# Why does he put his paw on me?



## Xander's Human (Jan 8, 2014)

1yr old intact male. Anytime I sit down, he insists on putting his paw on me, sometimes both. He would crawl into my lap if I let him. I push his paw off and tell him no. Of course he looks at me like I have just crushed his feelings  
He is relentless with the paw. The more I tell him no, the more he wants to put both on me, climb up on me. It is a vicious cycle, I get mad and he gets more upset! Is he being submissive or aggressive? It isn't to play (we do plenty of that) because when he finally stops, he goes to his bed and goes to sleep. Any thoughts? Thank you!


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

In dog to dog language it's a bit dominant to do that, human to dog I'd think it's a bit different. My male(neutered) likes to paw at me, it's a "hey...hey...hey pet me" sort of thing. My female does it when she's amped up and wants to play rough.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

When Lisl does that she wants me to pay attention to her. It's not necessarily because she wants to play. She wants me to pet her or allow her into my lap, or just to talk to her.


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## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

It is like Stewie on the family guy. German Shepherd style. LOL Mum, Mummy ,Mum ,Mum ,Mum ,Mummy ...


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## JanaeUlva (Feb 5, 2011)

Most likely the dog wants your attention and you getting angry is just increasing the active submission appeasement behavior you are seeing as a paw lift, and maybe missing other subtle signals that go along with it. Active submission may also be identified as attention-seeking behavior: nuzzling, licking (including licking ears and lips), jumping up, paw lifts and pawing motions, “smiling,” teeth clacking, crouching, pretzeling, and play-bows. If it were me I would think about increasing your exercise playtime to see if that helps. Just guessing from your brief post, that your dog needs more interaction with you.


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## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

When Rocco does that we give him the attention he needs. We hug him, let him climb up on us or by us, pet him, etc. Once his attention need is satisfied, he'll go lay down somewhere else. I personally welcome the affection. 


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

yes "Most likely the dog wants your attention and you getting angry is just increasing the active submission appeasement behavior you are seeing as a paw lift, and maybe missing other subtle signals that go along with it. Active submission may also be identified as attention-seeking "

and if you get angry or frustrated the dog will be anxious and the behaviour increases . Often people encourage the "give a paw" behaviour and then get short fused when the dog keeps clobbering them . 

You see this " the active submission appeasement behavior you are seeing as a paw lift" when you have pups in the 6 to 7 week age range , separated from their dam , who comes in for the visit and all the pups swarm her and try to sneak in a quick nurse . They meet her with this behaviour , a juvenile hold over , which blocks her from being harsh with them (they have teeth) -- . This is appeasement behaviour. 
Are we okay with each other?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

It is also a great opportunity to teach the "shake" command


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

but what are you teaching the dog with the shake a paw ? from the dog's perspective , you are asking him to stay juvenile


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

My 12 year old still reaches out with his paw and touches me. I've always taken it as he just wants the connection. I reach over and pet him and we will cuddle for a little while then he goes and lays down.


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

on using the "the shake a paw" trick, I think that it puts a behavior on command. Plus when the dog does its pawing behavior, the owner interacts with the dog but on the owner's terms.


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## JanaeUlva (Feb 5, 2011)

Angelina03 said:


> When Rocco does that we give him the attention he needs. We hug him, let him climb up on us or by us, pet him, etc. Once his attention need is satisfied, he'll go lay down somewhere else. I personally welcome the affection.


This reminds me of another thread where a human is trying to interact with their K9 in a fashion that isn't really fulfilling for the dog. 

I would not let the dog dictate when you give attention, however that means you have to make sure that during the day you provide enough attention in the form of K9 appropriate activities that burn off energy and satisfy a dogs natural drives - such as playing fetch, tug, hiking, flirt pole, agility, lure coursing, whatever. But hugging and petting is primate; letting him climb on you is not something I would encourage.

Whenever I say this I have people who get upset because "their dog likes to be pet and hugged". Yes, mine do too. But not all the time and most certainly not as my main form of interaction with my dog. Exercise for a dog is so important and the type that creates engagement and a bond with the human is the best kind.


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## Fiddler (Feb 9, 2011)

If I am sitting quietly or laying in bed Gracie ALWAYS has one paw on me. 
It's not the type of thing that says she wants to play or wants me to 
pay attention to her. It's just a constant contact while she lays quitely beside me. If I move away she make an adjustment so she can reach out and 
touch me. I kind of like it, it's almost like a hand holding thing.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Fiddler said:


> If I am sitting quietly or laying in bed Gracie ALWAYS has one paw on me.
> It's not the type of thing that says she wants to play or wants me to
> pay attention to her. It's just a constant contact while she lays quitely beside me. If I move away she make an adjustment so she can reach out and
> touch me. I kind of like it, it's almost like a hand holding thing.


Exactly like hand holding. That's how I think of it too. They want that connection. Not play time, not demanding just a gentle, hey I'm here I want to touch you. 



> This reminds me of another thread where a human is trying to interact with their K9 in a fashion that isn't really fulfilling for the dog.


I know what my dogs need. Do you? :crazy:



> Whenever I say this *I have people who get upset because "their dog likes to be pet and hugged"*. Yes, mine do too. But not all the time and most certainly not as my main form of interaction with my dog. Exercise for a dog is so important and the type that creates engagement and a bond with the human is the best kind.


 Ya think?! I am 100% positive my dog needs human contact. He does not want to go out and play or be exercised. In fact if I tried he would look at me like what are you stupid?


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I don't mind the gentle "pat you" paw some calm dogs do, but others (esp adolescents) can be real nuisances with the "punch you" and "scratch you" paw.

