Question - Dog ehavior

[Joanie]

Hi everyone :)  So this has nothing to do with Lan, but instead my husband and I have a question about our english bulldog, Roxie.  Ever since Rox was a pup she HAS to always be between my husband and I. If there is no space between us she will wedge herself in until she makes space.  She does this if we are sitting on the couch, laying on the couch, laying in bed or even if my husband is sitting on his recliner and I am sitting on the couch she stretches herself out between the two so she is between us.  What does this mean?  She's more affectionate to my husband, but shows me more attention when she sits or lays between us.  She actually has gotten mad when I'm cuddling with my husband and will shimmy inbetween us until we are separated.  Let us know your thoughts.  ~Joanie 

[BG and Gavin]

Does it bother you?  Do you feel she is "owning" or "guarding" your husband or you?  How does she react when you make her get down or prevent her from doing this.  Are you ever concerned about any type of agression?

[Joanie]

It doesn't bother me, it's just weird, lol.  If we try to prevent her from doing this and make her get down, she will hop back up to where we are and wedge her way inbetween us again and she will keep doing this everytime we stop her.  My husband was thinking maybe she likes the tightness of feeling pressed up against two people?  Rox definitely shows no aggression and she's a big daddy's girl.  It's just funny.  She's done this ever since she was a puppy so we were trying to figure out what it might mean.

[BG and Gavin]

It seems cute, but from an obedience stand point, I would like to have her trained so that she only came up if invited and got down when told.  Reason being you want to be able to have control over her in all situations and if she blows you off in this situation, you cannot expect her to recognize your authority in other situations (example coming when called, dropping the prohibited object she has etc.)  I don't want to be a downer, but I see this insistent behaviour as negative.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I was thinking this same thing.  If she has no other behavior concerns and you are okay with this then I don't think it's a big deal.  However, I agree with BruceGirl that it is showing dominance and so normally it would not be something that I would encourage.  It may be that she sees your husband as the leader and so she is "coveting" the space around him....I believe proximity is important in a dog's mind.

[Marianne *OZZY & ZOEY]

My Zoey does the same thing.  It never bothered me though and it was something that I never thought to be a problem.  She is only 20lbs so not really taking up much room. In my own strange way I find it cute. Oh well just my thought.

[BG and Gavin]

Oh I totally see how it could be comforting and nice for your doodle to get cozy with you.  I guess I would just want him to get down when I say, no questions asked, as it is not always going to be appropriate.  And with some dogs, give an inch, take a mile.  ;)