"Gee, thanks for sitting on me"

[Poicephalus]

I never see this mentioned in Doberman literature--but I sure hear about it from other Doberman owners. Dobermans love to sit on their owners' feet, or at the very least lean against them. We all know they are "velcro dogs" who love their owners, yet I have had other dogs that like to stick close but don't do the foot sitting and leaning.

My personal theory about this trait, which seems to be universal among Dobermans (all of mine have done it), is that it relates to their being personal companions and protectors. When I sit down on the couch or a chair, I often have my Doberman come over and sit on my feet. The dog then often looks away and takes its focus off me. I believe they do this so they know when their owners move. If they can't keep us in their site, they will know about our movement by being in contact with us.

Obviously it's impossible to crawl inside a Doberman's mind, so this is just a theory. Do you own a Doberman that DOESN'T sit on you? Does anyone else have any ideas about why they do this?

 

[JanS]

I pretty much have the same theory as you about it.
Boris insists on laying on my legs in bed too (all 85# of him) and I can only assume that he's trying to hold me down so I don't sneak away when he's sleeping.
He also lays on our feet at the kitchen table, etc., which feels pretty good now that the weather is getting cold.

 

[FredC]

Either of my dogs do this unless there on the couch or in bed with me. But my dogs lay on the floor haha not a chance. If i made them lay on the floor they would look at me like i was stupid. lol

 

[lab1dobie]

We get what we call "the big dog lean". Seems every dobe we meet and have had all like to lean against your legs to the point of making you fall over. And always have to have some part of them on you whenever you sit down or lay down. Great dobe traits! :lol:

 

[hrd2gt]

Karma is more of a lean HEAVILY on me... she does lay on the floor occasionally, but prefers the end of the couch to look out the sliding door, but she will lean on me.. where practically pushes me away.

 

[FredC]

Both Mars and Kali have there own Chairs. The only time either of them ever sits with me is when sombody steals there seatslol.

The only time i can call my dobes velcro dogs is when im eating, Yes there very spoiled.

Heres a rare shot of the Duo actually laying on the floor.

 

[Ares]

My pup stopped sitting on our feet when he was about 5 months old... now he has 8 months and sits on my lap... yep, whole 35 kg of him!

 

[DoberDon]

Every Dobe I've had has been a foot sitting,velcro dog,but our Shiloh has taken it to a new level.We had her several weeks when I noticed she would be laying down but not on her side and with her head held up and would be nodding off like a small child that can't stay awake but is fighting the sleepiness.Her eyes will start to close,her head will start to fall and then she'll catch herself and look around.I was afraid she might have some type of sleeping sickness and asked our vet,he said this breed of dog(Dobe)just wants to be alert all the time and where a lab would just flop over and go to sleep,she wants to be vigilant! My wife and I regularly crack up over her doing this in the evening while we watch TV.

 

[MLR]

I have two dobermans; a male and a female. The male, Hercules, is 4 12 years old. When he was a puppy he used to sit on my feet when someone else came to the house and I mistakenly thought he was afraid of them and sitting close to me like that because he wanted my protection. Then I bought a doberman book at Petco and the author explained that this was their way of showing dominance towards their owner. Shortly after I read that I started nudging him away from my feet whenever we were approached by strangers. Now he hardly ever does that. He still positions himself between me and whoever it is but the foot sitting doesn't happen anymore.

After I got the second dobe, Chloe, I never let her get into that habit. I am a 60 year old woman weighing in at 126 lbs and it's hard enough to walk the two of them together (he weighs 98 lbs & she weighs 92 lbs) without them both trying for dominance. The female who is now 2 1/2 still thinks she is the boss of both me and my male dobe. To curb that I make her wait for her treat until after I give Hercules his in the morning when they come in from their first potty break.

As much as I love both of them I can't risk either of them thinking they are the boss. I take them to too many public places, like antique car shows and moter cycle rally's and a public playground (we don't have a dog park where I live), where they have to be on their best behavior and mind me or I wouldn't be very welcome with them.

This is just something I do. I'm not saying it isn't cute when they sit on you, or that anyone else should raise their dobe the way I am raising mine, but I think the sitting on their owners feet business is more a dominance thing with them than anything else.

 

[deladobies]

I call mine "My Blankets"

I love our guys TO DEATH but a doberman is not a blanket and a foot should not be shoved some places on a human body....seriously!
But the answer is yes they sleep with us...let me paint a picture... My husband and I, queen size bed. 2 dobermans(blankets) a border collie and usually our 4 year old .(shes sneaky, trust me ) Im usually curled into a small ball using a stuffed animal for a pillow, why you ask? well Romeo or jewel has stolen my pillow!!!
My husband is on the edge (no really the edge) jewel usually right on top of him usuing me as support to push on him, and Romeo is usually on my legs, not by.... ON!!!
Always on top of! ahhhhh.... Max knows that he sleeps at the foot of the bed (until we go to sleep, then its up on the pillow)
Jewel usually grabs my pillow/stuffed animal and sucks on it (weirdo) till its soaking wet then ever so nicely returns it to me (ususalluy on my face )
4 year old sneaks in at night and sleeps ontop of whatever dog is closest to the door so we dont hear her.... Ive woken up several times with my arms around a dog instead of my husband.... Can you tell bedtime is a hassle....help!

