You love your dog and of course you want to be his favorite person number.
Whether it’s playing, walking, or cuddling – you wish your dog would love to do this with nobody more than with you.
But what if you find out: Your dog will not cuddle with you as the pack leader? Find out the causes & solutions in the following guide.
Why won’t my dog cuddle me even though I’m the pack leader?
Dogs are individuals with their own needs and requirements. Unfortunately, this does not necessarily have to include wanting to cuddle with you.
Before you burst into tears, here’s the good news: There are countless other ways to build a close bond with your furry friend.
This includes playing together or exciting and important mental work.
Dog not cuddling you – other possible causes
Your dog won’t cuddle with you? Then can in addition to the «He just doesn’t feel like it» also the following causes behind it.
Your dog is stressed
You’ve found that your dog doesn’t want to cuddle with you. But you really want a cuddle session with him and you might even force yourself on him.
But that has exactly the opposite effect. Your dog feels pressured and gets under enormous stress from your unwanted displays of affection.
Missing/inappropriate socialization
Early, species-appropriate and completed socialization is very important for puppies.
Ideally, the little fur noses get to know their first contact with people here.
This also means that they can get used to being stroked by them and cuddling with them.
But wasn’t that the case with a dog? Then there is a high probability that he will not want to cuddle with you as an adult dog.
Not because he finds you stupid and annoying, but because he just never got to know it.
Bad experiences
Many of us get our fur nose from a breeder. But just as well, many of us choose to give a dog from the shelter a new home.
The only catch, if you will, is that you never know what horrific experiences your dog may have had.
Maybe he was abused by his former human? Then he will shy away from any physical contact on your part – including cuddling.
The dog breed & the character
In some cases, the reason for «not wanting to cuddle» can simply be related to the breed of the dog and the associated character and nature.
Breeds in particular, whose characteristics include a high level of autonomy and independence, do not naturally tend to be canine cuddly monsters.
Already knew?
One of these dog breeds is the Portuguese Rafeiro do Alentejo.
Why doesn’t my dog cuddle with the pack leader, but with other people – what does that mean?
Your dog doesn’t cuddle with you as the pack leader, but with other people? We will now explain what that means.
Again, it may simply be your dog’s character that causes him to behave this way.
Not every dog automatically focuses on just one person, unless it is a classic one-man dog.
In families in particular, it is not uncommon for the dog to form a closer bond with a child than with you as the pack leader, and to cuddle and cuddle with the child.
Before this becomes the ultimate meltdown for you, try to look at the big picture.
Your dog may not like to be cuddled, but he will show you that he loves you by letting you play and walk him.
It may also be that you are the leader of the pack, but do not always exercise this role with the necessary consideration.
So your dog is scared of you to a certain extent and doesn’t want you to touch him.
How can I show my dog that I am the pack leader?
The distribution of roles in the human-dog relationship is determined during the dog’s upbringing.
Through your consistency, loving leadership and clear announcements, you turn out to be the pack leader.
This is how your dog learns important commands, he learns to follow them because you taught him them.
You can also teach him important commands, resolution commands and tricks.
On the other hand, what has lost absolutely nothing in dog training is unnecessary hardness and strictness.
Even less should you even consider hitting your dog for disobeying a command.
You may become the leader of the pack, but the psychological damage your dog suffers cannot be undone. And your relationship is doomed to fail.
How can I bond with my dog without cuddling?
Cuddling with the dog may be the nicest thing you can imagine. But if your dog doesn’t play along, you’ll have to rethink things a little.
Fortunately, a close bond is not only expressed by cuddling together.
Playing together and being out and about in the great outdoors is also a good way to strengthen your bond over the long term.
To a certain extent, you are free to choose how you would like to organize these joint activities.
You can take your dog for a walk, you can do dog sports together or jog, swim or hike together – as long as your dog is made for it.
Conclusion
Your dog won’t cuddle with you as the pack leader? Then it may be that his character and his race the reason are for.
It is also possible that your dog has not been socialized in a species-appropriate manner or has had negative experiences with people in its life before you.
Does your dog prefer to cuddle with other people? Then maybe he’s just one of those dogs who give their love generously and in many different ways.
Would you still like to build a close bond with your furry friend? Then you can consolidate this with playing together, walking, sports or dog sports.
Doesn’t your dog cuddle with you? If your answer is «yes», we would be happy if you tell us your story together in our comments.