Dogs are some of the affectionate creatures on earth.
Their playfulness and intelligence are some of the reasons why we love these furry pups.
They also have other behaviors that they often exhibit when they are with us.
One of them is laying their heads on us.
You may have wondered why dogs often like laying their heads on you. There are a number of reasons that may make your pup do this. Your dog may just be trying to show you some affection.
On the flip side, they may also be trying to signal to you that they are not feeling okay. It will be good to know what your dog needs from observing him keenly.
Since dogs cannot talk, laying their head on you is one of the ways they communicate.
You, therefore, need to be observant to decipher what they may be trying to tell you.
When they lay their heads on you and rub it against you, reciprocate by petting them.
They love it when you show them a lot of attention.
Let us go through some of the reasons which make dogs lay their heads on us more often.
These will assist you to read the signs and know what they want.
Reasons Why Dogs Lay Their Heads on Us
1. They Are Trying to Show You Some Affection
When your dog lays its head on you, it may just be all about showing affection.
The close relationship between dogs and humans is a matter that is widely known.
When your dog creeps up on you and rubs you with its head, it may not be a matter that should make you panic.
It may only be about affection. You ought to reciprocate appropriately.
This is the dog’s version of a hug. It is a testament to the bond that you have.
2. Your Dog May Just be Showing it Can be Dominant
In other cases, your dog may just be trying to show you that they can be dominant as well.
They are basically trying to communicate to you that they can oppose you as well.
The best way to respond to them is to order them to stay calm.
3. It is Your Dog’s Way of Greeting You
Picture a situation where you enter the house and your dog jumps towards you.
They slowly approach you, look at you and place their head against you.
This may be your pup’s simple way of telling you “Hi mum and dad! You’re back! I’m happy you are home!”.
That is what they would probably say if they had the ability to talk.
But since they cannot, they do the next best thing (i.e., to lay their head against you.)
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4. They Are Trying to Own You by Marking Their Territory
This is just a case of your dog getting jealous. They also “worry” about being potentially neglected.
Therefore, they lay their head on you to ensure their scent remains on you.
This is to ensure that the other dogs will smell their scent on you and not get comfortable around you.
This is so that the new dog will be scared and discouraged when they smell the scent on you.
Therefore, do not be surprised the next time you see your pup lay its head on you.
Just remember that they are trying to take you “off the market”.
5. Some Dogs Do This to Show Concern and Support You
We all know that dogs are intelligent creatures.
They are able to pick out the happenings in their surroundings.
The times when you are feeling down and depressed, they may sense this.
If they had the ability to speak, they would comfort you.
They would tell you that everything is going to be okay.
However, they will lay their heads on you as a sign of showing solidarity.
They do this as a way of giving you emotional support.
6. A Clever Way to Show You That They Need Something
Your dog may come and lay their head on you to signal to you that they need something.
This may be a way of alerting you that they are feeling hungry.
In addition, this may be a way of letting you know that they are thirsty and need water.
They may also be signaling that they are not feeling well and they need your care.
7. It May be a Simple Case of Taking Care of an Itch
Your dog may come and lay his head on you and even rub it against you to relieve an itch.
They may simply rub their heads against you so as to scratch where the itching sensation is.
This will enable them to feel better.
8. Maybe Your Undivided Attention is all That They Need
You can call them attention seekers! Even if they could hear, We highly doubt they would care!
Dogs are akin to babies. They require your attention every single minute.
Sometimes the dogs may feel like you are not giving them the due attention.
They feel neglected and out of place.
The occasional rubbing of their heads against your legs or arms is a reminder to you that they exist.
They want you to engage them and even play with them.
This is because they are very playful.
They need you to reciprocate whenever they do these.
9. “You” May be The Reason for This Behavior
Oftentimes, we tend to attribute this behavior to many reasons other than ourselves.
What we do not know however is that we may be the ones who encourage this.
I am guilty of this myself. Whenever my little pup jumps on me, I tend to rub its head and pet it just the way he likes.
Dogs perceive this as your form of reciprocation that shows them affection.
They will therefore lay their head on you over and over again.
Final Thoughts
It is important to understand the “language” of your dog.
What one dog exhibits may not have a universal meaning.
When your dog lays his or her head on you, reciprocate accordingly.