 

[JanS]

Then I bought a doberman book at Petco and the author explained that this was their way of showing dominance towards their owner.

I recently heard that on the Dog Whisperer too and it does make sense. I've also since tried to keep Boris off us; especially in bed. He gets ticked and challenges us, so it just shows that it is a dominance thing.

That said, we still let him rest on at/our feet at when we're out relaxing at the kitchen table, etc., since I don't think it's the same thing.

 

[hrd2gt]

I think in most cases its a dominance thing. I know when we are all on the couch, my boys occasionally stand over one another... this usually results in a helluva thwap knocking them off the couch from me and yelling at them to stop dominating (i am a mean mommy) karma also used to stand over them as well when she was younger, and she got in trouble for that too.

But lately when karma lays on me or sits really close to me... i think its more of a wanting attention type thing.. which also is kind of like dominance, the 'give me attention now' type deal... OR.. it could just be their velcro nature...which i also dont fall for so i guess it depends where you draw the line really. i always feel bad when she is bored, they are such smart dogs... really need to be challenged.

 

[FredC]

Since we brought Daisy home Kali has been alot closer to me and she can and most likely will be found on the couch kicking as close to me as she can get. Except now she has decided that fighting every other animal in the house that dares get close is an ok thing (umm i dont think so)

 

[NERO]

I don't consider the leaning or sitting on feet to be a dominance issue as long as it has been clearly established who the pack leader is within the home. If the pack leader is not clearly defined in the household it could possibly be a test of dominance. Remember we're speaking of dobermans whom seem to have a built in trait; the need to be with its leader. Who he/she perceives to be the leader may not be you but someone else in the home or possibly itself. Watch your dog to see if he "yields" to you or other dogs in the home. Signs of "yielding" are such things as the dog moving out of your way without being told to do so or being nudged. If there are other dogs in the house watch the lower ranking dog give way to the higher ranking in such cases as space, toys, & food. We have 2 dogs in our house one being our doberman (Nero) & a golden retriever mix (Ollie). I can fill both or their bowls with food just before we sit to eat & they will wait until we are finished at the dining room table before they consider eating. Then Ollie will always allow Nero to eat his meals first while he patiently waits for him to finish before devouring his own bowl of food. We allow both of them to lay on our sofas but if Nero jumps up to lay down Ollie will quickly move to the floor. The same goes for myself, if one of them are laying on the sofa and I start to sit they will move to the floor until I give them the OK to get back on and continue being as they were. Yielding is something that is natural to the pack order & is so simple most people don't even pick up on it happening including myself until a local dog trainer told me. Hope this helps.

 

[Colesmom]

Ember used to lay on our feet all the time. Coleman just lays all over us on the couch and especially in the bed. He HAS to have his head on some part of you to sleep. I love this, except that he likes to chew his rope toys on top of us as well. That can get a little slimy....

 

[DobieLvr]

thwap .

omg you're killing me here!! roflmao Did any of you see the movie Mystery Alaska?
thwap thwap was used in the movie.... oh my - tears, can't see to type...roflmao in reference to one of the hockey players and his overly portly girlfriend and her winter fat and the sound her thighs made... lol

 

[DobieLvr]

Ernie lays on my feet - upside down next to my feet - pokes my butt with his nose - lays on me in bed - on my feet only... but with him it isn't dominance - I "thwap" him... dying here... roflmao

 

[hrd2gt]

.............. :huh:


Settle down!!!

 

[MLR]

I hear you NERO. With mine it's that they weigh a combined 202 lbs and I weigh 126 lbs. Hercules stands almost wiast high on me and Chloe is right behind him. If I'm sitting down I have to stand up to make my point with them or they push the limit. But as they age they seem to be mellowing out, finally. I am the one who fills the food dish and doles out the treats and they do know that much.

 

[ChromeNun]

Damien knows that he is supposed to protect me...and he does...all night long!!!! If I turn, he moves his head, but he always makes sure his head is over my legs so that I am protected!!! When I get up in the morning, he is right beside me, and I mean RIGHT BESIDE ME, (ok, he's on the LEFT) to make sure we walk out into the house together...

Damien is NOT going to let any of my cats attack me, or love on me, or sit in my lap...he is TOO POSSESSIVE for that...and a bit jealous!!!!

Is this an inborn Dobie trait??? Or just a doggie trait??? I believe it is a Dobie trait, but I am sure others could prove me wrong...