Why do dogs sit on your feet? This is question that Veterinarians get quite often from the dog owners and the answers will surprise you.
The dog in his entire course of life does several curious things that no owner would understand, but sitting on one’s feet has to be the strangest action, especially when you have given him more comfortable places to sit and lean on.
Based on recent queries as to why does a dog sit on your feet? We’ve dug deep into the deets and carried out extensive research and concluded that dogs sit on your feet for several different reasons:
1. Dogs Sit on Your Feet to Console You
Dogs are possessive of their owners. They detect every mood, every gesture, and every facial expression in the blink of an eye. And so if you seem off and depressed, the dog will sit on your feet to let you know he is there for you and to comfort you.
2. Dogs Sit on Your Feet to Make You Feel Important
You will notice that if you are out of your dog’s sight for longer periods of time, he won’t leave your side and sit beside you to give you the importance and a sense of security. Dogs prioritize their owners over anyone and sitting on your feet is a form of prioritizing you over anything else.
3. Dogs Sit on Your Feet to Get Warmth
Dogs are prone to environmental changes and sudden climatic changes, but there are times when they just don’t feel right and accept the climatic changes. And because of this, they can stay with you on your bed and sit on your feet to get warmth and comfort.
You can detect this behavior by observing other body changes that your dog shows and provide him with a nice cozy blanket to keep him warm during cold spells.
4. Dogs Sit on Your Feet to Show Authority
If you are out at a park for an evening walk and your dog aimlessly sits on your feet and doesn’t leave you alone. Know that he is being possessive of you and wants other dogs to know that you belong to him.
This is an expression of love, and this way your dog shows authority over you.
5. Dogs Sit on Your Feet Because You are Their Pack Leader
No matter how tame the dog becomes, he has his genes encoded in the body. In the wild, the dog’s nature is to guard the leader of the pack which he considers you and therefore, the dog usually sits on the owner’s feet to guard him and runs for protection to the owner if he feels insecure and scared.
6. A Dog Sits on Your Feet to Get Your Attention
Dogs simply don’t like to be ignored. It is reported from many dog owners that the dog behaves abnormally and more dependent if the owner remains busy for longer periods of time and doesn’t give attention to the dog due to the changes in his lifestyle or job timings. Many dogs during this phase often fall ill and make weird noises because they are so attached to their owner. Hence, if your dog sits on your feet and you have been too busy lately, he might want your attention and love.
What Can You Do to Stop This Behavior?
Although it is completely normal for a dog to sit and sleep on your feet, sometimes it can be a pain in the neck to handle this behavior if you’re busy with something. If you’re okay with your dog sitting on your feet every day, let them be. After all, there is nothing as soothing as a dog’s hug.
Despite, many dog owners find it a bit dominating for a dog to sit on their feet all day long. In these circumstances, you can train the canine accordingly.
Here are a few training suggestions to help you combat this behavior:
A. Provide a Separate Dog Bed for Your Dog
One of a thousand few reasons a dog sits on your feet is you have not given him a separate bed to sleep on. And therefore, he seeks comfort in your presence and existence. Try providing him with a separate, cozier dog bed so he can play and sleep over there without your help.
B. Discourage the Behavior
Dogs are fast learners and great observers. If you don’t like them sitting on your feet, just discourage the behavior every time your dog does it.
After a few failed attempts, he will feel the resistance and next time, he will sit farther away from you. You can also train him in a playful, friendly manner; Throw a little treat for him in the corner and tell him it’s his happy place to sit and lay down.
C. Don’t Lose Your Calm
While training your dog, know that consistency is the key. Your dog has always been like this, and you never forbade him to sit on your feet. Therefore, it will take some time for him to learn the new changes. It might disappoint you in the first few weeks, but you don’t have to lose your calm and keep on trying.
Conclusion
Now that you know, why do dogs sit on your feet? The main reason is pure instinct and a sense of security. Some owners love to be loved by their dogs this way as they do it out of pure love. However, some owners might not like it and push the dog away, which hurt him and he may feel left out.
While this behavior is completely normal in dogs, sometimes there is a need to train the canine if the behavior is too much. Try the tricks and tips mentioned in this article to discourage the behavior. Otherwise, leave him as he is and love him. Your dog loves the cuddles and the hugs that you give him.
