Why Does My Dog Lay On Me ? Is Everything Alright?
Do you feel that recently your dog has started to lay on you more often? Do you want to know why your dog lays on you?At first, you might think that’s because he is showing his love and affection, or maybe they just want to sleep on you. However, this action means more than these things!
People who are dog owners consider their dogs to be truly important family members and love spending time with them. No matter what breed, age, and size of your dog are, they’ll always find a way to sleep on you! This is actually one of their ways to show their love and affection towards you.
Whether you’re laying on your bed or lounging on the couch, they come and lay down next to you! This is a relatively positive behavior as your breathing makes your pooch feel close to you. Cuddling is considered one of the major signs of closeness, affection, and connection. It also means that your dog feels safe and comfortable around you.
However, many pet owners have a problem with this, especially if the dog is on the larger side. They think, why does my dog always lay on me?
Yes, snuggling with your beloved doggo is indeed the highlight of your relationship with them, but there can be a number of reasons behind it. From the desire for comfort and security to protect you or to gain your attention, there are multiple reasons.
So if you’re also wondering ‘why does my dog lay on me’, keep reading this blog.
In this blog, we will tell you:
Table of Contents
- Why does my dog always lay on top of me?
- Why does my dog sleep on top of me?
- Are Certain dog breeds more affectionate?
- Top 7 reasons why your dog always wants to lay on top of you
- Top 3 tips to stop your dog from sleeping on top of you
- And many more…
Let’s start.
Why Does My Dog Always Lay On Top of Me?
The reason is simply that your pet feels safe around you and wants to show their love, security, and comfort. Dogs do this also when they want to protect you or just want your attention. Dogs are highly intuitive animals, so they will do this whenever they feel or perceive threats against you!
Why Does My Dog Sleep on Top of Me?
Next comes the question of why your doggo prefers to sleep on you even if they’re not a puppy anymore! The reason behind this can be that when they’re puppies, you used to cuddle with them, and they usually sleep on top of you. And this becomes their habit; now, they only feel comfortable on top of you and like to sleep on the same spot.
Your breathing and body heat makes them safe and secure, and they feel really close to you. However, sometimes this happens due to separation anxiety.
Are Certain Dog Breeds More Affectionate?
This question comes to many people. Are there any specific breeds that show these signs more often than other breeds? The answer is yes! Is there any proof or evidence of this?
If you search on google like “Affectionate Dog Breeds” or “Top 10 Most Affectionate Breeds” or “The 15 Dog Breeds Known to Be Affectionate,” you’ll come across numerous lists and articles.
Here are some of the dog breeds that are more affectionate towards their owners:
- Collie
- Golden Retriever
- English Bulldog
- Bichon Frise
- Labrador Retriever
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Top 7 Reasons Why Your Dog Always Wants To Lay On Top of You
We all know that dogs are pretty intelligent and smartest animals. They know when and how to get anything from their owners. Whether it is extra treats or love, they’ll know how to get it from you, right?
So if your dog often lays on you and you’re wondering why does my dog lay his head on me, here are some of the major reasons:
1. Your Dog Finds You Warm and Comfy
Dogs Love Comfort!
So, wherever your dog feels comfortable, he will stay there as long as possible! Even if it’s on top of you!
If you like to play and spend a lot of time together, your beloved pet doesn’t want to get separated for minutes. So whenever you’re laying around, they’ll immediately come near you and climb on top of you.
These cute fur animals find the human tummy or leg comfortable and safe. That’s why they always like to cuddle at these spots without any hesitation. They feel that you’re even comfier than the bed on which you’ve spent hundreds of dollars!
From your body heat to breathing, all these things are pillows for your pooch! You’ll notice that this becomes more common in the winter as they need more warmth.
2. Your Dog Wants to Protect You
Let me tell you what happens in the canine world. Dogs are always part of the pack, and here they see you and your family as his pack. So it’s pretty obvious that they like to protect their pack.
Whether your puppy is laying on top of you and playing with you or sleeping, they’ll always feel the need to protect you. They’re very alert to their surroundings and want to save their family from the perceived threats.
So when they lay on you, they feel more in control, and they can easily protect and guard you against potential danger.
3. Your Dog Wants Your Attention
Just like us, dogs also want attention!
For puppies, this is pretty normal as they want to get close to their mother in order to survive. However, when they become adults, this type of regular attention-seeking behavior can be overwhelming for many owners. These tactics and behavior are sometimes quite annoying and a bit too much to handle.
