Is Your Dog Messing With You on Purpose?

Most dog parents would say their pet has a personality, even a sense of humor. Once, while playing with my dog, I told her to go get her toy, and she returned to me with a live spider in her mouth. This left me with two questions: Is my dog funnier than me? Also, is my dog messing with me on purpose? 

While the jury is still out on the former — though many signs point to “yes” — it isn’t uncommon for dogs to give us mixed signals, especially ones you could swear were intentional: 

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• Jumping out of the bath just before you’ve finished fully rinsing the soap out

• Begging to go outside only to immediately beg to be let back in

• Taking your slipper and gleefully prancing around the house with it

• Pawing to be pet, then acting stand-offish when given attention

• Waiting until you’ve finally finished putting on all their outdoor gear to kick off their booties in one fell swoop

• Hearing “What do you have in your mouth?” as a sign to chew faster and then promptly swallow

• And oh, this one: making sure their butt is positioned just in front of your face before letting one rip

If you’ve experienced what can only be described as “trolling” behavior, welcome. Fortunately, I spoke with a couple of experts about why your dog is messing with you — and what to do about it.

Wait, do dogs have a sense of humor?

Rats are known to laugh when tickled and apes will playfully tease one another, but does your dog understand when they’re being funny (especially at your expense)? While there is research to suggest that some animals may have evolved a sense of humor, it’s more likely that your dog is engaging in play rather than trying to pull a fast one on you.

For example, you’ve probably seen your dog give a “ play bow,” with their front paws on the ground and their rear in the air. Margaret H.B., an educator at a Midwest animal shelter, says this is the best indicator that your dog is feeling playful. “Often they’ll be holding a ball or toy to make it incredibly clear they want to run, play, wrestle, etc.” she says, adding that dogs will play bow to people and other pets alike. In other words, if it seems like your dog is teasing you, they’re probably just trying to play. (As for the fart example, that’s just unfortunate timing.)

Does my dog associate “teasing” with play?

Think about how you typically play with your dog. Is there a lot of keep-away? Fake-outs? Pretending to throw something and hiding it behind your back? Is this not you trolling your dog? When humans and dogs play together, both will typically engage in behaviors that are best categorized as “playful teasing.”

In fact, dogs will often signal that they are playing when the game at hand is particularly frustrating. As a 2024 study on human-dog play found, “play bows appeared to be integral to dogs’ play activities, usually when the dog was playing object-keepaway and tug o’ war, or the dog was reacting to the human engaging in frustration games like object-keepaway or fakeout.” Put another way, your dog might associate light frustration with fun.

What if my dog is giving me mixed signals?

“Sometimes, interpreting a dog’s behavior can be confusing,” admits Dr. Valli Parthasarathy, who is a co-owner of and Veterinary Behavior Specialist at Synergy Veterinary Behavior in Portland, Oregon. She recommends paying attention to your dog’s entire body language when trying to understand their behavior — is their tail wagging while they let out a low growl? Are their ears back (which could mean anxiety) when they are playing a confusing game of keepaway with their favorite ball?

Dr. Parthasarathy also says to remember context here: “Is there a pattern to when it happens? Could it be that they are trying to get your attention to do something [else]?” If your dog’s confusing bids for attention persist and accompany signs of discomfort (like growling), it could be a sign that your dog is physically uncomfortable. In this case, Dr. Parthasarathy recommends reaching out to your vet to check for any possible medical conditions.

How can I get my dog to stop trolling me?

To generalize a bit, pet parents aren’t mad about this behavior. On the whole, we love our little babies no matter what they do, and to be honest, we probably love them more because of their hijinks. But if they are truly are getting on your nerves, there are some things you can do.

While you may be able to contextualize your dog’s behavior, their understanding of context is much more limited. For them, keepaway is fun, regardless of whether it’s you with a tennis ball or them with your slipper. One solution? Both experts recommend familiarizing yourself with your dog’s specific behavior, particularly using training classes.

“Not only is training fun for your dog and strengthens the bond between you two, but it’s also an amazing opportunity to learn from an expert about what your dog is trying to tell you with their body language,” Margaret H.B. says. She advises checking your local shelter’s available training classes and keep an eye out for ones that focus on positive reinforcement. 

If nothing else, you can alway post videos of your dog messing with you with hopes of going viral. One pet parent’s temporary misery is the internet’s treasure.