Dog Community

What does this behavior mean?

Posted : 1/10/2007 10:18:44 PM

So I met someone today who had brought with her a Golden Retriever and several puppies (one was hers, the others were step-puppies that she helped care for), and the dog and puppies were all running around in the room we were in. They were all very friendly and playful, including the mother dog. At one point I sat down on the floor while taking to someone, and the dog decided to sit down on my lap while chewing on a bone. So this was the grown dog, not the puppies. The grown one is a young dog, but obviously old enough to have puppies. Now, you may have read that I have some fears of certain situations with dogs, but I really didn't feel any fear in this situation, at all. I was very happy to be there, it was a very positive experience for me. But I'm wondering if the sitting down on my lap is a dominant behavior, like when a dog puts his paw up on your knee, or acts pushy. I'm kind of thinking that it was, because the dog sat down on my lap a couple of different times. Also one time she was leaning against me. What are your thoughts on this? What should have been my respons? She also chose to lay down next to me a couple of times while not really touching me, too. In one way I thought it was cute and I didn't mind it, but also I wasn't sure if she was just trying to dominate me..... I did not find it threatening at all and the owner was right there. I guess if it is a dominance thing, why did the dog choose to do that to me? There were other adults there also, but I was the only adult the dog had never met before. But I saw her as a very friendly, playful dog though.

Terese

Posted : 1/10/2007 10:21:26 PM

And by the way, those puppies were so incredibly cute, it was a real treat to be there and hold them! One was 10 weeks old, the others only 4 weeks. It was hard to leave them! Such snuggly, soft, warm little ones! Awwww......

houndlove

Posted : 1/10/2007 10:38:59 PM

If it's a dominance thing then Marlowe is ready to take over the world! He loves sitting in laps because he is just a dog who really craves closeness to humans. Next to you is fine, in the same room is okay, but in your lap is definately his ideal and if he can swing it, he'll definately take that option. He's completely not a dominant dog, just a cuddle bug. He isn't even the dominant dog in the house--that would be Conrad. But if you're sitting on the floor in my house, prepare to be sized up as potential real estate by Marlowe. A firm "go!" will let him know that your lap is currently no vacancy, but you can't blame a dog for trying.

Dominance theory is actually the source of a lot of controversy in the dog world today and many behaviorists and trainers would say that it is way over-used. Many dog experts that I really respect have said that a dog who really is trying to show dominance over humans is rare. Most of what we've come to attribute to dominance because of the popularity of dominance theory with the general public is really just dogs being dogs and blundering through the human world.

Ruth

Posted : 1/10/2007 10:43:35 PM

I agree. I think it just means the dog really liked you, and you were conveniently located for cuddles.

Angelique

Posted : 1/10/2007 11:11:59 PM

The dog moved into your space and got on top of you. Hmmm, I don't take that as either a sign of "submission" or respect, especially with a dog you don't know very well.

Was the dog being overtly "dominant". Maybe not. But the dog did as it pleased, and you let it. Maybe it doesn't bother you to be layed on, and that's fine.

This dog may be an easy going dog who just hasn't been taught manners. This dog may not see humans as leaders, but they are a soft place to lay whenever they feel like it. Who knows without being there and seeing the interaction first hand?

Did you invite the dog into your space, to lay on you?

There is more to the word "dominance" than dominance theory alone...but that is another discussion in another forum. [

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spiritdogs

Posted : 1/10/2007 11:24:07 PM

I wouldn't read too much into this. Some dogs are just "leaners", and it doesn't always signify a desire to dominate you. But, I would not necessarily make it a practice to sit on the floor with dogs you don't know while there are puppies or special food items about. Some dogs are not as nice in that situation as this one was.

Xeph

Posted : 1/10/2007 11:39:00 PM

The dog moved into your space and got on top of you. Hmmm, I don't take that as either a sign of "submission" or respect, especially with a dog you don't know very well.

By that logic Angelique, all Bernese Mountain Dogs are big jerks that don't respect ANYBODY. My friends' Bernese sit on my feet (or me) all the time. Gryffin, Gretchen, Gracie, Heidi, Holly, Grissom...they all do it.

