We love our dogs, don’t we? They are little goofballs that can rid us of all the stress we may have. However, there are some behaviors that you may find odd if you don’t have much experience owning a pet dog. Have you ever wondered, “why does my dog sit on me?”
There could be several reasons why a dog sits on you. It could be because they are just being dogs and want attention, or it could be that you are unintentionally radiating vibes that speak to your dog, “GIVE ME CUDDLES!”. It could also be a sign of dominance and aggression from your dog and if this is the case, then make sure you train your dog from time to time as it can lead to problems down the road.
Let’s look into the details.
Why does my dog sit on my lap
You come home from a long day at work and sit on the couch. Your dog jumps into your lap. While this does feel good, you might wonder why the dog would sit on your lap when he could sit right next to you on the couch.
This is one of the common dogs behavior, but it takes pet owners a great deal of time wondering why
As stated before, there can be several reasons for this harmless behavior, but in this case, it is clearly a sign of attention and love, and this is completely normal behavior. Dogs are attention-seeking cute creatures, and they require physical contact.
If you are guilty of not giving your dog physical contact throughout the day, get ready to wrestle in a match of cuddles with your dog as soon as you give it a chance.
Other reasons could include that you don’t do anything when the dogs sit on you, and it has become a habit. Let’s say your dog sits on your lap once, and you don’t do anything about it; it will think that this is good behavior. If you let it do as it pleases, the dog will think that your lap is the place it should sit.
I don’t mind when my dog sits on my lap because I enjoy it, but if you don’t like it, then you need to train your dog to only sit on your lap when you want it to, not the other way around.
Smaller breeds of dogs such as chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Maltese, and Pug feel comfortable and secure in your presence, so they find ways to snuggle into your lap.
You can also learn a lot from the body language of your dog to know whether it is just playing around, depressed, or showing dominant behavior.
5 Reasons why dogs may sit on you
If you own a larger breed of dogs such as Cane Corso, Bullmastiff, or Black Russian Terrier, you might feel wonder why such large dogs would like to sit on you. Rest assured that in most cases, they are just doing it for random purposes such as getting attention.
There are some cases where the dog may try to show dominance over you, and this behavior should not be encouraged.
Here are 5 reasons why your dog likes to sit on you.
1. They want to cuddle
Dogs are furry oddballs, and their behavior can sometimes leave their owners scratching their heads. The other day my dog would randomly stand, do a circle, and sit down after a funny howl.
If your dog is obedient and sits on your lap anytime, they get the chance, and it can be because they want to cuddle. Dogs are attention-seeking creatures, and they feel safe and happy in your presence. They love constant contact with their owners, and you can tell by the canine body language whether they require attention or not.
If you neglect your dog for too long, it’ll do anything to get your attention, and sitting on you is one way. They do it to show love, and they know that you are the one that provides them food.
Just let the dog have fun and sit on you as long as it’s comfortable for you. If it starts getting out of your hand, then you might need to do some training for the doggo. If you don’t give them enough attention, dogs get separation anxiety, so make sure you give the doggo enough time out of your schedule.
2. Dogs like to mark their territory
Dogs, like cats, like to mark their territory. If your dog sits on you after you showered or come home from work, it might be a sign of marking their territory.
When dogs sit on you, they spread their scent on you to show other dogs that you are taken. This is nothing to worry about unless you see some aggressive behaviors which can lead to behavioral issues.
If they are marking their territory, it can be a way for them to ease separation anxiety. It is also a way for dogs to come in contact with reinforcement things such as you giving it food, treats, and playing with it.
3. They feel safe in your lap
Your canine companion may also sit on you because they feel safe in your presence. I remember always going to my parents’ room to sleep whenever I had a nightmare as a child. Make sure your furry companion isn’t stressed or threatened by other dogs so it can feel safe even without your presence.
Smaller breeds of dogs such as Shih Tzu, Bichon Frise, Chihuahuas, and Pugs are just the right size to fit in your lap. Since they are small, they can feel threatened in the presence of other larger dogs, so they like sitting on you for security.
4. Dogs want to assert dominance over you
If your dog has aggressive body language and it growls when it sits on you, then it means that the dog is displaying assertion of dominance. Keep note of their body position and body signals to confirm whether they just want cuddles, or they are showing signs of dominance.
If this is the case, then you need to train your dog. Train your dog to only sit on you when you want it to and that you are in charge.
You can do this by standing up as soon as the dog tries to sit on you. It will still jump around but maintain eye contact and keep telling it to sit. Over time, your dog will know that it shouldn’t show aggression towards you and that you are its friend.
General pet care would always tell you to train your dog as soon as it starts showing dominance. One of the fastest ways to train a dog is to give it food puzzles and a food reward anytime it follows your order.
5. Dogs just being dogs
Dogs are social animals, and we love them because of their friendship and how good they are. If a dog sits on you, it can be their way of showing love and telling you that you are one of their favorite humans. This behavior is not a call for worry unless the dog sits on you out of aggression.
Why do dogs sit on you instead of lying on the floor?
Even if there is a perfectly comfy spot right next to where you are sitting, your dog may sit on you just because it likes to. It could also be a sign of attention and that they want to play. Note that your dog may also do this as a way to ask for food. We know dogs act cute just to get treats and food because they are sneaky.
Why does my dog stare at me when it sits on me?
If your dog stares at you when it sits on you, it is a form of affection. have you never looked at someone affectionately? This is the same case with dogs. It is also known as resource guarding, where they want to keep you for themselves.
If your dog is growling and staring at you, then it can be a sign of dominance from the dog. You can start by training it.
How to train your dog to not sit on you
While it feels great to have a lovely dog but it can get out of hand if it keeps sitting on you and starts showing aggression. You can train your dog not to sit on you through a few simple and consistent steps of the process of domestication.
When your dog tries to sit on you, stand up and tell your gentle giants to sit down. Be sure to talk in a firm tone yet calm voice. The common response from your dog will still be to sit on you. These are familiar behaviors that dogs display to show affection. In bad times, dogs display different behaviors from time to time, but you can tell what they feel from their exact behaviors.
This is a normal behavior in dogs, and you can rest assured. Give your dog food treats to ensure positive reinforcement. Food treats are a great way to get dogs to listen to you. It teaches them that whenever they are good, they are given food treats.
With time, dominance in dogs will diminish, and they’ll go back to being your good pets.
Conclusion – Why does my dog sit on me
Dogs are good companions for humans. Our dogs sit on us for several reasons. It could be as a form of dominance or display of dominance, form of love, or just dogs being dogs. Our dogs love to show us their large amounts of care by cuddling with us, and this is even more true for active breeds.
Even if there is a comfortable spot to sit in, your dog will sit on you to show affection towards you. They may also main eye contact, which is also a form of affection. This is not abnormal behavior. What classifies as abnormal behavior is when your dog becomes aggressive towards you. If the dog is not aggressive, you can rest easy as this is normal animal behavior.
The bonding between humans and dogs goes way back, and we can confirm that the behavior of your dog sitting on you is nothing to worry about.
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