I have a current foster adolescent who was taught bad habits in his previous home -- including hard paw slaps and scratching against the human for attention (very annoying). We're redirecting the attention-seeking behavior to a simple sit. He's quickly learning that the obnoxious behavior gets him ignored, but if he comes and sits calmly next to me and looks at me, he'll get affection from me. So far, it's working better than "no" or any correction, as the corrections just amp him up and make him worse. Often, after a little bit of petting, he'll just lie down next to me and relax because he's in a much calmer state of mind this way--way better than when he arrived and was constantly trying to climb all over me.


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## SummerGSDLover (Oct 20, 2013)

I used this behavior to teach shake and high five. He doesn't use his paws as much and when he does, I do a short training session and then cuddle and massage him.

*-*Summer*-*


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## JanaeUlva (Feb 5, 2011)

Of course dogs like human contact, my dogs love human contact. But every dog is different about the type, the amount, the timing of our human type of affection. The was my point that you missed.

It's super that you have a dog that likes to crawl into you lap for hugs and it's super that he can elicit that affection when he needs it and you oblige and it's super that he doesn't want to go out and play. You have the perfect dog for you. 




shepherdmom said:


> Exactly like hand holding. That's how I think of it too. They want that connection. Not play time, not demanding just a gentle, hey I'm here I want to touch you.
> 
> I know what my dogs need. Do you? :crazy:
> 
> Ya think?! I am 100% positive my dog needs human contact. He does not want to go out and play or be exercised. In fact if I tried he would look at me like what are you stupid?





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## HOBY (Aug 12, 2013)

I have always used this behavior as a training session. Your boy reminds me of my last boy Jack [RIP]. Busy boy who needed a lot of work. I would do brain games with him in the house and light agility outside when he acted like this. 
I use to touch Hoby's paw with a nail cutter to help get him use to the tool. It helped. I also do games like a high five. We play left right, right left using my left hand to his right paw and my right had to his left paw. Makes it fun on your terms..... When I am at my desk Hoby will sometimes come over, sit, put his paw up on my leg with his ears forward, wrinkled eye brows with a deep warm stare. He gets a gentle response and then crawls under my desk and lies on my feet falling asleep. Keeps my feet warm.


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## kserjeant (Feb 13, 2014)

My girl is always putting her paw on me for attention then when I stroke her head she just lays her head on my lap with her paw still on me. She is lush. I could not have wished for a better dog, I am so lucky


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## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

JanaeUlva said:


> This reminds me of another thread where a human is trying to interact with their K9 in a fashion that isn't really fulfilling for the dog.
> 
> I would not let the dog dictate when you give attention, however that means you have to make sure that during the day you provide enough attention in the form of K9 appropriate activities that burn off energy and satisfy a dogs natural drives - such as playing fetch, tug, hiking, flirt pole, agility, lure coursing, whatever. But hugging and petting is primate; letting him climb on you is not something I would encourage.
> 
> Whenever I say this I have people who get upset because "their dog likes to be pet and hugged". Yes, mine do too. But not all the time and most certainly not as my main form of interaction with my dog. Exercise for a dog is so important and the type that creates engagement and a bond with the human is the best kind.


If it wasn't fulfilling for my dog, he wouldn't seek it... In such cases, we are not the ones "trying" to interact with him. It's the other way around. 

The "dog" doesn't dictate anything and Rocco gets plenty of outside "play" including fetch and tug, and walks. But he's an affectionate dog (for which I am VERY happy, I like affectionate animals) and I'm not going to reject him when he asks for it "just because he's a dog and shouldn't be allowed to 'dictate' when he gets affection". That's just ridiculous to me. Sometimes people are so over the top... I love to cuddle with my puppy, whether he climbs on me or not. He's a happy dog and I'm a happy human. It's my choice. We are both fine with it. He also sleeps on the bed with us. Again, our choice, we are all fine with it. 

What's upsetting is when others who know nothing of your life, act like they know so much better than you. You raise/train/treat your dog however you like and will mine however I like. When I need advise I will ask for it. Thank you. 


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

lol.



Loneforce said:


> It is like Stewie on the family guy. German Shepherd style. LOL Mum, Mummy ,Mum ,Mum ,Mum ,Mummy ...


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

when my dog does that he wants my attention. when he does
that i'll play with him, pet, call him up on the sofa, take him out,
throw his ball down the hallway, play "find it", tell him to "go to
Rosie" (then my GF will engage him), talk to him, etc. i don't ignore 
him.

when my dog wants attention he'll nudge you with his nose,
stand or sit in front of you and whine, stand in front of you
and back up and bark, jump on the sofa and lay close to you
and whine, lay close to you and lay on his side with his front 
leg raised, walk back and forth to us, pick up a toy and bring it 
to you.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

Angelina03 said:


> If it wasn't fulfilling for my dog, he wouldn't seek it... In such cases, we are not the ones "trying" to interact with him. It's the other way around.
> 
> The "dog" doesn't dictate anything and Rocco gets plenty of outside "play" including fetch and tug, and walks. But he's an affectionate dog (for which I am VERY happy, I like affectionate animals) and I'm not going to reject him when he asks for it "just because he's a dog and shouldn't be allowed to 'dictate' when he gets affection". That's just ridiculous to me. Sometimes people are so over the top... I love to cuddle with my puppy, whether he climbs on me or not. He's a happy dog and I'm a happy human. It's my choice. We are both fine with it. He also sleeps on the bed with us. Again, our choice, we are all fine with it.
> 
> ...


Amen.


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