One of the curious things that dogs do is their habit of settling right at the feet of their guardians or, directly, sitting on them. This behavior is particularly amusing in large dogs who seem to have no idea of their true complexion.
If you have experienced this situation, you probably ask yourself questions like: " Why does my dog sit on my foot?", "why does my dog sit on me?" or "why does my dog lean on me?"In this article on our site, we'll answer these questions to help you better understand and communicate with your best friend.
Why does my dog sit on my feet?
First of all, we must emphasize that there is no single reasonthat explains why a dog sits or lies on its feet or above the guardians of him. The behavior and body language of dogs are complex and varied, so a behavior can have different causes and meanings, depending on the context in which it develops and the individual who carries it out.
If you want to understand why your dog leans on you or lies down on your feet, it is essential to read his posture and his expressions while carrying out this behavior, as well as pay attention to the environment and the context where it executes this action.
Next, we'll help you interpret this behavior from your best friend. But we also recommend reading our complete guide on dog postures and their meanings to better understand your dog.
Not everything is a display of dominance in dogs
It is very important not to get carried away by false mythsthat claim that whenever a dog sits on his guardian it is a show of dominance. Dominance is intraspecific, that is, it occurs only and exclusively between individuals of the same species. For this reason, thinking about the relationship between a guardian and his dog in terms of dominance does not make sense and usually causes many errors in the education and upbringing of the dogs, with repercussions negatively your character.
In addition, it is essential to combat the false myth that a "dominant dog" is one that behaves aggressively with other dogs. Aggression is a behavior problem that needs to be treated properly, with the help of a trained professional. In turn, dominance is part of the social interaction and language of dogs, allowing the hierarchical organization between two or more members of a community, occurring precisely at the moment in which an encounter or social interaction between two or more takes place. individuals.
A "dominant dog" is dominant in relation to one or more dogs, but will not necessarily be dominant in relation to all others dogs, since the interaction is something dynamic. Therefore, we should not understand dominance as an aspect or trait of a dog's personality, much less associate it with aggressiveness.
Your dog is not demonstrating dominance when he sits on your feet and it is a serious mistake to use aggressive or abusive methods to " correct" this behavior, since you will be exposing your furry to negative emotions, such as stress, fear and anxiety. And the worst thing is that you will reprimand him for misunderstanding his behavior, seriously affecting the bond.
On the other hand, if you suspect that your dog is becoming possessive, reacting negatively when someone tries to approach you or your things, you should know that you have a problem. protection of resources, and should not be confused with dominance. In this case, we advise you to go to a veterinarian specialized in canine ethology who will be able to rule out pathological causes and investigate the origin of this possessive behavior in your best friend, as well as help you establish specific causes for treatment.
If you want to know more about dominance in dogs, we recommend you read our article entirely dedicated to the dominant dog. Next, we will tell you about the possible reasons why my dog sits on my foot.
Why does my dog sit or lie on me?
Now you know that this behavior can have several meanings and that it is in no case related to the errors of the dominance theory. So why does my dog sit on my foot? There are 5 main causes:
- To enjoy your company: There is no denying that dogs are extraordinary companions, always willing to accompany us in our best moments and console us in the most difficult phases. One of the reasons why your dog sits on your feet is to be next to you and express his affection
- Because they seek warmth and comfort: In their first weeks of life, it is very common for puppies to sleep close together and even one on top the other to conserve heat and combat the cold. If your dog sleeps on top of you or on your head, he is probably looking not only to share your body heat, but also to feel safe and comfortable in your company.
- To express their support for you: dogs easily perceive changes in our mood, because they are able to interpret our postures, facial expressions, gestures and attitudes, since they mostly use body language to communicate. Even if you don't say a single word to your dog, he will know when you are feeling sad or going through a difficult time in your life, so he may lean on you or lie down near you to communicate his support and faithfulness, "in good times and in bad times." the evil ones".
- To communicate to others that you are their guardian: The anal glands contain pheromones that are a kind of "chemical identity", it is that is, they concentrate substances that "inform" about the main characteristics that identify each individual. When a dog smells another's ass, he can obtain information about their sex, age, state of he alth, type of nutrition, etc. When your dog sits on your feet or on top of you he leaves his "signature scent" on you. In this way, he can communicate to the other dogs that you are his guardian.
- Because it needs to get your attention: if you spend many hours away from home or are too busy to dedicate special time to your furry, He may sit on top of you or on your feet to get your attention, whether it's because he's hungry, wants to go for a walk, wants to get something, or just to remind you that it's time to share a good time together.
Therefore, we identify that sitting on the feet or on top of their guardian is not a negative or dangerous behavior in dogs. Logically, it is important to observe if this behavior is accompanied by others that show possessiveness or hyperattachment, since these can become serious behavioral problems that harm the coexistence and social life of the dog and its guardian.
If you notice that your dog becomes aggressive when you have visitors at home or when someone tries to greet you on the street, this possessive behavior can be very dangerous, especially for children, and should be treated by a professional duly trained, so we advise you to first consult a veterinarian specialized in ethology. On the other hand, if your dog engages in destructive behaviors during your absence and constantly demands attention, you should be aware of the symptoms of separation anxiety and you can turn to a dog educator to guide you in the treatment of these behavioral problems.
Now you know why my dog sits on my foot! What reason do you think drives your dog to do it? Leave us your comments and share your experience!
