Why Does My Dog Stand Over Me?

There are a few reasons why your dog might stand over you.

Dogs often stand over people because they’re looking for attention.

If you’ve ever seen an overly friendly dog approach someone and then stand over them, you know what I mean.

They want attention — and will give it to anyone who’s willing to give it back to them.

Sometimes these dogs can become aggressive if they don’t receive the attention they crave.

Dogs also stand over people when they’re protecting their owners.

This type of behavior isn’t always malicious, but it can still be dangerous.

A dog that stands over its owner in order to protect him from danger has to be taught not to attack his owner until he receives permission to do so.

This means that the dog must learn to respect boundaries.

Dogs also sometimes stand over people to make themselves look bigger.

This type of behavior isn’t necessarily malicious, either.

It’s just a way for a dog to let you know how big he really is.

This is especially true with large breeds like Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Great Danes, Mastiffs, etc.

These types of dogs are generally larger than average canines, and they tend to appear intimidating.

To let you know that they’re bigger than other dogs, they’ll often stand over you as though they’re about to pounce on you.

The reason this works is because most people are afraid of large dogs.

Finally, there are instances where a dog stands over you to mark territory.

This is different from the first two categories, because the dog doesn’t have anything against you personally.

Instead, he wants to send a message to others that he owns this area.

He might bark at you to warn off any strangers who come near his home, or he might try to chase away other animals that are approaching his turf.

These three categories aren’t mutually exclusive, and many dogs exhibit more than one kind of behavior.

However, each of these scenarios involves some variation of the following:

  • Your dog is looking for attention.
  • Your dog is protecting you.
  • Your dog is making himself look bigger.
  • Your dog is marking his territory.

In the next section, we’ll take a closer look at how dogs use these behaviors to get attention.

The History of Dogs Standing Over People

Dogs have been around for thousands of years and have served as companions for humans for even longer than that.

They were originally domesticated from wolves, but it wasn’t until 10,000 BC that people started keeping them in their homes.

The fact that dogs didn’t live with people before this time was probably due to the fact that they could kill and eat people.

As people began living together more often, dogs became an important part of everyday life, and they still remain so today.

Dogs first appeared in the ancient world as hunting partners for people.

They followed their owners into battle and could track down game for them.

Hunting dogs also helped with guarding against wild animals.

When people needed a friend at home, they turned to their pets.

In some cultures, dogs were kept strictly for hunting and not used for other purposes.

In others, however, dogs were bred specifically for companionship purposes.

In many places throughout history, dogs were considered sacred and were treated with great respect.

For example, in Ancient Greece, dogs were given names and had a special role in society.

At one point, all dogs in Athens were required to wear bells on their collars in order to keep them under control.

Even today, dogs receive a lot of respect in parts of Asia, where they’re considered family members rather than just pets.

Some cultures had a very different view of dogs.

In India, dogs were seen as evil spirits which caused misfortune if they came near people.

To prevent this, people would sometimes sacrifice dogs by burning them alive to appease these spirits and keep them away from their families.

Today, there are many different breeds of dogs, ranging from small, furry creatures like Chihuahuas to large, muscular animals like German Shepherds.

All of them serve a purpose in our modern lives.

When we think of dogs, we usually picture big, sturdy animals who look like they’ll be able to withstand any kind of weather.

However, smaller dogs can actually be much healthier than larger ones because they don’t need as much food to survive.

In addition, smaller dogs tend to be easier to walk and take care of.

However, it’s important to remember that all dogs aren’t created equal.

Some breeds are known for being aggressive towards other dogs and humans, while others are completely harmless.

It’s always best to ask someone about the breed of a dog before taking it out for a walk.

The Possible Reasons Why Dogs Stand Over People

If you’ve ever been in a situation where a dog stands over you and it’s making you uncomfortable, then you know how unnerving it can be.

You may also know that there are a number of possible reasons for this behavior.

The following are some of the most common reasons why dogs may stand over people.

1. They Are Trying To Show That They Are The Alpha

Dogs who stand over people don’t always do so out of aggression.

Sometimes they do it because they want you to know that they are the dominant member of the pack.

If you have a large dog like a Great Dane, they may start standing over you as a way of saying “I am the boss around here!” Sometimes this is a good thing if you need to feel safe, but sometimes you may not be comfortable with this kind of dominance.

