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Sit on you

Why Do Boxer Dogs Sit on Each Other? Or Sit on You!

Owners with more than one Boxer may see this behavior. And even owners of 1 Boxer may see their puppy or dog sit on another dog. Why do they do this?

Some owners assume that this is an issue of showing dominance over another dog; however in many cases this is not true. In multi-dog households, where all dogs get along with each other, Boxers that pile up on top of each other or Boxers that take turns sitting on each other are simply displaying a packing behavior. We're in the same pack? Great! Let's pile up!
Puppies in a litter will pile up on top of each other for both warmth and security. This instinct will reemerge if a puppy transitions to a multiple dog household.

This is most common when the puppies or even adult dogs are resting. One found a great spot to rest? Awesome, I'm coming in too! It is not uncommon for a Boxer to wiggle around and find just the right spot to lump together with other dogs in the house. 

This behavior also confirms that the Boxer gets along very well with others of his kind and does well in a multi-dog household.  
Boxers sitting on each other
Boxers sitting on each other
Another off-shoot of this behavior is the 'sandwich' where Boxer dogs will sit on each other but also on their human. The owner is sitting on the sofa, 2 Boxers will come up, 1 on each side and squish, wiggle and press against him, essentially sandwiching him in place. Everyone in place? Okay, you watch TV while we rest in this very comfortable way! 

They have no clue that their human may not want to be wedged into place. He/she is part of the pack too! (And hopefully if you're training your dog correctly, he/she knows that the human IS at the top of the pack).

Some people worry that when a dog sits on an owner it means that the dog is displaying dominance over his human. This is rarely the case when a Boxer has been trained properly. Think of it this way, if you had a small dog such as a Pomeranian or Chihuahua and the dog came over to your sofa and plopped on your lap, you would think nothing of it. 

Well, the Boxer will do the same thing - his need for closeness and wanting to next to you does not depend on his physical size. 

When a dog feel relaxed and comfortable with his human pack leader, he wants to be included, he wants to be in close proximity and yes, he'll want to sit right up on you, even if he is a 50 to 70 pound (22 to 31 kg) dog.

The only time that this would be an issue is if a Boxer dog attempts to sit on a young child that is small enough to be harmed or smothered by this action.

When you consider the pack and leadership ranking in a household with both children and dogs, things can become a bit tricky. Is the dog a sibling of the child? (Same ranking in the pack) or is the child to be considered a leader (Alpha to the dog)?
For the household to run smoothly, while we expect our Boxers to defend and protect our children, all humans including young children, should be seen as leaders. 

This can be accomplished by allowing a child to take part in feeding the dog, giving the "sit" command before any treat or meal is given and including your child in all training including housebreaking, heeling and commands. 

As with all rank training, all humans including children, should enter and exit the house first, followed by the puppy or dog.

With this said, 99.9 percent of Boxers are very conscious of a child's size and will not physical overpower him or her. Snuggling and taking over the bed, however, is a different matter!

In regard to sitting on other dogs (those not in the house), this can be for different reasons. In some cases, it IS a sign of dominance.

But in other cases, once dogs have done the "canine hello" it can be a form of play. As long as there is no growling involved or baring of the teeth, there is no reason to step in (unless the other owner is concerned). After all, dogs will be dogs and when 2 or more dogs meet, even they themselves are not content until it is agreed who the top dog is.
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