Why should a dog, why not a paw tap, bark, whine, nose-nudge? The time is not new to most families: a warm hand on a knee, soft hand on an arm, a paw upon a foot neatly in its place. Pawing is easy to misunderstand as pushy behavior, however, in most households, pawing is a simple and recurrent signal. When Dr. Mary Burch, Ph.D., a certified applied animal behaviorist and the Director of the AKC Family Dog Program explains: “When your dog puts a paw on you, it is most often a sign of communication, and it doesn’t always mean the same thing.”
Dogs are born with an advantage on this habit. The puppies dig at their mother at an early age to obtain something they want and this tactic is often used by many dogs throughout their adulthood. According to behavior writers, it is a learned shortcut: the dog experimenting with a paw, the individual responding to it, and the dog remembers that result in the future. It is all a matter of context, since a paw may be a request, a greeting, or a moment when you need some help.
The meaning is sometimes sweet and simple. When a dog puts its paw on an individual when petting, it may be the extension of contact and the continuance of the conversation. As Rebecca Forrest, an assistance dog trainer with The Dog Clinic, explains, he is also increasing the amount of contact and returning the affection “By putting his paw on you whilst you are stroking him, he is further extending contact and reciprocating affection back,” When the body of the dog appears to be loose, with soft eyes, a relaxed look in the face, and the breath coming easily, pawing may well be added to a fond, and more of that, please, message.
In other instances, a paw has to do with access: outside, dinner, water, a fallen toy, or playtime. Households tend to observe pawing directly before some of the expected routines, particularly during walks and meals. When a dog wanders close to the door, looks behind, paw a leg this is a different form of communicating than a dog who paw a leg and is staring at a toy shelf. Pawing should be associated with food needs, and constantly giving in may back-fire; Forrest cautions that, “If you allow your dog to decide when they get fed, they could become overweight which will impact their health.”
The touch is likely to accompany stress signals. Forrest recommends that owners should note when an animal is anxious, i.e., lip smacking, yawning, and flat ears. Such behaviors correspond to emotional circumstances that are commonly known calming behaviors such as licking of lips and yawning. Pawing may be a question of seeking comfort in that state, as in staying next to “stay close” and an indirect effort to make space, particularly when the dog in question stiffens or pushes with the paw instead of lying there. The most useful reply is to take pressure off: move away, cut down stimulation, and allow the dog to relax, without crowding him.
Pawing may occur when one goes to sleep too. Numerous dogs like resting close to those that they are affiliated with to stay warm and safe, and a paw on a leg can be a little boundary-maker: intimate, yet with some personal space.
The problematic aspect is that the behavior of pawing is one of the mistakes that humans train. When the paw continues to make eye contact, laugh, pet, or get a snack, the dog will learn to do it- even when it is inappropriate. Another alternative that is more practical is to refocus the message rather than penalize it. Requesting to sit down before the pets, opening the door, or initiating a game will teach the dog a more clear and relaxed method of asking what they want, but never lose sight of the fact that the paw was communication in the first place.
