Why does my dog sit on other dogs? We explain the simple reasons behind this odd dog habit.

Okay, so I wanted to share something I figured out about my dog, Buster. It was driving me a bit nuts for a while, this weird habit he picked up: sitting on other dogs.

It started maybe last year. We were at the park, usual stuff, sniffing around, chasing squirrels. Then I see Buster trot over to this calm Golden Retriever he knows, sniff its butt like normal, and then just... plop. He literally sat his rear end right down on the Golden's back. Not hard, not aggressive, just... sat. The Golden just looked back like, "Uh, excuse me?"

My first thought was, "Oh no, is he trying to start a fight? Is this some dominance thing?" I was ready to jump in, you know? But nothing happened. The Golden eventually just stood up and walked away, Buster looked unfazed.

So, I started watching him like a hawk every time we were around other dogs. Was it random? Was it specific dogs? It wasn't every dog, that was the first thing I noticed. He seemed to do it more with dogs he was already familiar with, or dogs that were generally pretty laid back. He wouldn't usually try it with super hyper dogs or ones that seemed grumpy.

Watching the Whole Routine

Here's kinda how it would go down:

• He'd approach the dog, do the usual sniff greeting.
• Maybe they'd play bow or sniff around together for a minute.
• Then, if the vibe was right, he'd just casually maneuver his backend and sit. Sometimes it was right on their back, sometimes just sort of leaning his butt heavily against their side.

I started chatting with other owners at the park, asking if they'd seen this or what they thought. Got a few different ideas. Some said, yeah, definitely dominance, like he's trying to show he's higher up the ladder. Others thought it was more about claiming space or resources, like saying "this spot is mine now." And a few folks just shrugged and said maybe he just finds them comfortable, or it's his weird way of playing or showing affection.

Thinking about Buster, the dominance thing didn't feel quite right. He's generally a pretty chill, goofy guy. He's not bossy. But maybe it was a subtle kind of ranking thing?

What really made me lean away from pure dominance was two things. First, the reaction of the other dogs. Most of the time, they either didn't care, looked mildly confused, or just calmly moved away. No yelping, no growling, no fights ever started because of it. If a dog looked genuinely annoyed, I'd call Buster off immediately, but that rarely happened. Second, he does something similar to me. When I'm relaxing on the floor or the couch, he'll often come over and park his rear end right on my feet or legs. He's definitely not trying to dominate me; it just seems like his way of getting close and comfy.

So, my final take on why my dog does it? I honestly think it's a mix, and maybe depends on the situation. Sometimes, especially with a dog he doesn't know well but who seems calm, it might be a gentle way of saying, "Hey, I'm here, I'm confident, let's be cool." Kind of a status check without being aggressive. But with his buddies, or with me? It feels more like a clumsy, physical way of saying "I like you" or "I want to be close." Almost like a weird hug or just seeking physical contact.

It's still a bit odd, but since it never causes trouble and the other dogs don't seem stressed, I've stopped worrying about it. Just another quirk that makes Buster, well, Buster. It was a process, though, watching him and trying to piece together what was going on in that furry head of his.