maybe someone outside or something. I just put it down to him being a dog, but since he's Mr mac's first pooch he's fascinated by it and wants to know why. The dog is a mongrel but possibly has some terrier and/or lurcher in there. Any ideas? Thanks, Karen

[jb190281]

Hes probably getting ready to run!

[karenmac60]

No, he just stands there like some kind of gundog or something, lifts one paw and raises his head, sniffing the air and listening, then goes back to what he was doing.

[boxtops]

Karen if you see a hunting dog pointing for their targets, they do that. Could it be that they are poised to run? I am thinking of pictures of pointers etc and shoots, often with one foot raised.

[karenmac60]

Could be - I'll tell oh that anyway, it might stop him asking :)

[craft1948]

I don't know what it is either karen......my last dog used to do this and as she was a chihuahua/yorkie cross so I don't think she was going hunting.

[brenda]

A lot of terrier type dogs do this especially the JR.It called pointing and they are ready to take off, after the sounds or objects they have heard or seen.Abit like a runner on the starting blocks.

[carmalee]

it's the position pointers adopt when spotting prey - one foot raised, head outstretched and nose/eyes pointing to the prey- hence the name - literally pointing at it. lots of dogs do it but pointers have refined the art to the nth degree.

[karenmac60]

Thanks everyone - told mr mac and he is very happy with that information :)

[wildwood]

You should teach your OH to do that so you always know where he's at in advance.

[fredpuli47]

What you describe is common in dogs and most do it to some degree but it often passes unnoticed .Your dog is evidently one for the bigger gesture! (At least yours is not doing the full pointer act. A pointer stands rigid, in a pose, with it nose 'pointing' and its body stretched forward and its tail out straight, pointing to where it senses prey, the bird, is)

The dog makes something of a 'question mark' with its front leg when its asking itself a question! If its puzzled , asking itself 'What was that ? What's happening? What to do?" it stops and raises one paw , slightly crooked, just as though it was trying to form a question mark with its paw.

[RATTER15]

This is so typical of the pointer breeds, its actually pointing, obviously not with his finger lol but with his nose, raising one leg to alert you, see this pic of a pointer.http://www.breederretriever.com/photo
post/data/529/shorthaired_pointer_german.jpg