If this happens often, you should probably consider getting another dog who will serve as the leader of your household.

2. They Are Protecting You From Something

This one is pretty straightforward.

If your dog is protecting you from something, whether it’s a scary noise or an intruder, they will likely want to keep you safe by standing over you.

This is particularly true when you are sleeping.

3. They Are Trying To Get Your Attention

Sometimes dogs will try to get your attention by standing over you.

This could be for any number of reasons.

Maybe they are bored and want to play with you.

Or maybe they just want to make sure you notice them.

Either way, your dog wants to interact with you, so they will take whatever action necessary to accomplish this goal.

Why Does My Dog Stand Over Me

The Benefits of Dogs Standing Over People

Dogs are pack animals and they have evolved to function in packs.

When a dominant member of the group stands over another one it shows that this person has authority over the other.

It also means that the subordinate is not willing to challenge the superior for their position at the top of the hierarchy.

In addition, dogs who are standing over people usually try to look intimidating.

This is especially true of larger breeds such as Great Danes and St Bernards.

They will often stand with their heads held high and their tails up in the air to make themselves appear bigger than they really are.

The tail can also act as a warning sign to others around them that the dog is about to attack any intruders.

Another reason why a dog may stand over you is because he wants to establish dominance.

If you’ve ever seen a large breed dog growl at someone, you know that it’s possible for him to do so.

However, there are many situations in which a dog will growl but won’t actually bite.

A good example would be when a dog is protecting his owner from a stranger.

In these cases, the dog will raise his hackles and put his head down low to indicate that you should stay away from his territory.

A dog may also stand over you if he is trying to get your attention.

He may want to play with you, wrestle with you, or just give you a friendly greeting.

However, if you don’t respond to his overtures, he will probably continue to stand over you until you acknowledge his advances.

Dogs are very sensitive creatures and they sense whether you like them or not.

If they don’t receive a positive response from you, they will keep on trying until they get what they want.

Finally, dogs sometimes stand over people when they are trying to get your attention.

As I mentioned earlier, they will often raise their heads and point their noses toward you to let you know that they are interested in interacting with you.

And if you ignore them, they will keep on doing so until you stop looking at your phone or tablet screen and pay attention to them.

The Drawbacks of Dogs Standing Over People

First off, there’s nothing cute about it.

It’s not like your dog is looking for love.

They’re doing it because they want something from you.

Maybe they want some food, maybe they want to play, maybe they just want to look at you.

Whatever it is, they’re going to do it until you give them what they want.

And if you don’t give it to them, then they’ll keep doing it until you do.

So what can you do?

Here are a few things to try:

  • Give them their favorite treat.

If they’re really hungry, this will work every time.

But if they’re not starving, then you need to figure out what they want and give it to them.

  • Ignore them.

Don’t even look at them when they’re doing it.

This works sometimes but only if they’re not very persistent.

If they are, then you need to get up and walk away.

  • Shake them.

This doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a shot.

Just shake your head back and forth and say “no.”

Sometimes they’ll stop after one or two shakes.

Other times, they’ll continue to follow you around as long as you keep shaking your head.

  • Get angry.

Some dogs will think that getting angry means that you’re going to punish them.

Others will think that you’re mad at them.

Either way, they won’t do it again.

Now let’s talk about how we can teach our dogs to stop standing over us.

How to Get Your Dog to Stop Standing Over You

If you’ve read my article on how to stop dogs from jumping up on people, then you should already have a good idea of what it means if your dog is standing over you.

It’s probably not something you want to happen too often, as it can make you feel very uncomfortable.

However, it does happen occasionally and there are some things you can do to try and reduce this behavior.

In this article I’ll explain why your dog might be doing this, and some ways to help them learn that it’s better for everyone if they don’t.

Conclusion

There are also several reasons why your dog might not be standing over you.

For example, if they’ve been spooked by something and are just feeling nervous, it could be because of a stressful situation that has nothing to do with you.

It could also be due to them being excited about something else going on in their environment (like a child running around).

However, for the most part, dogs will only stand over you when they want to make sure you notice them and acknowledge their presence.

They’ll do this by making themselves larger than you, either physically or through posture, and then staring at you until you look up and see them.

If you ignore them, they’ll eventually stop doing that.

So, if you don’t like it, try to pay more attention to what’s happening around you so you can respond appropriately.

Megan Turner

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