As dog owners, we generally enjoy being around and in contact with our beloved pups. For us German Shepherd owners, we are also acutely aware of just how clingy our breed of choice can be!<\/p>\n
One of the ways in which our German Shepherds can express their feelings towards us is by placing a paw on us. But why might our German Shepherds place their paws on us?<\/p>\n
Your German Shepherd is most likely placing his paw on you because he wants attention or because he needs something. The paw placement may be a learned behavior, or because he feels anxious and needs comfort, or even because you might be the one needing some comfort!<\/strong><\/p>\n There are several possible reasons as to why your German Shepherd is placing his paw on you, and there could be many more reasons in addition to these.<\/p>\n Below we\u2019ll look at some of the more likely possibilities as to why your German Shepherd is placing her paw upon you, and things to consider to help you determine if your pup placing his paw on you is a cause for concern or not.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll also discuss how to stop your German Shepherd from placing a paw on you, as well as how to teach them to do it on cue.<\/p>\n\n It\u2019s important to remember that every dog is an individual<\/a>, but when your German Shepherd puts his paw on you he may be doing it for one of the following reasons.<\/p>\n Your German Shepherd may be putting his paw on you because he wants attention.<\/p>\n It\u2019s likely he was trying to get your attention in other, more subtle ways first but when those methods didn\u2019t work, he\u2019s now attempting to be a little more physical with his request for attention by placing his paw on you.<\/p>\n While this isn\u2019t as rude as him barking or muzzle punching you for attention, it is more demanding than just waiting patiently until you are able to provide him with the attention he seeks.<\/p>\n Just like people, dogs tend to be social creatures and German Shepherds are known to be quite affectionate and needy with their owners, and while they make a great choice for first-time dog owners<\/a> this level of “clinginess” can take some getting used to or it can become worse over time and develop into separation anxiety or other behavioral issues.<\/p>\n When your German Shepherd places his paw on you for attention, take a second to acknowledge if your pup\u2019s needs are being met and then take appropriate action to provide him with the attention he needs.<\/p>\n Just make sure you aren\u2019t inadvertently rewarding the paw action, or he may become more demanding!<\/p>\n Similar to placing their paw on you for attention, your German Shepherd may also be placing her paw on you because she needs something.<\/p>\n This could be her way of telling you she needs to go outside, she needs you to get her ball from underneath the couch, or she needs you to remove the burr that is stuck within her paw.<\/p>\n Depending on your own personal preferences and whether you find it acceptable that your pup is asking for certain things by placing a paw on you, you can choose to provide your pup with what she is asking for or you can instead teach her to ask in another manner that you find more acceptable than placing a paw on you.<\/p>\n If your German Shepherd becomes accustomed to asking for and getting what she wants by placing a paw on you, then it\u2019s likely she\u2019ll continue doing it whenever she needs something, and this could become quite annoying over time.<\/p>\n Be mindful of when you are rewarding the pawing, or perhaps teach your pup another way of requesting something from you that doesn\u2019t involve pawing at you.<\/p>\n7 Reasons Why Your German Shepherd Puts His Paw On You<\/h2>\n
Reason #1: He Wants Attention<\/h3>\n
Reason #2: She Needs Something<\/h3>\n
Reason #3: He\u2019s Reminding You Of Something<\/h3>\n