5. Territorial behavior
Dogs are very territorial animals and can react very sensitively when they see their domestic “territory” violated. Because of their excellent sense of smell, they notice many things that we humans don't notice at all.
These include, for example, Smells of other four-legged friends. For example, if you visit friends with dogs, the furry friends will notice immediately. They then quickly become jealous and do everything they can to “correct” the foreign scent.
This often happens when the dog presses its head against the “strange” smelling parts of the caregiver. The background is quite logical: through physical contact, he leaves his scent on you.
6. Trying to comfort Halter
As a dog lover, you probably know that our four-legged friends very empathetic animals are: When we are happy, they like to be infected. As soon as we are sad, they notice that too – then they want to provide comfort.
For example, one study found that dogs react to crying toddlers with increased cortisol production and increased attention – so our emotions don't leave our four-legged friends unaffected.
Therefore, if your loved one notices that you are not feeling well, he will try to comfort you. This usually happens with physical contact: He then nudges you with his head or hugs you very closely.
7. Appeasement signal
When dogs do something forbidden, we humans like to tell ourselves that they will be sorry. But it's not quite that simple: According to experts, four-legged friends have it no guilty conscience or even an awareness of injustice.
Nevertheless, we often notice that the animal behaves differently after we have scolded it. Many people are then surprisingly calm and avoid you. Others are cuddly and press their heads against us, for example.
This is not an admission of wrongdoing, but rather an admission Appeasement gesture: The dog senses your excitement and wants to protect itself – as if you were an aggressive companion.
Other typical appeasement signals from dogs
- Dog licks his nose (tongue licking)
- Four-legged friend “makes himself smaller” and sits or lies down (also on his back)
- Sniffing people/conspecifics
- yawning
- Scratching (skip action)
- Dog humps his back
- Urinate
Source: Blickblick dog school, Degersheim (CH).
8. Expression of submissiveness
However, some dogs also want to constantly appease and therefore repeatedly press their head against the body of their caregiver. Then that is a sign of constant submissiveness, which can also take on pathological traits.
The four-legged friend is not feeling well. He feels uncomfortable and his body language is often very defensive, for example the tail hangs down almost chronically.
Causes are common Parenting mistakes: The dog is then kept too dominant so that it is permanently frightened. Traumas such as separation anxiety or stress, for example caused by dominant conspecifics, can also play a role.
9. Dog seeks protection
However, the dog should only have one every now and then defensive posture and nudge you with his head, then perhaps it has a slightly different background: It is quite possible that the four-legged friend then seeks your protection.
This behavior can often be observed when there is a lot of noise, for example during a thunderstorm. But the dog can also react this way to other scary events, such as shadows at night or a threatening companion on the walk.
He then turns to you because he values you as an “alpha animal”. The body language is often very defensive, and some four-legged friends also tremble.
10. The four-legged friend wants to please you
Some dogs can be quite the bullies, but they usually enjoy pleasing their owners. This “will to please” – the English technical term – is particularly widespread among hunting dogs such as retrievers.
This means that the four-legged friend wants to please his caregiver. He puts a lot of effort into it and of course wants to get praise and love in return.
Dogs are sometimes no different than children: That's why it can happen that we don't even notice what our four-legged friend has just done for us. Then he often reacts with other signs, for example by nudging him with his head.
11. Beg
It is a little more unpleasant if the dog tends to crawl under the dining table and head on you. If this problem only occurs then, the reason is actually clear: your four-legged friend is a beggar.
Dogs have very little feeling of satiety and therefore like to be fed leftover food. This is primarily about learned behavior: If the animal notices that its charm is successful, it will keep asking for food.
12. Holder as a “scratching post”
However, if your dog not only presses against you, but also rubs against other objects, it is also possible that itching behind it. You are then, so to speak, a “human scratching post”.
When dogs' heads itch, parasites are often behind it. Often there are fleas, but it can also Mites The dangerous ear mite is particularly tricky. Other possible causes are Allergies (atopic dermatitis), Inflammation or bacterial or fungal infections.
13. Neurological clinical pictures
In some rare cases, however, it can also neurological diseases be responsible for pushing with your head. You are then not the only “victim” of the four-legged friend; they then bump into people or other objects almost at random.