Dominance or a Cuddler?
I didn't mind in the winter kept me warm but summer is coming no way I having a big furry dog lying on me!  |
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| Basil likes to do that too, sometimes. I, also, enjoy it. Does she get off you and/or the couch when you ask her to?
I used to worry about whether my Basil was showing dominance all the time, but started to think that maybe I worried about it too much because aside from one incident when we first got him he's never made any aggressive move (discounting normal play nips) to anyone or anything... and so these days I figure if he's following my commands (most of the time  ), getting off furniture when I ask him to and allowing me to touch/mess him without arguing then we're doing pretty good. |
| Yeah when I say off she gets off. Thank goodness she slowly pulls herself up onto me. Only once did she do a full blown running jump on me. wasn't nice actually there was another when a cat ran across me; she took the same route. not nice! |
| My dogs lay on top of me all of the time....I never considered it dominance. I just thought they wanted to cuddle. Asia will lay her long body on top of me, lay on her back and peddle her feet....I don't know what the means, but I don't think dominance. |
spacegirl21 wrote: Yeah when I say off she gets off. Thank goodness she slowly pulls herself up onto me. Only once did she do a full blown running jump on me. wasn't nice actually there was another when a cat ran across me; she took the same route. not nice!
Oh yeah -- the cat chasing  . I'm just starting to be able to curb that... though one of the cats appears to enjoy it & the other one is often seen cuddling on the couch with him. |
spacegirl21 wrote: So Laika likes to get up on the couch with me and she likes to stretch on top of me and just stare at me; sulky like. Does she love me or does she think she is dominate? Any thoughts?
She is obviously trying to dominate you. It's one short step from this to sneakily covering your face till you suffocate. Sybil broke down and shared the following with me some time ago (she swore me to secrecy and I fear for my well-being if I share, but since your life is in imminent danger): The goal is universal dog rule without the interference of pesky humans and all our stupid rules. As soon as the last human has been removed or properly subdued, the following dog laws will go into effect: 1) carpets are for peeing and puking on 2) no more spay/neuter - of dogs. Optional for the humans. 3) no more cleaning up our delicious snacks after we take care of business 4) baths are punishable by death 5) dog gets the bed, surviving humans sleep on the floor 6) roadkill to be given gourmet status 7) open season on mailmen and cats 8 ) chasing cars will become an olympic event There's more but I hear someo |
| quiet friday Kristine? |
kerry wrote: quiet friday Kristine?
<sigh> Not really. I was just pondering why we tend to frame almost everything about our relationships with dogs in terms of dominance and by implication submission and trying to remember who we have to thank for this pervasive dog view. The thing we tend to forget is that even if there is some degree of hierarchy in dogs, albeit in reality a fluid one - and as I recall most of the dominance theories are based on studies of wolves, not dogs, and not even wild wolves at that, but captive ones, so not in their natural state - they do not view us as other dogs. They do know the difference and, contrary to what some times seems to be the case  , they're not out to get us. But they do tend to be opportunistic critters.
My interpretation of Laika the snuggler? She likes being close and the sullen look means: get off the couch and do something with me!! Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps she was just experiencing a bad bout of gas or was concerned about the rising price of fuel and its implications for the economy or the outcome of the American presidential election?
Several of mine like to snuggle. A few could care less. In the grand scheme of things, I suspect they view me more of a resource than the competition for who rules the roost, because I've never had a single one challenge my status, just my sanity. Kristine |
| that is how derby wakes me in the morning but i sort of like his weigh on my back |
Mad Dog wrote: kerry wrote: quiet friday Kristine? <sigh> Not really. I was just pondering why we tend to frame almost everything about our relationships with dogs in terms of dominance and by implication submission and trying to remember who we have to thank for this pervasive dog view. The thing we tend to forget is that even if there is some degree of hierarchy in dogs, albeit in reality a fluid one - and as I recall most of the dominance theories are based on studies of wolves, not dogs, and not even wild wolves at that, but captive ones, so not in their natural state - they do not view us as other dogs. They do know the difference and, contrary to what some times seems to be the case , they're not out to get us. But they do tend to be opportunistic critters. My interpretation of Laika the snuggler? She likes being close and the sullen look means: get off the couch and do something with me!! Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps she was just experiencing a bad bout of gas or was concerned about the rising price of fuel and its implications for the economy or the outcome of the American presidential election? Several of mine like to snuggle. A few could care less. In the grand scheme of things, I suspect they view me more of a resource than the competition for who rules the roost, because I've never had a single one challenge my status, just my sanity. Kristine I read a fascinating piece about the wolf hierarchy theory and dominance - something about a wife shying away when a stranger sat down and tried to get too close and the husband throwing her to the ground and demanding she act appropriatelly. I need to find that again
