Why do Dogs Sit on Your Feet? (Explained by Dog Trainer)

We often want to feel our dogs close to us. In fact, the warmth of a puppy is one of the best reasons to have a four-legged friend in your life!

We also usually want to know exactly why our dogs do what they do. Not all of them sit on or at your feet, so why do some of them display this behavior?

There are various reasons why your pooch chooses to sit on your feet, and we’ll dig deeper into the meaning of this behavior throughout this article.

Reasons a Dog May Sit At Your Feet

There is no one reason why dogs sit on your feet. However, if you look at the overall context of each situation we describe, you’ll be able to get a general idea for why your pooch sits at your feet.

1. Warmth

The answer to “Why does my dog sit on my feet?” is often that your pet is simply seeking extra warmth. Whether this is the case for you depends on the overall climate and your pup type of coat.

Dogs with a thick double coat meant to keep them warm in the winter, such as Siberian Huskies and Newfoundlands, are often warm in all but the coldest of weather.

However, lap dogs or those with thinner coats, such as Shih Tzus and Vizslas, will often curl up with their head on their owner (or even a heat vent) to stay warm.

If your pooch is seeking warmth, they are also likely to curl their entire body up tightly. In addition, your family friend may seek out warm patches of sunlight throughout the day as well.

2. Affection

Dogs may choose to sit on your feet or in your lap when they hope to get a moment of affection. Any owner knows that their pooch can show love for their favorite people, and they usually love their dog in return!

Depending on your puppy’s personality, they may choose to show this love and affection by simply curling up at your feet, just to be close. Other times, they may be sitting at your feet and looking back at you as their way of asking for pets.

Owners can encourage this behavior by rewarding their dog with what they want — whether to allow them their own space to cuddle on their own terms or give them the pets they want.

Positive reinforcement is always the best way to encourage and train your pet to do behavior’s you like, so training them to sit close by petting them when they seek attention is the perfect opportunity to help your dog choose to snuggle to get pets even more.

3. Seeking Comfort

It surprises many pet owners to learn that their canine friend can have anxiety, just as people can have anxiety. However, trainers and professionals know that the majority of dogs are anxious on some level or in certain situations.

Dogs may sit on your feet as a way to seek comfort for this anxiety, especially if there is a lot of love and trust between you and your pet.

The anxious dog sitting at your feet could continuously scan their environment for whatever they are afraid of, as well as show a variety of stress signals.^[2]

Some of these stress signals include:

• Licking their lips;
• Yawning;
• Slowly blinking;
• Lowering their head;
• Turning away from something;
• Growling.

If your pet is anxious, the best thing you can do is comfort them and take them away from the situation if possible. If you see this behavior, it is a sign that your canine friend needs to get out of the situation.

When your pup is worried around a person, you can simply tell them they may be able to pet your dog a different moment instead.

If your pooch is worried around other dogs, you can ask other owners to give your pup the space and time they need to feel comfortable.

Working with a professional trainer can help your pup learn to like other dogs. The time spent training with a professional is often the best and fastest way to show your pooch they don’t need to be afraid, and you’ll know you’ve got the right information from the start.

READ MORE: How to Calm Down a Dog?

4. Guarding Their Owner

Many owners would like to think that their friend canine is sitting at their feet, growling at others, as a way of protecting their owner. In reality, if they do this they are usually afraid of something else, and seeking their owner’s comfort.

Dogs that sit at their owner’s feet or in their lap and growl may also be resource guarding their owner, which is a behavior problem seen in many dogs over their favorite perceived resources. These resources could be food, toys, or their favorite place to lie and take a nap in the home.

READ MORE: The Best Interactive Dog Toys (Review)

However, in some cases, your dog may be resource guarding you because they don’t like anyone else around. Growling is an attempt to get someone to leave right now.

Any time when your pet is growling, snapping, or biting, it’s time to seek assistance from a professional trainer.

When the behavior occurs in the home, especially with members of the family, it’s ideal to find a trainer that can come to your home for in-person lessons, or give you the information you need over a video conference or email.

What About Dominance?

Do dogs sit on the feet of their owners to show they are the leader of the pack? Does your pup see themselves as the leader, and think they get to rule the house?

No, your pet is not sitting on your feet to take control and be the leader of the pack. In fact, our understanding of dogs and packs has changed greatly over the years.

The reason that a dog may sit on your feet can be found in the list above, and it doesn’t include trying to take over the family.

Much research has been done on the behavior of various canine species, including dogs and wolves. Originally, it was thought that wolves formed a pack and fought their way to the top of the pack with threatening behaviors, referred to as being dominant. ^[1]

However, recent studies have shown that dogs instead have a much simpler structure, that can be compared more to a family unit than a pack. A wolf pup will often automatically defer to their parents, simply because their parents are giving them a safe place to sleep and a means of survival. They will follow the lead of other wolves, and cohabitate more peacefully than originally thought.

The same idea applies to dogs, although even more so because they will rarely form a pack in the wild.Domesticated canines that live on the streets, having to find their own spot for laying down to sleep and their own food for staying alive, don’t usually form a pack.

Instead, these dogs function as scavengers, and often seek out their own food instead of trying to follow other canines on a hunt for prey.

So, you can rest easy knowing that your dog is not threatening you by sitting on your feet. Instead, they probably just want to sit in a comfy spot, be petted, and receive attention from you.

My Dog Doesn’t Sit on My Feet

It’s OK if your pet doesn’t sit on your feet. Not all puppies choose to share affection this way, and you can instead grow your bond by playing with your pet, spending time teaching them tricks, or going on adventures together.

Certain breeds are more prone to enjoying pets and sitting on your feet or in your lap, namely, lap dogs. Many breeds that can be found in the Toy Group enjoy spending their time in a lap. Laying in their owner’s lap can be the favorite part of their day!

However, if your pet doesn’t lie in your lap or sit at your feet, it doesn’t mean they don’t love you. Rather, your dog just has other ways of showing you their affection.

READ MORE: Why Does My Dog Sit on Me?

FAQ

READ MORE: Why Does My Dog Snore?

Article Source:

1. “Dominance and Dog Training.” The Association of Professional Dog Trainers, 1 May 2021, apdt.com/resource-center/dominance-and-dog-training/.
2. Scholz, Martina, and Clarissa von Reinhardt . Stress In Dogs — Learn How Dogs Show Stress and What You Can Do to Help. amazon.com/Stress-Dogs-Learn-dogs-stress-ebook/dp/B077ZGD6NZ.