Why Does My German Shepherd Lean on Me?

German Shepherds might be tough and big dogs, but they are still known to be very affectionate and loving. 

You might be wondering what it means when you see your dog leaning on you and what it might mean they need from you. 

Knowing your dog’s behavior and habits will allow you to know them better and be able to communicate more with them. 

Why Does My German Shepherd Lean on Me?

Your German Shepherd leaning on you is a common sign that they are showing love and affection. They might also lean on you when they are seeking attention or want to be pet. Some German Shepherds might also lean on you when they are scared or want to be close to you for comfort. 

Trying to figure out exactly why your German Shepherd is leaning on you will mean you need to analyze the situation and see why they might want to be close to you.

Sometimes it can be hard to know why they are leaning on you, but it’s almost always a good sign. 

Why Does My German Shepherd Lean on Me?

Your German Shepherd leaning on you usually means they want to show you love and affection. They might also be looking to snuggle or be close to you. 

This gesture also means they trust you and they want to seek comfort in you. 

German Shepherds are also more likely to lean on you because they want to snuggle since they are too big to sit on your lap or be held like smaller dogs. 

Your dog might also run to you and try to lean on you if they are scared. 

This might happen if they hear a loud noise or there is a commotion in the house that has frightened them. 

Your German Shepherd might also lean on you when they are feeling sleepy because they want to nap close to you. 

If your German Shepherd wants to lean on you, you should always let them because it means they want to be close to you. 

You might also want to consider petting them and rubbing them if they are leaning on you because it usually means they want to love and snuggle. 

How Do I Know If My German Shepherd Likes Me? 

Every dog owner worries if their dog loves them because they want to make sure their dog feels comfortable and safe in their home. 

As discussed above, your German Shepherd will spend a lot of time leaning on you to show they trust you and want to be close to you. 

However, just because your dog doesn’t lean on you doesn’t mean they don’t love you.

There are plenty of ways dogs show affection. Some dogs will show affection in different ways while your dog might choose one way and only show it like that. 

Besides leaning on you, there are other common ways a German Shepherd will show love and affection. 

They Want Belly Rubs 

German Shepherds love belly rubs and they always want to ask their favorite person to give them it.

They might come up to you and lay on your back to ask for belly rubs and affection. If you don’t give them enough belly rubs and attention, they might even come up to you pawing at you as you sit or lay down. 

This might seem demanding and annoying if you are busy and working, but it’s just their way of asking for love and attention. 

Make sure you spend some time every day scratching and rubbing them, so they know you love them and want to give them affection. 

They’re Happy to See You 

Your German Shepherd will almost always be happy to see you when you get home after running errands or being at work all day. 

German Shepherds might get excited and jump on you they might try to lick your face. 

Whining and tail wagging are also common when you come home, and they are so excited to see you. 

Some German Shepherds might even do this if you’ve only been gone for a few minutes because they want to be close to you and they hate when you leave. 

They Make Eye Contact 

Many studies done on dogs have shown that they maintain eye contact with their owners to show comfort and respect. 

Most dogs will not maintain eye contact for long, but they will look at you directly in the eyes to show love and affection. 

When you see your German Shepherd gazing at you intently, it means they love you, and looking at you makes them feel safe and good. 

They Always Want to Play 

German Shepherds might bring you their favorite toy or they might even bring you a leash to try and tell you that they want to go for a walk.

This shows they want to spend time with you and make sure you know they want to be close to you. 

It’s not always possible to play with your dog whenever they want, but make sure you are carving out time every day to at least spend 30 minutes a day playing with your dog. 

This will show your dog that you want to spend time with them and that you love them. 

They Raise Their Eyebrows

This might seem like a strange one, but German Shepherds are often seen raising one eyebrow when they are looking at someone they love. 

They are most seen raising the left one, but raising either one can be a sign of love and affection. 

Research has also shown that raising them high means they have more affection and love for you. 

They Want to Cuddle or Snuggle 

Some German Shepherds want to do more than just lean on you as they might want to be held or cuddle. 

Some big dogs think they are small, and they want to be on top of you or sit near you.

If you allow your dog to sleep in the bed with you, you might also see them trying to cuddle with you while they are sleeping. 

Instead of really cuddling, some dogs will just want to sit next to you and be close to you. 

They might also want cuddles and rubs when they are sitting next to you. 

They Want to Lick You 

Since German Shepherds are puppies, they lick people and animals to show love. 

Puppies will even lick their mother’s mouth to show they want to be fed and are hungry. 

This is why they might always want to lick your mouth as they associate licking mouths with being cared for. 

Dogs also use their mouths and noses as a way of communicating. 

As it’s the most sensitive part of their body, they can collect a lot of information about where you have been and who you have been with. 

They might use their mouth to try and communicate with you to process information. 

While some dog owners might not want their dog to lick their faces, it only means they are showing love and affection. 

If you don’t want them licking their face, try to redirect their kisses to our hand or to a toy or bone. 

Don’t ever punish them for licking faces as it might make them afraid to show you love and affection in the future. 

They Like to Be Close to You 

Some German Shepherds have very protective instincts. 

This means they might want to follow you around everywhere and want to be close to you throughout the day. 

This might be especially true if you aren’t home often as they could have some separation anxiety. 

This shows they are bonded to you, and they want to know where you are so they can protect you and show you, love.

This also means they associate being around you with good feelings and they want to be in your presence as much as possible. 

Final Thoughts 

Your German Shepherd leaning on you is a good sign because it means they want comfort and affection from you. 

Leaning on you might also mean they want rubs or scratches. 

This is a good behavior to encourage because it means they will learn to seek comfort and affection from you as you want them to do so they know you love them and want to be close to them as well. 

Along with a sign of affection, they might also lean on you when they are scared or need comfort. 

If you think they need comfort, make sure you pet them and soothe them, so they know you are there for them in their time of need. 

Even though leaning on you is a common sign of affection, it’s not the only one. 

Your dog might also try and lick your face or follow you around you everywhere. 

Although some signs of affection can be annoying, always try to encourage them so our dog learns to trust you and rely on you.