Does your dog like to nudge you with his nose?
If you found yourself wondering what this means, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we will talk about why a dog nudges you with his nose.
Why Does A Dog Nudge You with His Nose?
Dog Nudgingis a form of communication and means that a dog wants something. Dogs do this for attention and what they may want is food, protection, friendship, cuddles, or love. As always, assess the situation and understand the context first to get where your furry friend is coming from.
Listed below are some possible reasons to help you identify what this behavior means.
Why a Dog Nudges You With His Nose
The meaning of why Dogs are nudging you with their noses
Directing You to a Certain Spot
Dogs may nudge you to direct you to a specific spot
One of the most obvious signs of a nudge from your dog is that it is guiding you in a certain direction. This is common among dogs that are bred for herding.
The nudging is their way of guiding their herd, in this case— their humans.
Showing Affection
A dog nudges you for affection
There are many ways dogs can show you they love you.
One of these is by nudging you.
You will know this is the case if he does this randomly and when he rubs his nose into you.
A Greeting
A dog wants to greet you with his nose
Dogs get very excited when they see you come back from work or school. Aside from their wagging tails, they may nudge you.
This is their way of greeting, perhaps saying: “Hi, it’s good to see you again”.
Request for Something
A nudge can be a sign that the dog wants something
Dogs will nudge you or push an object to you to show you what it wants. The action could be an invitation to play if he pushes a toy towards you.
If you see your dog nudging an empty bowl in your direction, this is your cue to feed him or give him more.
A dog that nudges you by placing his face close to yours is a dog that needs your care and attention.
A Sign of Submission
Dog nudges can be a sign of submissiveness
Dogs tend to be submissive to those who they trust. They can show their submission by nudging you on the hip or face area.
Your fur babies may also do this towards other dogs. They will prod their noses in the other dog’s mouth and nose area.
By doing this, they recognize that the other dog is superior. It can also mean that they are trying to be friendly to the other canine.
A Sign of Aggression
When a dog is aggressive he might use nudging to exert control
In some cases, the nudging can be undesirable especially if it becomes an act of defiance, to exert control over you.
You will notice this when the nudging becomes too much just so your dog can get what he wants.
This may be accompanied by excessive barking that is usually unnecessary.
Once this happens, it is important not to reinforce them.
These behaviors need to be corrected immediately by training them. You may want to enlist the help of a professional trainer for this.
A Reminder
A dog want to remind you of something
Dogs like to be on schedule. Sometimes we might be overwhelmed with work that we tend to overlook their routine.
When this happens, your dog will nudge you to remind you about it. Maybe your dog wants to tell you that it is time for his walk or it is time to relieve himself.
Sign of Fear
A sign of fear
Your doggo may nudge you because he is fearful of something. Try to observe when he nudges.
If you notice that he does this during certain situations like when there is an animal that he feels threatened by or when there are loud noises, he is likely telling you that he is scared.
What to Do When Nudging Becomes Bothersome?
Nudging, while sometimes cute can be irritating especially if it becomes too much. It might be that it already distracts you from your chores and work.
When this happens, here are some ways you can do to address it.
Do Not Reinforce It
Your fur baby is easily conditioned. He may nudge you because he learned that doing this will result in you rewarding him.
It might be that he nudged you one time and to stop him from bothering you, you gave him a treat.
He learned to associate nudging with receiving treats. To reverse this, you may want to avoid giving him rewards the next time he nudges you.
Plan a Routine You Can Stick On
Choose a schedule that will work for you and your dog. When he knows the exact time for food or a walk, he will be less likely to remind you about it.
Of course, it is important that you stick to it. Dogs like routine. And when they cannot adhere to them, they may act in undesirable ways.
Limit Exposure to His Triggers of Anxiety
Of course, you do not want your dogs to be anxious. It might cause health problems and it can also be bothersome if they behave in disruptive ways just to cope with it.
That is why it is important to avoid reasons that cause your dog anxiety.
You may want to be sure that all his needs are taken care of before leaving him for a long time.
Also, try to limit sources of loud sounds. If you notice the nudging happens in the presence of an animal, it may be best for him to be separated from it.
A dogs’ body language, while sometimes head-scratching, is fascinating.
They boop you with their noses because this is the only way they know how to express their needs.
Nudging can be caused by a lot of reasons. It is important to understand the context of the behavior.
Identify the preceding situation that happened when he first nudged you. If the nudging is out of nowhere, check your surroundings.
Of course, assess the body language. If he shows signs of anxiety, then it is very likely that nudging is the reaction of being fearful of something.
And if your dog looks excited, then he might just b playful or is trying to remind you of something.
If you find the nudging of your dog irksome, you can train your dogs to stop it. After all, your furry pets tend to be fast learners.