Behold the undeniable dignity of the Queen of Niskayuna:
I've heard a bunch of different people give sort of pop-science explanations of what dogs are really doing in various circumstances-- sort of a canine version of evolutionary psychology. According to this theory, lots of the cute things that dogs do are actually evolved behaviors that play a crucial role in communication within dog packs.
I've always sort of wondered what the dog thinks she's doing when she flops over to have her belly rubbed. Is this some ingrained pack-bonding response, or is it just that belly rubs feel good?
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In packs, the position generally is submissive - "I'm defeated," really. But since your dog probably doesn't feel that way, I'd go with the latter explanation that belly rubs just feel good.
I interpret it as a learned sublimation of the surrender posture -- that is, she's learned that when she "does" a surrender, she gets rewarded with caresses. Even so, I bet who she's willing to "surrender" to, will depend on how comfortable she is with the person and the situation. At home, with her master(s) in sight, she'll have a lot of confidence and trust. If she's among strangers (human or canine), or in an unknown place, or there are scary noises, I bet she'll be much less willing to take that posture.
Addendum: Which, or how many, of the above or other factors it takes to make a given dog "nervous", will depend on their prior experiences, but also a good deal on their native temperament and intelligence.
When cats do that, however, they mean "I'm adding four sharp paws to the teeth." I've only had one cat who loved belly rubs and it was probably because it helped his colon condition, poor thing.
Is this some ingrained pack-bonding response, or is it just that belly rubs feel good?
This is not necessarily an "or" situation...
Ah, well - like most things it probably depends on the dog - or the cat. I've had several cats who would run in front of me and suddenly flop down. Only two wanted belly rubs after. The one I have now loves belly rubs - but she's a mellow and affectionate beast who also loves sleeping on my chest and being carried around upside down.. err, with her spine on my arms, not her head dangling. That would probably put her off a bit.
With dogs I tend to think it is a combination of submission and affection - that it, admitting you're the boss earns them the physical affection they crave.
If they're wiggling, I bet they're rubbing their backs as well. That is what horses do, and they're not looking for a belly rub. If you approach them, almost all will get up, sensing the vulnerability of their position.
If they're wiggling, I bet they're rubbing their backs as well.
She does that, too. She particularly likes it when you rub her belly while she writhes around on the floor rubbing her back at the same time.
I don't believe it is submissive behavior. There are plenty of other postures for that. The tail down, the head bowed and a diminshment of size. Rather I believe it is an expression of trust. Most dogs are ever alert and rarely let their guard down.
A dog needs to be comfortable with his environment before he will posture himself in such a vulnerable position. Belly rubs optional.