Actually I want the dogs to listen adn they do (usually) especially when I use the Mom voice But I always figuredthey were too smart to really try a coup - they would hate the hours I have to work. although spending the day at home by the lake while they are out supporting me does sound appealing.... |
kerry wrote: [I read a fascinating piece about the wolf hierarchy theory and dominance - something about a wife shying away when a stranger sat down and tried to get too close and the husband throwing her to the ground and demanding she act appropriatelly. I need to find that again
Suzanne Clothier's book Bones would Rain from the Sky - I recognize the description Actually I want the dogs to listen adn they do (usually) especially when I use the Mom voice You too? I catch myself doing that. "Knock it off RIGHT NOW or else!" I don't even know what "or else" entails and neither do they, but they (usually  ) know from the tone of my voice that I mean it. Didn't work this morning when they had a free for all racing in the back yard and Sybil wouldn't stop barking - I do have neighbors and it was 6 a.m. - so I called her in and instead she ran into an agility tunnel to avoid coming. Short tunnel - 10 footer - perfectly U shaped. I just stood there and waited. When she peeked out I leaned down and caught her. But she's sadly mistaken if she thinks I wouldn't have crawled through the tunnel to get her if that's what it took But I always figured they were too smart to really try a coup - they would hate the hours I have to work. although spending the day at home by the lake while they are out supporting me does sound appealing.... I keep hoping and praying mine will stage a coup. I want their life; any one of them can have mine! If any of them wants to get up, go to work every day, pay my bills, pick up my food and fix me meals, take me out and play with me and let me exercise (a half dozen more naps in there) buy me toys and snacks, chauffeur me around and so on and so forth, I'm all for it. So far, as you say, I haven't had any takers, so I'm guessing they're too smart to fall for that. Kristine |
suzptcruise wrote: that is how derby wakes me in the morning but i sort of like his weigh on my back
Sybil will do that too and I love the feeling. She has somehow figured out where walking on me will hurt (probably because I'll scream in pain, eh? ), but also where the pressure on my back actually feels good. Very comforting - like snuggling under a heavy, heavy comforter.
Kristine |
kerry wrote: I read a fascinating piece about the wolf hierarchy theory and dominance - something about a wife shying away when a stranger sat down and tried to get too close and the husband throwing her to the ground and demanding she act appropriatelly. I need to find that again Not so much about dominence and hierarchy, but about how other dogs can be rude to ours, and we expect them to just take it. http://www.flyingdogpress.com/sayhi.html It is at the beginning of the article..Very funny. The rest of the page has lots of great info, too. Love Suzanne Clothier. |
| Hi,
Laika just loves cuddling with you. Enjoy those moments!  Nothing is as relaxing as being covered in a nice warm fur blanket after a hard days work!
Marianne |
Mad Dog wrote: Very comforting - like snuggling under a heavy, heavy comforter.
Kristine but none of my comforters have sharp elbows |
jean wrote: Mad Dog wrote: Very comforting - like snuggling under a heavy, heavy comforter. Kristine but none of my comforters have sharp elbows Yes, true, the sharp elbows do have to be overcome. Think of it as a trainable comforter. Some days
Kristine |
| My first OES used to like to climb on top of you in the morning, laying on your belly and then carefully washing each ear, turning your head from side to side to make sure he did a good job. I didn't think this was so much dominance or affection as it was what he considered to be part of his morning duties.
Archie has never done that. For an OES, he spends less time absolutely glued to any of us, although he adores being petted and snuggled. He simply doesn't seem to expect it. Sherman doesn't really lay on top of us so much as he sits on or near us and leeeaaans into us, even if it means he sort of bends over backwards (literally) to give us the appropriate affection--and to receive it. Sophie likes to lay on top of us. Part of it is genuine affection. Part of it seems to be her assertion of ownership of us. The reason I say this is that when she was only about 6 or 8 months old, I came upstairs to find her laying on top of my husband. When I bent over to kiss him, she growled at me. I (probably unwisely) took her by the collar, told her loudly and firmly "OFF!" and wouldn't let her back up on the bed. She now must be invited. I know that this was risky--she could have bitten me, but it was frankly a reflex reaction on my part. I know that I didn't hurt her nor do I seem to have broken her spirit at all. She continued to test me for some time and now truly respects my position as higher than hers. However, there is no doubt in her mind that if something ever happened to me, she would indeed be more than willing to assume the alpha female position. Sherman and Sophie used to play tag/king of the mountain when they were pups, with one of us being the mountain. Whoever felt s/he won would jump on us and tap us with a paw, obviously claiming us. I see them still do this when they play outside sometimes. Archie does this as well: sometimes it's to claim victory in some game only they understand they are playing; sometimes it's to say: that's enough (mostly when Archie does it as he is the oldest and an unlikely alpha by default, really. Sherman knows he could whoop Archie who is almost 9 to Sherman's 2 years, but Sherman is simply too laid back to think about it--and also afraid to make Archie mad). |
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