Why Dogs Rest Their Head on You: Comfort or Connection?
There is something unusually quiet about a dog placing his head on you. He walks over while you are sitting on the couch, lowers his chin across your thigh, and stops.…
comfort
Why Dogs Sit Close to You: Affection or Security?
A dog doesn’t have to touch you to choose you. He can settle on the floor beside your chair, leave several inches between his body and your feet, and stay there while better-padded beds sit unused across the room.…
Why Dogs Sit in Your Spot When You Get Up: Claiming or Comfort?
Some dogs can identify the best seat in the house in the fifteen seconds it takes you to get a glass of water. Conveniently, it’s the one you just left.…
Why Dogs Hold Onto Random Objects: What It Really Means
Your dog trots past you with a balled-up sock in her mouth. She isn’t chewing it. She isn’t hiding it. She’s just carrying it, head held a little higher than usual, like she’s won something.…
Why Dogs Sit on Your Lap: Comfort or Claiming?
A dog sitting on your lap isn’t claiming ownership of you. The position can look possessive because the dog is literally occupying your body, but location alone doesn’t tell you whether she’s trying to control anything.…
Affection, Attachment & Bonding: Why Dogs Stay Close to the People They Love
Some dogs seem to organize their day around a person. You stand up, and they stand up. You walk into the kitchen, and footsteps follow a few seconds later.…
Why Dogs Sit Like Humans: Comfort or Copying?
A dog props his back against the couch, lets his hind legs slide forward, and sits with his torso upright. From across the room, the resemblance can be startling.…
Why Dogs Shake Off When Not Wet: What It Really Means
A visitor kneels to greet your dog, the interaction gets lively, and then the person stands up. Your dog steps away, plants her feet, and sends a ripple from her head through her shoulders, ribs, and tail.…
Why Dogs Sleep on Your Pillow: Comfort or Scent?
Your pillow spends hours pressed against your face and hair, night after night. It picks up skin oils, breath, and all the ordinary traces of you that barely register to a human nose.…
Why Dogs Lean on You: The Meaning Behind the Pressure
You feel it before you really notice what your dog is doing. She walks over while you’re standing in the kitchen or talking with a visitor, turns sideways, and lets part of her body settle against your leg.…