high chin / putting chin on you

[deve6641]

Hi - I was hoping someone might be able to translate some behaviors... My bc loves to put her chin on you. Every time you pet her she wants to put her chin on your arm (or your leg) and will even get in the way of you petting her to put her chin on you. It gets annoying and I would like to believe that its not just an 'alpha' thing so I have to ask.

She will also hold her chin up: she'll be laying down looking at you and then raise her head and hold it there for a a couple seconds, then when whatever she's trying to do doesn't work she'll bring her head down to normal and then try it again. She will keep eye contact while doing this and its a bit of a whale-eye. I've seen other dogs do this every now and then but my dog does it daily and I wish I knew what it meant! Thanks for all your help.

[sweet_ceana]

Poke lays his head on our laps or on things when he wants something from us. He'll give us the "but look how cute I am," look as if it increases his odds.

 

The other thing sounds like what my Ceana does when she wants something. She does this most often when she wants to be pet.

 

Sounds to me like your pup is a real schmoozer.

[Bordercentrics]

One of our three (Molly) does it. It is a submissive gesture when she wants something, usually love.

 

Kathy Robbins

[Maralynn]

Something like this?

 

 

It's Kipp's very polite way of asking for attention. I usually oblige because seriously, who can resist that face?? He's really polite about it and there's nothing "alpha" to it at all.

[martySQ]

Bess puts her chin on my lap when I am at the computer ...just to say, hey ...I'm here... pet me. She will do it at the table sometimes also, which gets ignored because I feel like she might be trying to "politely" beg.

The second action definateluy is trying to get your attention since she does it while making direct eye contact with you, but don't know what it means.

[eclare]

I don't have anything to say about the behavior, but that picture is hilarious!

[setsail]

Both of mine do the same thing. Jackson does it whenever he wants permission for something. He will lay his chin my leg/arm for pets and will lay it on the couch if he wants permission to sit next to me. He is a bit taller than the couch so he has to really drop his head for it to work. Poe started picking it up from him after about 6-8mons of living with us. She is only half his size so she really has to stretch lol. But they both do it in tandem for things like food or couch privilages.

[Ms.DaisyDuke]

Daisy rests her chin on my mom's leg at dinner time... begging for some left overs. My mom is the only person who will religiously give Daisy a good helping of whatever she eats. It's terrible. Daisy has also occasionally taken up resting her head on the coffee table or us if she really, really wants something... usually food. She looks quite pathetic when she does it too at the same time starting at whatever it is with all her might, trying to will it into her mouth. I believe a behaviour like that is usually (in our case) either begging or seeking affection... not sure where you might have gotten it as an 'alpha' thing...

[Root Beer]

Speedy does that thing with lifting his chin up. He comes over as if he wants to be petted - and because he is Speedy, he gets petted - and then he lifts his chin up, often pulling his head out of range of your hand!

 

He has always done it. I've never taken it to mean anything.

 

Maddie puts her chin on our knees and stuff. It's sweet.

[shanty]

Very cute picture! Truman does this a lot too. I see it as a request for attention or permission to get on the couch or bed. I usually give in, but when he starts head bumping my elbow when I'm on the computer or eating I tell him to stop and leave me alone.

 

I think it's a sweet thing - a polite communication. Strangely, when he puts his head on the couch or bed and looks AWAY rather than at me, it seems to be a way of saying "poor me, I'm so bored" and a request that I get up and play or take him outside since when I invite him up those times he's reluctant and heaves a huge sigh of disappointment .

[PSmitty]

Yeah, weird that you might think it's an "alpha" thing. All of my dogs (BC and not) do it. They're just seeking affection or attention.

 

Jack will come up to the bed or sofa, and just rest his chin on it. Not on us, on the furniture itself. It's so funny. We can't figure if he's wondering if it's ok, because even if we tell him to come on up, he'll just stand there sometimes. So, we just chalk it up to him resting his tired chin.

[sblock]

Some folks who know a lot more about dogs than I do may correct me, but I seem to recall that chin resting is something they learn as puppies when they're still in the litter.

Zorro does it all the time, too. It's endearing, but because I want him to understand that Nothing In Life Is Free, I ask him to lie down and then pet him. Most of the time.

[Root Beer]

It's endearing, but because I want him to understand that Nothing In Life Is Free, I ask him to lie down and then pet him. Most of the time.

 

When Maddie got to be 6 or 7 years old, I stopped caring about things like that. She puts her chin on my leg. It's cute and sweet. She gets petted. She's 9. I honestly don't care if she gets petted for free, or when she begs for it, or whatever.

 

There are some very nice things about having older dogs. :D

[mum24dog]

When Maddie got to be 6 or 7 years old, I stopped caring about things like that. She puts her chin on my leg. It's cute and sweet. She gets petted. She's 9. I honestly don't care if she gets petted for free, or when she begs for it, or whatever.

 

I've never cared about it. The only time it would is if it became persistent.

Why would I deprive myself of the pleasure of physical contact with my dogs? I don't do rules - I do what's appropriate in the circumstances.

 

Pam

[Laurae]

Sophie does it, too. She'll lean her chin on the sofa or my knee. I'm fairly sure she does it as a polite way of asking for something (often dinner, when I'm running late). When I lived in an apartment, it often meant she had to go out to pee. It is quite sweet, and if it doesn't work over a period of time, she might escalate her requesting behavior to a quick bark or snappyface (silent bark). It's the opposite of alpha world domination behavior for her, I am quite sure.

[flyer]

I've never cared about it. The only time it would is if it became persistent.

Why would I deprive myself of the pleasure of physical contact with my dogs? I don't do rules - I do what's appropriate in the circumstances.

 

Pam

 

This.