Here are some common things your dog can do to get your attention:
- Poking and Pawing.
- Climbing on top of you and laying on top of you.
- Excess Licking and Nipping.
- Clinging.
- Frequent Barking.
- Stealing various stuff like treats, shoes, and more.
- Putting their head and face next to yours.
- Restlessness.
- Scratching or chewing surfaces.
4. You Reinforce the Behavior
After you come after a long day at work or school, you’re sitting on a couch. You’re tired and just laying around or watching TV; suddenly, your doggo comes near you and automatically reaches out to rub their head and ears. And later, your pet crawls on top of you to lay on your chest.
All these things are actually reinforcing for a dog. You never ask them to leave, so they ultimately think it’s okay to lay on top of you as they get your attention and love.
5. Your Dog is Affectionate
There is no question that canines are one of the most loyal animals on this planet! Dogs love and protect their owners very much in any condition. So whenever your dog lays on top of you, this means they are showing their love, affection, and gratitude towards you.
They love interacting with you, especially when you’re gone for a long time. So whenever you return home, they’ll just want to be with you. This makes them very happy!
“A research study from dogleashpro.com shows that when owners stroke, touch, or pet their dog, both the dog and the owner release a hormone called oxytocin, which makes both feel good and happy.”
6. Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety
This is common in dogs with owners who leave them alone for an extended period. This can be because of many reasons, like office work, trips, or other stuff. This can’t be controlled as people have to go to work and school, and they usually feel bad for leaving their beloved pooch home alone.
According to a 2014 research paper by dogleashpro “dogs have separation anxiety when the person they are attached to is not there with them. When their owners are not there with them, they become anxious and are unable to cope well.”
It’s very difficult for both pet owners and dogs to cope with separation anxiety. Canine suffering from separation anxiety can become destructive and tend to destroy stuff and chew furniture around the house.
Here are some more common behaviors of dogs suffering from separation anxiety:
- Excessive vocalization (whining and barking).
- Pacing.
- Depression.
- Salivation.
- Pooping and peeing inside the house.
- Excessive licking of his or her skin and fur.
- Trembling uncontrollably.
- Attempting escape.
- Pacing around in a circle.
- Trying to escape the house.
NOTE :
If you feel that your doggo is showing these symptoms and you’re worried about your dog’s separation anxiety, consult with your nearest vet.
7. Your Dog Wants Something from You
Yes, it is true that dogs don’t speak like humans, but they have their own language! They always communicate in many other ways, so all you need to do is decode these communication cues and find out what they really want.
One of the ways is laying on top of you!
For example, they’ll come near you and put their head on your legs or tummy if they want to play. Sometimes when you forget to feed them, they just lay on top of you to remind you that it’s time for lunch or dinner.
So these were all of the top seven reasons why your dog lay on top of you. Now let’s move to the things to stop your dog from doing this.
Why Does My Dog Lay on Me : 3 Tips to Stop This Behavior
Here are the top three recommended ways to stop your pooch from laying or sleeping on top of you:
1. Crate Training
One of the best ways to stop this behavior is crate training using positive reinforcement.
Train them to lay and sleep in their own bed or other places. For that, you can do a few things:
- Make their bed comfy and fun.
- Put some of their favorite toys near them.
- Try to put their crate in a corner that is away from the foot traffic.
- You can place their bed in the living room as here they’ll get some quiet time but also can observe the family.
- Give treats when they sleep in their bed.
2. Never Ever Encourage the Behavior
Dogs are smart and clever creatures. They know well that if you reward them for doing something, they will keep doing it. So next time they lay on you, tell them to move away instead of petting them.
Gently tell them “no” or “no thank you” and point towards the ground until they hop off from you. Do this without shouting and abrupt pushing. Else they’ll think that you’re rejecting them, and this will be more confusing for them.
3. Ignore Your Dog Sleeping on Top of You
If your dog prefers to sleep next to you, there is nothing that you should worry about. This is actually the canine nature of showing affection. Unless there is an actual reason like separation anxiety, you can actually ignore this behavior.
The Bottom Line
So this is all about why does my dog lay on me. Now you know why your dog loves to sleep and lay on top of you. So if you have some of the affectionate dog breeds mentioned in this blog or your pup has a habit, feel free to cuddle with them and give them hugs!
I hope this in-depth guide on why does my dog like to lay on me has helped you to understand your canine friend more. If you like this blog on why does my dog lay on top of me and find it helpful, share this blog with your friends and family who have similar dog issues.
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