BMD's I've never met before do it...to anybody. They're a lovable breed like that. They sit on your feet and look up at you as if to say "I love you, never leave me!" and it is clearly not about dominance for them.

Lots of other breeds sit on feet too (the Saint comes to mind), and Strauss even sits on my feet sometimes. Or like houndlove's Marlowe...they just like that kind of contact. No disrespect meant. It also tells me that a dog is comfortable with a person. Dogs are very intuitive, and I've seen a BMD who will sit on ANYBODY (Gryffindor), snub a shady looking person at a show.

Angelique

Posted : 1/11/2007 12:04:48 AM

Oh dear! I must have misread the original post. I thought the OP said that the dog got into her lap (uninvited) and layed on her...and was chewing on a bone while there, to boot.

Silly me! Now where are my glasses... [8|]

mudpuppy

Posted : 1/11/2007 10:09:52 AM

happyviking, don't fall into the trap of thinking that every dog you meet may try to dominate you. True dominant dogs (and people) don't think about dominance and submission; only insecure middle-rankers go around worrying about their status. If you go around worrying about your status, every dog you meet will immediately pick up on it, and decide you're a weak middle-ranker. Act like a secure, confident leader instead. If the dog does something you don't like, do something about it, but don't do something about a behavior you like just because you're worried about "dominance".
My alpha bitch ALLOWS her subordinates to take certain liberties because she is very secure in her status. Last night she graciously let the submissive dogs play with one of her toys while she watched. Everyone knew it was her toy, and she could have demanded they stop now, but she didn't. It didn't undermine her status-- in fact, it actually increased her status. Don't be a petty bully; be a leader.

jones

Posted : 1/11/2007 11:11:52 AM

My dog Russell is very submissive to humans but he does that sometimes too... he's always really liked to lay on/against someone while chewing a bully stick. He also loves getting a butt rub and will back up his caboose right against you or even into your lap for better access. [

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melindar

Posted : 1/11/2007 1:42:24 PM

Man, if laying on humans is a dominant behavior then I'm in a world of trouble! [

] Copper loves cuddling! I don't think I can sit on the couch w/o him touching me in one way or another. Usually he's trying to lay on my lap and some days 50lbs of dog on you isn't very comfortable. Heck, it's even funnier when I'm sitting in the chair and he ends up laying on my lap. [sm=lol.gif]

Like everyone else has said some dogs are just lovebugs. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 1/11/2007 1:46:13 PM

Max is a leaner, too. If we're walking and I stop to chat with somebody, he scoots over closer and closer to them until he's practically sitting on the feet ... all the while staring up at them with that "please pet me - I get no attention at home" pathetic look on his face. []

Joyce

Ruth

Posted : 1/11/2007 2:12:12 PM

Ace is a total leaner! He leans on people, and he also leans on furniture and walls. Mostly it's cute, except for when we go camping -- he tries to lean against the side of the tent like it's a wall, and I have to redirect him so he doesn't push it over. Poor guy gets so confused -- he doesn't understand why leaning is OK everywhere else but not there! [sm=lol.gif]

Terese

Posted : 1/11/2007 6:14:13 PM

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense! I did invite her for cuddles, if not actually my lap. But I thought it was quite nice, I guess I saw it as nice cuddle and that the dog had noticed me as someone she didn't mind being with. So I didn't mind it a bit.
I'm glad to see that I don't have to be so uptight about everything; I guess I'm going to read a little bit much into everthing right now that I'm learning about them, but I also see that I can allow myself to relax and have a good time. My impression of the dog was that she was young and somewhat puppy-like herself, and she didn't seem to be too well trained yet. Playful and active, but not hyper; just needs some more time to learn is what I figure. A kid tried several times to pry the bone out of her mouth, which she helt on to, but didn't get aggressive about it. But when her 10 week old puppy tried to grab it, she growled loudly and the puppy lyed down a foot or two away from her. So though it may have been risky that the child tried to grab the bone, she stayed calm. She wouldn't give it up to her owner either, who opened up her mouth to get it, but it seemed like more of a game than anything. Anyhow, as I said, it appeared to me that the dog just needed some more training. All this to say, she didn't seem aggressive or dominant or anything, it was just something she decided to do. I was just unsure of this leaning and lap-sitting though... Glad to hear your opinions on it!