What If Your Dog Doesn’t Sit on You?
Don’t be too concerned if your dog doesn’t sit on you. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you or consider you to be the top dog. It might just be that he’s not a touchy-feely kind of pooch.
Your dog simply might not need that much physical contact to enjoy being around you. He might have other ways to show you that he loves you like following you around or bringing you his favorite toy to play with him.
Just like people, dogs have different ‘love languages,’ and particularly if you have a large dog, you might be happy that sitting on top of you isn’t one of them.
To Spread Scent
Dogs use scent-marking to communicate various messages to other dogs. One of the most common uses of scent is to claim or mark the dog’s territory. When your dog sits in your lap or rubs themselves on you, they may be spreading their scent onto what they consider their territory: you. Again, you may notice this behavior occurs more frequently in the presence of other dogs if your dog is sitting on you to spread their scent.
7 Reasons Your Dog Likes To Sit On You
Your dog may sit on your lap to show other pets or family members that they are in control or in charge. In this case, your dog may view the perch of your lap as a position of power. If you particularly notice your dog sitting on your lap around new or unfamiliar dogs, it may be dominance-related.
In extreme cases, your dog may take things a step further and behave aggressively towards anyone who comes near while they’re sitting in your lap. This behavior should be discouraged, with professional help if necessary.