Why Do Dogs Cross Their Paws Like People? There is nothing better than seeing a dog who crosses his paws. This is known as ‘’polite paws’’ and it looks great. But, why do dogs cross their paws like this occasionally? You may believe that there is just one reason why. As it turns out, there are 7 reasons.
Why Do Dogs Cross Their Paws Like People?
1. Due to breed
If you want to know why do dogs cross their paws you need to know one, an important fact first. Some dog breeds do this more often than others. Other dog breeds don’t do it at all.
According to research, breeds such as poodles, Labradors, and border collies do this most frequently. You may know that these are some of the most intelligent dog breeds out there.
They do this in order to copy their owners. But, other dog breeds want to do the same thing but it is harder for them. For instance, the dachshund has short legs so this position is very hard for them to stay in. This applies to all dog breeds with short legs.
2. They want to tell you something
This is one of the most common reasons. When a dog crosses his paws, he uses his body to tell you something. This can mean he wants a toy, food, treat, or anything else. Yes, dogs also use the tail and the entire body for communication. They are unable to speak, so this is the only method they can use to communicate.
Don’t forget that a dog crossing his paws might be used as a sign of dominance. On the other hand, if he lies on his back, it is a sign of submission.
3. Your dog is happy
When a dog crosses his paws, he will need 2 seconds more to get up and chase the threat. You know that most dogs will stay on alert at all times so this position doesn’t make any sense. On the other side, he is happy and he doesn’t have anything to worry about. He will cross his paws as a way of telling you about his happiness.
If he does this all the time and he also acts happy when next to you, you are an excellent dog owner. In other words, it means that you are giving everything your pet needs and he is extremely happy.
4. To be more comfortable
Another common reason is also the most obvious. Dogs do this in order to be more comfortable. You will see that once he crosses his paws, his elbows are pushed back. This means that his legs won’t have to withstand the complete weight of the body.
It is a way to get more comfort and probably the main reason why some dogs do this. Yes, it is also known that not all dogs do this for this purpose.
If you think, you are doing the same thing. You will cross your legs in order to be more comfortable. Dogs like comfort and they will use this position for the same purpose. It is quite obvious and probably the main reason why some dogs and certain dog breeds have been doing this for a long period of time.
5. They can get something from this
Some dog owners will reward their pets as soon as they do something funny or nice. The best example is crossing paws. After all, this is called polite paws due to a reason. A dog will know that he will get a treat or petting if he does this. As such, he will do it all the time.
There is no additional explanation or anything else we can add here. He wants a reward and he will use this method to get it. Sounds smart because it is.
If you are one of the dog owners who will always reward his dog with everything you can, he will realize that and he will start using it to his advantage. Yes, you can reward him occasionally, but not every single time. Just imagine how many treats you need.
6. He is submissive
We already have mentioned this reason. But, now you will get all the needed information about it. We believe that some dogs will cross their paws in order to show their submission. After all, you are an alpha in this pack and he wants to let you know, he gets it.
An interesting fact is that shorter dogs will do this more often. In addition, they will show submission more frequently in general. Other methods they can use to show it includes lowering the tail or rolling. They need more time to react in a case of a fight or any other action so we can see how often and how important this reason is. There is no need to add that not all dogs will use this position for this very reason.
7. He is trained to do this
You can train your dog to cross his paws. Most dog owners do this at some point. It looks great and appealing. Yes, you can train him to do this and you will need a few things. First of all, you need a lot of time. Positive reinforcement and obviously treats are essential things.
Don’t forget that some dogs will learn this position sooner than others.
One issue here is that your dog will cross his paws when he wants a treat or when you give a command. Other reasons from this list may not apply in this case scenario. Of course, it is still a nice trick and one that can make a massive difference.
The final word
Why do dogs cross their paws? These were the 7 most common and best-known reasons. In order to understand why your dog is doing this, you need to look for other signs and investigate. It is possible that he is crossing his paws due to all or most of the reasons from the list. Anyway, it is fun and a position that looks like no other.
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