Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/why-dogs-put-their-paws-on-you-according-to-pet-experts/
You’re sitting on the couch, minding your own business, when a warm weight settles gently on your arm or knee. Your dog is looking up at you with that particular expression that could mean almost anything. It’s one of the most common things dogs do, yet most owners spend at least a moment wondering what it actually means.
When a dog puts a paw on you, it is most often a sign of communication, and it doesn’t always mean the same thing, according to certified applied animal behaviorist Dr. Mary Burch, Ph.D., Director of the AKC Family Dog Program. The behavior is layered, context-dependent, and often misread. Understanding it properly can genuinely change how you relate to your dog.
It’s a Form of Canine Language
Dogs communicate using vocalizations, olfactory signals, facial expressions, and body language, according to certified behavior consultant and dog trainer Rachel Lane, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, MSc, owner of the dog-training company Leash and Learn. The paw is simply one tool in that broad toolkit. It’s physical, hard to ignore, and tends to get results.
Canine communication entails the use of ears, face, muzzle, teeth, body, coat, paws, and tail, all in combination with vocalizations. A study published in the journal Animal Cognition shows dogs use a combination of at least 19 distinct gestures to tell us what they want, and one mix of gestures, such as pawing and head tilting, might translate to a…
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-06-01 08:35:00
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