How affectionate is your dog?  My previous two dogs were both beagles and both were very loving.  If I was sitting or lying down, they would snuggle up against me.  They always seemed to want to be close to me.  Riding in a vehicle and you can bet they would have their head resting on your leg or arm.  When I would fall asleep on the couch, I remember numerous ocassions where I would wake up in the morning and they were sleeping next to me.   My GSP is nothing like this at all.  It is very seldom that she will snuggle next to either my wife or me for any reason.  No doggy kisses, no head on the lap, no crawling on the couch or the bed to be close.  How is your dog?

Wendy is a snuggle bug and lap dog.  Have you had your dog since puppyhood?

It's a selfish thing, but i think it was Kintra's HUGE capacity for affection which makes us miss her so much and made us look for a pup quickly (although i will be surprised if she anywhere near as affectionate).  When in the car, she wouldnt settle in the back seat and had to try to climb to the front into the lap of whoever the passenger was (dangerous, i know ). She also sat on our laps as well as the laps of everybody at my other half's workplace.  She would go to her own bed at night (in our bedroom) but paw at us during the night to get under the covers with us.  She absolutely HAD to be in physical contact with people and as mentioned in another post, she purred when in contact with us

I also wondered whether you had your dog since she was a pup, although i do keep up with a uk gsp rescue website and all of the rehomed dogs seem to be just as affectionate even after a very bad start in life.

My older GSP Maple is not really a snuggler, but when she sleeps she wants to be touching you.  I think she is not a snuggler as she is always moving, usually has a smile look on her face and she has some toy, my shoe, a pillow, the rug or something in her mouth!  It is why I no longer have small rugs or throw pillows in my house, because they are never where they are supposed to be.

Now my younger GSP Java is definitely the snuggler.  If you are trying to read a book she tries to get between you and the book and rub her face on yours.  She is not a big one to lick you, but occasionally she will.  And she definitely tries to be a lap dog.

I like to think so

Funny you mention this. Our dogs love to get in between when me and hubs are hugging.

Yeah, Kintra did that too.  If we were having a cuddle she would have to be in the middle by either jumping up if we were standing, or just generally walking all over us when we cuddled on the sofa. I think the cutest thing was when we would wake in the morning she would be lying at the bottom of the bed (under the covers with her nose sticking out) and when we started talking she would do that stretch/crawl/yawn/tail in the air crawl up the bed in between us - they really need to feel a part of it all, like "remember me, i'm here", so cute

This is a good one . . . my older lab would smile alot . . . funny because she was such a dominant dog.  She definitely ruled the house . . . I miss her.

Our border collie smiles alot and shows his teeth.  Some people mistake it for something else, but it is only when he is happy.

Maple has a different smile as she usually has something in her mouth.  Her lips do seem to curl up and she gets that sparkle look in her eye and she is just a moving and wagging that tail.  She wags that tail more than any other dog I have ever had.

I get alot of compliements on Maple.  Just this morning someone said that she would be a great hunting dog.  Hearing this was just about the nicest thing anyone could say to me about her.  As I do want my GSPs true to their breed, despite the fact I don't actually carry a gun and go hunting.  Just knowing that I could is pretty cool . . . but then of course I would have to learn how to use that gun and that would be new for me.