“If you notice your dog leaning gently against another or leaning against you, that’s a sign of caring or deferring to the other animal or yourself. Listen closely to his actions speaking, “I love and trust you. You are my friend.” He’s having a tender hearted moment. Show him you care. This is great bonding time. Don’t miss out on it”
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“When a dog is constantly leaning on you, putting his paw on you, using his nose to make you pet him, and always feeling the need to be touching you in some way, this is not your dog loving you, it is your dog displaying dominate behaviors. In the dog world, space is respect. A dog who is constantly nudging you and leaning on you, is not only disrespecting you, they are being the alpha dog.”
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” Dogs are very tactile and don’t always respect personal space. It’s common for them to lean against people’s legs. Dogs who merely lean, as opposed to a cat-like rubbing back and forth, may be attempting to expand their personal space by taking over yours. Conversely, some dogs lean to express an affectionate kind of possession, or to prevent you from going somewhere else. If your dog rubs against your legs, he is probably just trying to scratch a hard-to-reach spot.”
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“Depending upon the individual dog’s character, temperament, and his owner’s pack leadership skills, it could be interpreted as plain affection, OR, it could be a sign of dominance”
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“Over the years I have heard just about every look or movement from a dog described as dominance. A dog walks ahead of you: he is being dominant. He gets up on the couch: he is being dominant. A dog growls: he is being dominant. A dog jumps up on you: he is being dominant. Or a dog’s tail goes up and he too is being dominant. And on and on.
Thinking about dogs as either submissive or dominant is extremely simplistic, is it not? What follows is that dogs have two modes of being, dominant or submissive. This is a very black and white way to view such a wonderful and complex creature as the dog.
A dog leaning against a person might mean that he’d like a chest or belly rub if you’d be so kind, or that he is seeking warmth. Or it could mean that he is afraid and the contact with you gives him comfort or reassurance. It could just be the behavior of a dog who likes physical contact, a friendly sort of behavior. Or a dog might be unsettled or stressed and wants to make sure he knows where you are. Another possibility is that a dog might want to control the movement of the person he is leaning against. “
Exactly, too many "dog experts" here try to read too much into a few photos without even actually ever knowing the family or the dog. And, while I concur with DieHard the Hunter in part about his trepidation about controlling dog dominance, I really believe it is a stretch to assume every situation in the photos as a dog being dominant.
Dogs hold the lone distinction in the animal kingdom of being the longest domesticated animal by humankind--they are used by police, by the military, as search and rescuers, as service dogs for the deaf and blind, as therapy dogs (even some "Dog of Peace," DieHard) and as family pets.