 

Zipping on my flame suit. I confess my dogs are all over me. I have a pic of Colt on my head when he is 4 mos. He jumped on me while I was napping and he looks so happy and goofy. (So do I) They sleep on my bed in the early morning for about an hour and snuggle into my neck or the crook of my arm. During the day they will put their chins on my knees looking for strokes and little Bea often puts both paws up asking to be picked up and snuggled. They lick me at random moments, crinkle their eyes and give a tail wag. They walk through doorways before me. So far they both have great recalls, manners (OK...Bea is getting there, she is naturally brash ) and basics, understand and respect "that'll do" in all the above mentioned situations. Do not nag me for anything and generally do anything asked of them. I don't know, maybe someday this will come back to haunt me, but part of my love of having dogs is loving the affection they give me too. And I know that some people think that dogs only do these things to get something from us, but I'm not so sure.

 

That said there have been times in training with both Bea and Colt when I have used NILIF, but only for brief periods of time.

[pansmom]

Something like this?

 

 

It's Kipp's very polite way of asking for attention. I usually oblige because seriously, who can resist that face?? He's really polite about it and there's nothing "alpha" to it at all.

 

Oh my god, Maralynn! That picture! Kipp is precious. I laughed out loud! So cute.

 

I concur that there's nothing "alpha" to this behavior - Vala does the exact same thing, and she's the gentlest sweetest go-with-the-flow kinda dog. What is happening plain and simple is your dog is attempting to get your attention. With Vala it is always love and eye contact she wants - I give it to her because she never invades my space without asking first - she is such a polite dog. So like she'll come up to me, sit about a foot away from me and make eye contact or bump me with her nose and then scoot back. I'll start petting her. Then stop. Then she'll want more and scoot closer and do the exact same thing Kipp is doing above while attempting to stare lovingly into the depths of your soul (this is how my sister describes it), and seriously who can resist!

 

However I sympathize with the OP because this can get annoying if your dog doesn't respect boundaries. My first BC-x did this at first and at first I didn't know how to teach her when enough was enough and she wanted my attention all the time (like every five minutes, we're talking, I couldn't sit still at all in the house because I had always paid attention to her when she asked for attention as a pup, and yes I admit I didn't know what I was doing at that time). What worked in this situation for that dog who was very assertive and demanding of our time and attention (even after we made sure that we gave her a couple of long walks a day and lots of training and intellectual stimulation) was looking away really dramatically and refusing eye contact when the dog got too insistent. If that didn't work, after a few tries, I learned to get up and walk out of the room when the dog is too insistent or tell the dog to go herself (after I taught a time out command). Teach your dog--through silent body language and trial and error--that the dog only gets attention when the dog is Polite Attentive and Calm and respecting your boundaries. In other words, ignore the dog and completely avoid eye contact when the dog isn't respecting your space, act like you don't see her. And then when the dog is respecting your space and sitting and waiting politely for attention, calmly pay the dog the attention it wants. They learn fast.

 

This is not, again, though, an "alpha" problem. You have a BC. They are herding dogs. They have instincts to try to control the world around them. If your dog is too assertive with you and demands more than you can give (as long as you're being fair and giving her what is reasonable and what she needs--in other words, if your dog gets enough attention and action for a BC but is basically acting "spoiled") you have to start consistently being careful not to reinforce this instinct and show them that you are the one who is in control - otherwise they will want you to play all the time!

[Anda]

Like Sophie, Ouzo only does it if he wants something, usually while I'm at my desk, if he goes under the desk and lays his chin on my leg it means two things - he really needs to go outside (for an urgent poop ) or he wants one of his balls from the "balls closet". He's not one to ask to be petted, so there's always a logical explanation for this behavior in his case

[LazyGRanch]

Something like this?

 

 

It's Kipp's very polite way of asking for attention. I usually oblige because seriously, who can resist that face?? He's really polite about it and there's nothing "alpha" to it at all.

 

Love that pic

My dogs do that too, and like someone else mentioned, they usually look AWAY from me, rather than at me (except the Dude..) I don't think it's a dominance thing at all, maybe even more submission. I've seen my pup do this when King Auz is chewing on a disgusting bone; the puppy will slither towards him, ears back, and rest his chin on any surface to "watch" Auz, but looking away.

When my dogs do this, it reminds me of a little kid who notices you're eating a piece of pie. They stand back a few feet, watching you, and then politely mention that they would eat a piece of pie, if you wanted them to

[desertranger]

Every dog I've ever had does that. Pawing too and coming on the couch putting a head in a lap or lying on top of you. That's the comfort of having a fuzzy butt for a friend. Rolling on their back belly up also means I trust you, please love me.

 

 

I think you should read this topic as it relates. Especially the 12th message.

[deve6641]

Thanks guys!

I hope I didn't sound like I don't like it when my girl comes over and lays her head on me - its one of her best qualities in my mind (especially when she does it to guests, they cant resist her) its just when she gets in the way of you petting her that it can get confusing for me.

 

Maralynn - Nice photo - not quite what I'm referring to though.

 

Root beer - sounds like your Speedy is a bit like my Ellie, I love the way you described it: "Speedy does that thing with lifting his chin up. He comes over as if he wants to be petted - and because he is Speedy, he gets petted - and then he lifts his chin up, often pulling his head out of range of your hand!" It just seems odd that they would come over to be petted and then take their head out of reach...

 

Flyer - I also really appreciated your comment about using the 'that'll do' - I don't know why I haven't been using it myself! Ellie isn't too persistent when I ignore her but I think she'd appreciate knowing exactly what I want from her. I do schedule my days around her - making sure she gets some good exercise in the morning and afternoon and some mental stimulation in the evenings. We also enjoy cuddle time in the mornings

 

Pansmom - Good advice - and thank you for reminding me how bcs are born with a desire to control the world around them.

 

I love how bcs are such great communicators!