CL66
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Posts:419
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| 02/01/2010 5:45 AM |
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Just curious really, mine has started to gently lean against my legs if i'm standing or sitting. He's not a dominant dog, so i'm assuming it's another form of 'closeness' but was wondering if your dogs do it too? |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3155
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| 02/01/2010 5:47 AM |
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Blitz likes to lean on us and or sit on our feet...it's his way to be close to us and a way to keep track of us...
I don't mind if I am sitting and he sits on my feet, but if I am standing and he leans on me I usually push him away cuz it is uncomfortable for me... |
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DesertRoseKennel
MH
Posts:1033
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| 02/01/2010 5:51 AM |
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That is totally classic GSP behavior. Leaning on you, standing on your feet, sitting on your feet, etc - all an attempt to get even closer to the human. |
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"Our dogs are bred to be champion hunters who sleep on the bed"
www.desertrosekennel.com |
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MJones
Mars PA
MH
Posts:128
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jlp8cornell
Ithaca NY
MH
Posts:461
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| 02/01/2010 6:22 AM |
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| Max ALWAYS stands on my feet. When sleeping, he has to be under the covers with his head on my leg. Clingy momma's boy! |
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Jen
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2440 |
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pvstks
MH
Posts:225
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| 02/01/2010 7:20 AM |
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Yes! Wolfgang is a big time "leaner" -- sometimes almost knocks me over. |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7927
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| 02/01/2010 8:09 AM |
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| DesertRose nailed it. The leaning velcro GSP is a typical GSP. Mine even body slam me at night when they get in bed just to make sure there is not any space between them and me. Try that with three GSPs at once. LOL I too worry if they aren't there though. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4476
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| 02/01/2010 8:57 AM |
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I'll guess I'll be going against the popular consensus.
I absolutely believe this is dominant behavior. Doesn't mean it's a bad thing. All it means is that your dog owns you or at least in their mind they do.
Francine |
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7927
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| 02/01/2010 9:15 AM |
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| Normally I would agree with you pixie, but this behavior is so common to GSPs and I have experienced it with all my dogs and at least in the cases I have seen with GSPs it does not seem to be dominance. If anything it occurs in many instances when they are a bit unsure and trying to figure out what they need to do. For example, when I am training new exercises in obedience I will often get a slight lean into me. Kind of like they are making sure by touching that I am ok with what they are doing. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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dieterthegsp
Cape Breton, NS, Canada
MH
Posts:559
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| 02/01/2010 9:30 AM |
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| yup all the time! i thought it was a dominance thing because my other dog never does it. I guess it is a GSP thing..We also get body slamed anytime he tries to lay down next to us. We were so used to Fin (mix)..he will almost tiptoe around you and is one of the most gentle dogs. Dieter on the other hand is like a bulldozer |
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Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend.
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CL66
MH
Posts:419
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| 02/01/2010 9:34 AM |
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Texasbelle, i get the bodyslam in bed too, then a head slung over my foot! But I love it. I have done some reading on the internet too, as i always thought behaviour like this was meant to show some form of possessiveness or dominance. Consensus seems to be mixed, but dominance and doing this seem, according to the research, to be linked to dominant behaviour in other ways and mine just isn't.
So that's why i wanted to know if it's just another GSP trait..or whether i should be discouraging it. I get a lot of eye contact too, but my trainer said that it's important in a gundog breed as they are waiting for the next command, rather than a dominant trait. |
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zimbass
MH
Posts:237
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| 02/01/2010 9:40 AM |
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| Just my opinion, I don't think it's dominance, I think there just clingy. At bed time Buddy's the one that curls up behind your bent knees leaning on them. |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2095
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2532
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CL66
MH
Posts:419
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| 02/01/2010 9:43 AM |
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| Agree zimbass, how could all our dogs be doing the same thing..seems too much of a coincidence for us all to have dominant/possessive dogs surely? |
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DesertRoseKennel
MH
Posts:1033
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| 02/01/2010 11:01 AM |
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Granted every dog is different, but I totally agree with Texas Belle. At least for my dogs, it isn't dominant behavior as she is right that I see it even more commonly if the dogs are unsure of a new situation or new dog, etc. I also see it if I'm sick and they know I'm not quite right. For some dogs, and in some circumstances, it certainly could be a display of dominance, but that's not been my experience. |
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"Our dogs are bred to be champion hunters who sleep on the bed"
www.desertrosekennel.com |
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MegC
Ellensburg, WA
MH
Posts:989
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| 02/01/2010 11:32 AM |
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ALL the GSPs and GSP crosses we've had do this, the very most 'stuck' being one particularly submissive GSP mix. Besides, there's nothing sweeter than Anya rubbing up against my leg like a cat, gazing up at me with those big brown eyes as her tail goes like wind-up toy.... 
BUT I've seen dogs do the leg smash thing in a friendly way, a pushy or 'dominant' way, a fearful way, etc. This is one of those 'your mileage may vary' types of behaviors. |
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Megan
+ Dulcie (Lehmschlog's The Right Spot) + Rogan (Lehmschlog's BR Rogan) + Anya (Lehmschlog's Anya O Conchobar)
Intro to harness sport/mushing- start here! |
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easyedwin
Birmingham, AL
MH
Posts:128
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| 02/01/2010 12:03 PM |
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Queen at 15 weeks will climb onto my legs while I am sitting on a floor pillow by the fireplace. |
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Why do real estate developers ruin so many landscapes? |
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Marie
Wisconsin
MH
Posts:2721
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| 02/01/2010 12:03 PM |
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| I go with Pixie Bee consensus!! Yes Rocky does own me when he is across my lap licking my face. I am pleased as Rocky is the first lap dog we have ever owned. Usually, when Rocky is in my lap he is constantly licking my face and giving me the clue to lets get going , I am bored!! Need to go outside and burn some GSP energy. Of course I go cause a person can take only so much of a 78 lb GSP Lap dog in my face. Once Rocky does his runny , runny time outside and we are back in the house, then he will go and settle down to a chew bone on his rug. When I try to skip Rocky's morning outside run, he is all over me trying to say, come lets go, I need to run!! Joys of owning a high energy GSP!! |
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Marie and Rocky, a tall, high energy GSP
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab18/Annette_Merryfield/100_0285.jpg?t=1287205231 |
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MurfsMa
Orange County, CA
MH
Posts:280
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| 02/01/2010 12:50 PM |
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I'm with TB on this one...I get the "body slam" from Murphy when he jumps into bed with me in the morning after his dad leaves. As if to ensure he's as close to me as possible... and he gets good warm snooze for one mroe hour every day. 
Murf also does a version of the lean but it's bit different and I notice it most when he's unsure of himself or what we're asking him to do... he will come over to me and lean in close then pick up one of his back legs and put it up on my knee of my foot or however high he can get it to rest on me. Then he just sits there waiting patiently until we move him. He always looks a little lost and pathetic when he's doing it... like he's waiting for a command he knows because what we've given him is foreign. |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4476
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| 02/01/2010 1:11 PM |
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How can you guys accept a body slam for anything other then ownership/lack of respect.
I know,I know, he/she is such a good dog,loving,yadda,yadda.
Fact is - when you go to work do you body slam your boss,step on his foot,push them out of the way,rub up against them?
It all boils down to respect. your dog may love you to death but that ain't respect.
Besides, how much of a follower do you think dogs are?
Francine |
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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MJones
Mars PA
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Posts:128
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