Okay, so the other day, I was chilling on the couch, probably scrolling through my phone, and BAM! My German Shepherd, Max, decided my lap was the perfect spot to park his furry butt. It wasn’t the first time, and I started wondering, “Why does he do that?” So, I started my little investigation.
First Steps: Observation Time!
I paid close attention to when Max would choose to sit on me. Was it after a walk? When I was eating? When I was working on my laptop? I grabbed a notebook and started jotting down the circumstances every time he did it.
- After walks: Yep, sometimes.
- When I’m eating: Nope, he’s usually too busy begging.
- When I’m working: Bingo! This seemed to be a common one.
- Randomly: Yes, sometimes it was just out of the blue.
Hitting the Internet
With my observations in hand, I jumped online. I typed in “why does my german shepherd sit on me” and a ton of stuff popped up. Some of it was pretty obvious, like, “they want attention.” Yeah, no kidding, Max! But there were some other interesting ideas:
- Dominance: Some articles talked about dogs trying to show they’re the boss. I was not convinced because Max is a total goofball, not bossy one.
- Comfort and Security:This one made a lot of sense. Maybe he just feels safe and comfy close to me.
- Marking Territory:Dogs have scent glands, and sitting on you could be a way of saying, “This is my human!”
- Warmth:Could just be that im a heat source.
Experimentation and More Observation!
I decided to test some theories. When Max sat on me while I was working, I tried giving him a quick pat and then ignored him. Other times, I gave him lots of cuddles and attention. I wanted to see if his behavior changed depending on my reaction. I also start to noticed whether he sit on my stuff.
Here’s what I think after playing around with Max:
- Mostly, he just wants to be close.
- Ignoring him sometimes works, he get bored and move.
- Sometimes, especially after a walk, he seems to want reassurance and petting.
- When he sits on my stuff, I think he is marking territory.
My Conclusion (For Now!)
I think it’s a mix of things. Max probably sits on me for a combination of affection, security, and maybe a little bit of “marking his territory.” He’s a big, lovable goof, and I’ve come to accept that sometimes, I’m just his favorite oversized dog bed. I’ll keep observing him, though, because, let’s be real, dog behavior is endlessly fascinating!
