Why does my dog lift her paw when I pet her? Essential Tips

The anxious dog paw lift

It’s the paw lifts by non-hunting dogs that can be a sign of anxiety, stress, and/or fear. I translate this body language in my Dog Decoder smartphone app using illustrations by Lili Chin of Doggie Drawings. There are 60 different poses and scenarios. Each pose features three parts; The Pose, The Info and The Details about the pose and the app’s star, Diamond:

The Pose

The Info

The Details

In the above illustration, a dog is showing fear in multiple ways, including a paw lift. Dogs will often lift a paw when anxious, so it’s important to look at all of the body — including ears, tail, eyes, and paw — when reading your pup. It’s also important to speed read. Dogs talk a mile a minute with their body, changing signals in an instant. Don’t be discouraged if you miss subtle signs at first — the more you pay attention, the better you will be at understanding your dog.

In fact, I have a mantra all of my clients use whenever they are with their dogs. In training, just hanging out, playing fetch, riding in the car… they ask themselves, “What does my dog need now?” This helps them become more aware of what their pup is saying. Try it yourself!

Here are a few examples of situations where a dog may offer a paw lift:

This was an observation of a dog that had not been socialized much with people. She was not comfortable approaching and was quite fearful. She would create space; her body was low and hunched over, her tail curled under, and her mouth was closed. Tension was seen in her face muscles and her eyes were quite wide. Her head was turned away and her ears were scanning and listening for sound, alternating between being back and then to the side. Along with the body language, she lifted her paw a few times while standing in this tense pose. The paw lift, along with all the other body language, paints a picture of a dog that is fearful and feeling very uncertain in this situation.

One dog is approached by another dog. The approaching dog walks into the other dog’s space, standing quite close, with a stiff square body, head held high and ears slightly forward; his whole body seems stiff when moving, and he gives a bit of direct eye contact. This approach is a bit too direct and it seems to unsettle the other dog; it is difficult to walk away as she tries to keep her eye on the dog that has approached and taken space so quickly. She does a slight head turn and a paw lift. She is showing she is uncomfortable with this interaction.

A person is asking a dog to sit. This is taking a while and the dog does not seem to be responding. The person tries to lure the dog into a sitting position, moving his hand closer to the dog’s head. The dog takes a step back and does a paw lift. The dog may feel a bit of pressure and be uncomfortable with the person’s hand moving into her space along with this unknown request to sit.

A dog is sitting and observing his guardian, who might be preparing something. As the dog watches with wide eyes and ears forward, he does a paw lift. This dog may be anticipating something and showing a bit of discourse in trying to figure something out.

There is a loud, sudden noise. The dog freezes, his eyes widen, his ears go up and are alert, and he does a paw lift. The sudden noise was unsettling; he shows his discomfort by doing a paw lift whilst he tries to figure out what the sound was.

These are just a few examples; there may be many more. Start observing to see if you can notice any paw lifts in different contexts. As discussed below, interpretations such as the above examples should not be attempted without careful observation and consideration of all aspects of the situation.

When I mention stress, this does not necessarily imply negative emotion. I mean stress in the physiological sense. So certain body language signals can mean the dog is feeling some sort of emotional discourse. This discourse could range from positive to negative emotion. Both excitement and fear could have similar effects on the body, with various hormones being released and activating the sympathetic nervous system. The dog may be feeling uncomfortable/fearful or it could also be excited about something. When analyzing stress in body language, it is worth noting the frequency and intensity of the various body language signals.

You should look at the rest of your dog’s body language. If you’re just cozied up on the couch or rubbing your pup’s tummy, chances are he’s just showing love in return. In some cases, if your pup is showing signs of anxiety, such as lip smacking, yawning, and flat ears, it could mean he’s feeling insecure and is looking for affection.

When you are petting your dog, and he puts his paw on your arm or leg, it is kind of like petting you back. While most dogs can’t do an actual stroking action, laying their paw on you is a sign of affection, closeness and trust This is his way of creating a special bond with you. It can also signal I like that, don’t stop, especially if you’ve been petting him for several minutes, and you stop, and he reaches for your hand, he’s telling you more, please!

Along with barking at you, pawing at you is among the most common ways your dog might try to communicate with you. Most dog owners have likely experienced their dog pawing at their legs. While you may think this could be annoying at times, it’s your dog’s way of trying to communicate with you.

Some examples of their body language signals are, pricked ears, wagging or upright tail, attentive gaze, and a relaxed mouth. This means they want to engage with you and most likely play! They are excited and want to engage in some sort of activity like playing with their chew toys, chasing their ball, or even going for a walk.

Your dog could be insecure and seeking your attention, a sign that you should show him a little extra love. It could also be that your dog is trying to communicate that he’s hungry. How do you tell what your dog is really trying to say? It all depends on perspective.

Why Do Dogs Lift Their FRONT PAW?

Along with barking at you, pawing at you is among the most common ways your dog might try to communicate with you. Most dog owners have likely experienced their dog pawing at their legs. While you may think this could be annoying at times, it’s your dog’s way of trying to communicate with you.

If your dog puts his paw on you, it can be his way of saying I love you. We pet our dogs to show our love and affection. Turns out they do the same. By putting his paw on you whilst you are petting him, he is expanding contact and reciprocating affection back to you. While this act can be interpreted as an expression of love, your dog pawing at you can also be credited to numerous other feelings. He wants to play, he wants food, he’s anxious, or may be in pain. While most cases it is a positive reinforcement for your dog, sometimes it can be a small cry for help. It is essential to look out the other areas your dog is showing in their body language. Make sure to check vitals and in detect any noticeable changes in your pets’ behavior.

Your dog could be insecure and seeking your attention, a sign that you should show him a little extra love. It could also be that your dog is trying to communicate that he’s hungry. How do you tell what your dog is really trying to say? It all depends on perspective.

You should look at the rest of your dog’s body language. If you’re just cozied up on the couch or rubbing your pup’s tummy, chances are he’s just showing love in return. In some cases, if your pup is showing signs of anxiety, such as lip smacking, yawning, and flat ears, it could mean he’s feeling insecure and is looking for affection.

When you are petting your dog, and he puts his paw on your arm or leg, it is kind of like petting you back. While most dogs can’t do an actual stroking action, laying their paw on you is a sign of affection, closeness and trust This is his way of creating a special bond with you. It can also signal I like that, don’t stop, especially if you’ve been petting him for several minutes, and you stop, and he reaches for your hand, he’s telling you more, please!

Some examples of their body language signals are, pricked ears, wagging or upright tail, attentive gaze, and a relaxed mouth. This means they want to engage with you and most likely play! They are excited and want to engage in some sort of activity like playing with their chew toys, chasing their ball, or even going for a walk.

Pricked ears, low tail, shifting gaze, tight mouth and panting can be a form of anxious behavior or a sign your dog may be in some sort of pain, especially relating to their paw. If you see any other forms of unusual behavior or signs your pup is in discomfort, consult your veterinarian right away.

Relaxed ears and mouth, low wagging tail, and a soft gaze is most likely a tell-tale sign of a pup wanting your affection and love. Giving your attention to your pup will solidify your bond and create trust, and of course it’s the sweetest thing ever. I’m not crying, you’re crying! Search for: