Just like us, dogs have complex body language, which allows them to communicate with their environment and adapt to different circumstances. If you're a proud dog guardian, chances are your affectionate friend has caught you leaning on top of you. It may even have become a habit in your daily life.
This particular behavior is not negative or harmful at all and has different causes. For this reason, if you want to find out the reason that explains why your dog leans on you, in this article on our site we will let you know why this behavior, either when he sleeps next to you or you caress him.
Why does my dog lean on me when I pet him?
If your dog performs this behavior with you when you pet him, you can take it as a sign of affection from him. Surely, this is the first reason that has crossed your mind, and that is that, when your dog rests his head on top of you when you pet him or when you stretch out together on the sofa, it is irrefutable proof thathe loves you and likes to be by your side
This is because you offer warmth and security, in the same way that happens in litters of puppies, who sleep together, leaning on top of each other and next to their mother, thus keeping themselves low his wing and protecting himself from the cold.
Why does my dog lean on me to sleep?
The reason why your dog leans on you when he sleeps or is relaxed is that you provide him with physical and affective security, that is, by your side he feels protected and therefore has no need to stay alert.
Undoubtedly, in both situations your dog leaning on you is a clear demonstration of trust. Likewise, it means that the bond established is strong and that for your dog you are his reference person, part of his family nucleus.
Why does my dog lean on me? - Other causes
Apart from the reasons mentioned above, there may be other reasons why your dog performs this behavior:
- Wants to get your attention: If your dog spends a lot of time alone and you don't spend as much time as you should, it's It is very likely that your dog performs this behavior with the intention that you pay attention to him, that you play with him, that you go for a walk, fill his bowl with food, etc. It could also be that your dog has learned that every time he leans on you you pay attention to him and, in this way, he knows that this action is useful to get you to be for him, for example, to pet him.
- To tell others to stay away: You may have observed this behavior if you live with other dogs. The fact that your friend leans on top of you when others approach may simply be a way of wanting all your attention to be focused on him and not on others. In turn, it serves as a message to other dogs to stay away from you.
As we have seen, by itself this behavior is not harmful at all, but you should not rule out that there is a problem that you should deal with. If you see your dog exhibiting other behaviors that express aggression, such as growling at other dogs, then it could be possessive behavior that could be problematic.
In turn, you should also consider taking action if your dog shows signs that he has a hyperattachment to you, such as Excessive barking with the intention that you are for him, destruction of objects when you are not at home, being constantly attached to you… In these cases, it could be that your dog experiences separation anxietywhen you're not with him, harming his well-being and making it difficult for both of you to live together. For this reason, it is best to go to your veterinarian or a canine educator who can give you action guidelines.
Is my dog dominant if he leans on top of me?
When we talk about canine ethology we often find that due to misinformation many myths are formed around dog behavior. One of these is that if your dog leans on top of you it is because he is dominant, as well as many other behaviors to which this supposed need to show dominance towards you is attributed. Now, nothing could be further from the truth, since dominance is an intraspecific behavior, so only dogs do it with other dogs. Likewise, it occurs in very specific situations, since a dog is not dominant or submissive as many people believe, but rather adapts its behavior to different situations, depending on who it is interacting with, what needs it has at that moment, in addition to what learning and experiences has he had since he was a puppy.
Finally, if you have lived with several dogs at the same time, you must have noticed that they do not behave in the same way with each other as with you, and although it seems obvious, your dog knows that they do not You're a dog. Consequently, his way of relating to you is the result of learning, not instinct, since, as he is a domestic animal, he has the ability to shape his way of communicating with you since he was a child. For this reason, you must offer your dog a basic education that allows you to relate positively with him and create a good dog-human bond. On the contrary, many of the inappropriate behaviors that your dog performs are not due to being dominant, but mainly because He has not been trained correctly or because his wellness is not covered.
