Seat-Stealing as a Sign of Affection Today, dogs—now fully domestic animals—see their human companions as their safety. Your scent is familiar, so your dog knows instinctively that any place you've been must be familiar and safe, too.
Affection
One reason your dog might steal your spot is out of love and respect. He or she may just want to soak up your warmth and smell or hope to cuddle with you when you come back. Dogs are pack animals, so they enjoy sleeping in warm piles with their family. Your dog may just be trying to accomplish that.
It is probably a sign of her affection for you and her attempt to claim you in case another dog should come by. Lastly, she could do it to keep herself entertained. Digging is a behavior trait encoded in canine DNA meaning they feel the need to dig and it satisfies them to do so.
Dogs who follow you to the bathroom
As their owner, you are the one who meets most of their needs, including for affection, so following is a sign of this attachment. They may also be waiting for routines they enjoy such as a walk or dinner time.
This desire to have a hiding spot is said to have come from their ancestors who, as wild animals, would rest or hide in a den. It's the reason crate training can work so well for dogs.
Dogs Prefer Adults — Particularly Women
A dog's preference for one person — or type of person — over another has a great deal to do with socialization. Dogs don't, as a rule, dislike men, but most dogs are cared for by women, and are thus more comfortable around them.
If your dog does this, it means they trust you. And, if they keep their bum toward your face, it shows that you make them feel safe. Your dog also wants to keep you safe and secure, which is why they plant their rumps where they do. This allows them to monitor the entire room and be ready for action if it's warranted.
Guarding – Your dog adores you and wants nothing more than to make sure you are safe. This unconditional devotion can mean that they need to be there in order to protect you from outside threats (not like there is any likelihood of someone lurking in the bathroom, but hey, anything can happen).
You may have heard the myth that when a dog sits or lies on top of your feet that he is trying to dominate you. But nothing could be further from the truth. Many dogs form a strong bond with their owners. Wherever the owner goes, the dog follows.
To mark territory – Like cats and many other four-legged creatures, dogs have scent glands on the bottom of their feet, which secrete a distinct pheromone. Scratching at something can be a way for your dog to show others they have marked a bed as their own.
If your dog follows you everywhere then it's a sign that they trust and love you and that you make them feel safe. Following you very closely can be a sign that they're bored, they want something, they're feeling scared or are just being nosy.
For most dogs, the behavior is a positive, pack-oriented behavior. Not only does your dog like you and feel comforted by your smell (so they want to be right in the spot that you were in for maximum scent enjoyment), but they're also guarding your spot and protecting the “den” that you just occupied.
When you scratch your pet's tummy and hit this spot, these nerves get activated and send a message to the hind leg, via the spinal cord, to start kicking in an attempt to dislodge the source of irritation. This doesn't necessarily mean your dog doesn't enjoy the sensation of being scratched in that spot.
Licking is a natural and instinctive behaviour to dogs. For them it's a way of grooming, bonding, and expressing themselves. Your dog may lick you to say they love you, to get your attention, to help soothe themselves if they're stressed, to show empathy or because you taste good to them!
Like their human counterparts, dogs develop favorite people over time based on positive experiences and positive associations with that person. Some people use tasty treats and other rewards to create strong bonds with pets, but the best way to build a healthy relationship with your dog is through play.
According to Svartberg's data (PDF), a pinscher, a Bernese mountain dog, or an English springer spaniel might be the most disloyal since each ranks very low on playfulness, with moderate sociability.
Known as “Velcro Dogs,” Aussies may form an almost fanatical attachment to their family. This can lead to his mistrust of, and misbehavior toward, strangers.
Your scent is familiar, so your dog knows instinctively that any place you've been must be familiar and safe, too. It's the same reason why dogs are keen to sleep in our beds, ride in our cars, and lounge on our furniture and in our laps.
Once you bring a dog into your home, you become part of their pack. They enjoy sleeping with you because it makes them feel safe and comfortable. Sleeping together gives dogs an emotional connection to their owners. Dogs feel love and gratitude towards you, just like you feel towards them.