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In a perfect world you’d be able to simply ask your australian shepherd why they’re sitting on you so much. But unfortunately you don’t speak bark and they don’t speak english (outside of a few words like walk and treat of course).
Which means there are many potential reasons why your aussie is sitting on you.
Why Does My Australian Shepherd Sit On Me:
Many australian shepherds sit on their owner because they’ve unintentionally been trained to. Ever since they were a young puppy, whenever they sat on you they’ve received praise and affection. Now they want to continue sitting on you to keep getting this kind of attention.
In this post you’ll discover:
- 9 real reasons why your australian shepherd sits on you
- When your aussie sitting on you is something to worry about
- 5 tips to help stop your australian shepherd from sitting on you (Tip #1 is the most effective!)
- And much more
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
9 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Sit On You
1) Wanting Attention
A common reason why your australian shepherd sits on you is because they want attention.
Whether they feel it’s been too long since you last played with them, they’re bored of playing with their toys or if they want to be let outside so they can run around.
If your aussie wants your attention there are many different ways they’ll try to get your attention.
And sitting on you is definitely one of them.
Related Reading: 14 Real Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Wiggle
2) Unintentionally Trained To
If everytime in the past when your australian shepherd sat on you, you started giving them love and attention, they’ll want to keep doing it.
By simply embracing them, petting them or giving them kisses when they sit on you, you’ve been unintentionally training them to continue to do it.
Now they think sitting on you is good behavior that will always get rewarded.
Even if they aren’t the small lap dog they once were when they were a puppy, they’ve learned over the course of months, or even years, that sitting you gets them rewarded.
And rewarded with the one thing they really care about, your attention.
3) Spreading Their Scent
Your aussie uses their scent to communicate.
They could be using their scent in this situation to communicate with you or with other dogs.
If it’s with other dogs, your australian shepherd will sit on you or rub themselves on you to spread their scent as a way of telling other dogs that you’re their territory.
If they sit on you when other dogs are around or when you were previously just with other dogs, this could be why they’re sitting on you.
As for how spreading scent is a way for your aussie to communicate with you, they’re probably trying to tell you that this is their spot.
If they rest where you’re sitting for most of the day while you’re away at work they might grow to feel it’s their spot.
And when you come home and sit in it, you’re stealing their comfy spot!
4) Dominance
Sometimes when your australian shepherd sits on you it can also be a way for them to show dominance.
For instance, if there are any new pets in your home or you’ve recently brought home a baby that they’re slowly warming up to, sitting on your lap could be their way of demonstrating they’re in charge.
Think of your lap as a royal throne.
He or she who sits there is the ruler of the land and should be seen as a respected authority/leader.
While this can be a silly gesture that doesn’t escalate any further..
It can also turn into a more serious situation if they start behaving aggressively when anyone comes close while they’re sitting on you.
If this is the case, it’s of course important to discourage the behavior.
5) To Give Comfort
Did you know that dogs can smell your emotions?
And they will often change how they’re currently feeling based on what they sense you’re feeling?
If you’ve been feeling blue today, or in general lately, your australian shepherd might be sitting on you as a way to comfort you as well as themselves.
Because you’re the leader of the pack, if they see or smell you feeling upset, they’ll trust your judgment and assume it’s the right way to feel right now.
Which means they’ll be interested in being comforted as well as comforting you.
6) Cuddle Time
After a long day of being home alone, your australian shepherd sits on you because they want to cuddle.
They’re tired of sitting by themselves and want to be as close to you as possible now that you’re home.
Also, physical contact between a dog and their owner has been proven to release ‘feel good’ hormones in both the dog and their owner.
Which means cuddle time with you simply makes them feel good.
So the more time sitting on you and being close, the better.
7) To Stop You From Getting Up
If your australian shepherd thinks you’re about to get up they might sit on you to keep you in place.
They’re nice and cozy lying next to you and don’t want you to ruin it by getting up.
So, they sit on you to keep you from budging.
A little bossy, a little clingy, but it’s all from a place of love.
8) To Feel Safe
Sometimes when your australian shepherd is feeling anxious or afraid, they may seek refuge in your lap.
Whether they’re a young pup or an adult, if they trust you to protect them they’ll sit on you to help them feel less worried about what’s bothering them.
They see you as their alpha/leader and know as long as they’re near you they’ll be safe.
So long as they don’t act aggressive because of their fear while sitting on you there’s nothing wrong with this behavior.
9) Female Dog In Heat
If your aussie is a female, she may be in heat which is causing her to act more clingy than usual and want to sit on you.
The first stage of being in her heat cycle can last anywhere from 3-17 days. But for many it’s roughly 9 days long.
And during this first stage of their heat cycle it’s normal to see her become more clingy with you.
Which could mean following you around more, whining for attention more, sitting at your feet more, and of course sitting on you.
5 Ways To Get Your Australian Shepherd To Sit On You Less
If you don’t want your pup to sit on you anymore (or not as much), here are a few ways you can get them to find another place to relax.
1) Don’t Reward Them
A surefire way to get your australian shepherd to stop sitting on you is to stop rewarding them when they do it.
Which can be challenging given you want to pet them and cuddle them whenever they’re close.
But the only way to get them to stop is to ignore them and demonstrate that this is not the way to get your attention.
If when they sit on you from now on they don’t get any pats, rubs or kisses, they’ll slowly learn that sitting on you doesn’t get them what they want.
More than likely they’ll paw and poke at you when they notice you aren’t giving them the attention you used to, but you have to be strong!
2) Give Them More Exercise
Increasing how much exercise your aussie gets on a daily basis can definitely help if they’re sitting on you for attention.
If your australian shepherd is often bored then they’ll do a variety of things to get you to pay attention to them.
When you give them more exercise you’re helping them get physical as well as mental stimulation that makes them more interested in resting as opposed to bugging you by plopping their bum on you.
3) Train Them Not To
If their sitting on you is starting to become a little much, training them is always an option.
Not giving them any reward when they sit on you, saying an ‘off’ command and then praising them once they’re on the floor again can help curb this behavior.
Training them can also help if they’re sitting on you for dominance reasons.
When you train your aussie you let them know that you’re the leader of the pack.
Which means they won’t feel the need to act dominantly because they know you’re the alpha.
Which means they understand they’re equal to all the other members of your family.
4) Give Them a Comfy Spot Of Their Own
Sometimes your pup will choose to sit on you because they don’t have a comfortable place of their own that they really enjoy resting on.
Which is why getting them their own bed or comfortable blanket to cuddle with can help reduce how often they choose to sit on you.
When they have a bed that they love sleeping on they may start to choose to rest on that instead.
Related Reading: Top 8 Best Beds for Australian Shepherds | Buyers Guide
5) Spend More Time With Them
Sometimes when life gets busy it’s the family pup that gets the short end of the stick when it comes to time spent with you.
They may even start to feel neglected which makes them act out in odd ways to get your attention.
It’s always important to remember to make time with your aussie to ensure they’re getting all the things they need to stay happy and healthy.
More quality 1-on-1 time could be exactly what your pup needs to help them stop being overly clingy.
Other posts you might find interesting:
12 Best Harnesses for Australian Shepherds
9 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Pace + 4 Helpful Tips
5 Surprising Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Smile
9 Reasons Australian Shepherds Howl + 4 Tips To Reduce It
Sources:
Dogs Smell Your Emotional State and It Affects Their Mood
Long-term stress levels are synchronized in dogs and their owners
