regarding  "putting a paw on the back of another dog" after the greeting sniffing etc, (which i take as in invite to play, but I am open to other interpretations!) is this a behaviour that dogs grow out of? (hes 3 and a half now) its usually met with dissaproval and then he stops(usually)

It is a very confident gesture, somewhat dominant, though often found when playing I would watch this as it may be considered rude and pushy by other dogs.

What breed is it, as the paw swipe is used by my breed a lot when playing as well as hind leg grabbing (with dogs they live with or know exceedingly well I hasten to add).

yes, i do have to watch him, he can be very over the top,but also can meet dogs very politely, just depends on the demeanour of the other dog as to wether he tries it on or not, so his doggie meetings are carefully managed. no chance of him mellowing with age then.....:rolleyes: ( he is a GSD, too big for most dogs to want to play with anyway).

I'd take it as a sign of dominance, or at least a sign that he won't be pushed around. I'm no expert, but I'd think that anything that elevates his body posture above the other dog is the same.

Dawn R.

This form of "greeting" or dominance establishment became a real problem for me with my previous ESS and my current Lab who both developed back problems in their old age.  I was/am terrified the "paw on back" from such a big dog would hurt them.  I hate to prevent my dog from having normal doggy encounters but now I am quite active in dissuading such dogs, particularly big, unknown, loose dogs from coming anywhere near mine.  I know this is not exactly what you asked but I bet you get the same reaction some times.

Hi morgan,

I'm with Brainless on this one - in my own group it's an invitation to play and much fun ensues however they do not greet dogs outwith their own pack in this manner as it's too pushy and forward.   Occasionally my youngest will put a paw on the back of a similarly aged friendly dog that she knows regularly from our walks but each seems to know the boundaries hence that form of invitation is given by either one.  

I'd view it as overly bolshy behaviour if any of my adults had ever behaved that way with a strange dog (or vice versa).

HTH, regards Teri :)

My dogs do this to each other as an invitation/gesture that they want to rough house, never do it to dogs with whom they're not intimate. 

Whilst they will accept this behaviour from close acquaintences they both see this as extremely provocative from others and and react according to the age of the other dog ie: puppy - tell it that this is not acceptable - whilst a contemporary will be growled/air snapped at.

I entirely agree with brainless. This is a gesture that says 'I want to play, but I want to be the leader of the gang'.

my dog does this often, when i walk around in the kitchen she follows me with a toy in her mouth or not and grabs my ankles/feet with her paws and tries to grab me, i take it as pushy dominance, demanding attention! she does this also when playing tuggy, she lifts her leg up and pushes it on top of my hand.

I'm not sure it's that friendly a gesture. The "play-bow "invites play, but I think this is an attempt to show dominance.

My Kerry Blue dog is quite happy to play with others, but if any other  dog starts the meeting with the paw on the back he will immediately indicate displeasure and growl.

All mine do it within their breed, from the oldest to the youngest to us its just part of the initiation to play.

They all whack us with a sly paw to get us to play fight :D

My dog will do it if she is happy with the other dog so it's usually to dogs she knows well :)

She doesn't do it to strange dogs.

Lindsay
x

A little story......

A while ago my golden and my friends lab we're yapping/playing/causing havoc in the dining room when I decided to call them over for a treat. Henry (lab) sat immediately in front of me waiting for the treat, whilst Roxy still fired up, yapped constantly. Since I was waiting for both to be quiet and Roxy wasn't complying Henry looked a Roxy and placed a paw on her head. Roxy shut up and they both got the treat. V funny.

Lol :D That reminds me of something my two did recently...

My boy had hiccups which confused my younger dog as I don't think she'd seen/heard him hiccup before. Shay (my boy) was lying on his cushion on the floor and Lola was sitting in front of him, cocking her head from side to side each time he hiccuped. When she got bored of Shay's hiccups as a form of entertainment and raised her paw and bopped him on the head. His hiccups stopped.  She continued to sit and watch him for a minute or so and, satisfied that she had indeed cured him, walked off with a look on her face that said 'job done...anyone else need me to do anything for them...?' :)

Esp with a GSD (I have 2) it is an invitation to play, but with a little 'cockiness' thrown in. It often happens when other invitations to play don't work - it seems to be like a prod from a child that's being ignored. My boy of 17months will do this with my other GSD and occasionally other dogs if they're giving out the right signals. Shepherds are very 'footy' dogs all round really:rolleyes: I love em
Kat

It often happens when other invitations to play don't work - it seems to be like a prod from a child that's being ignored.

Thats exactly how every one of mine are, well put.

Yes I agree as Moose just it for attention :D

Dudley also uses her right paw held out as a greeting gesture

Think it can happen for a number of reasons and you need to watch what else is going on as well....

Fr'instance...

Rocky will run up to a strange dog, sniff, and then he will paw on shoulder/back and go quite stiff, slow tailwag...

This is from him a testing thing, he wants to know if that dog will submit straight away, if it does so and does it in an over the top 'woe is me dont kill me i am a pathetic little flower'...... he'll kick its ass.
If it shrugs the gesture off but is polite he will be nice.
If it tries to do it back or objects strongly again he will kick its ass.

(as a result he isnt allowed to meet strange dogs!).

Other dogs will do this as a slightly over the top method of seeing who is fun, who is mean, who is boring etc, with no serious interest in 'status' at all.

That said, i have yet to see a very submissive meek sort of a dog do it to a strange dog.

Em

my dog hates it when other dogs do it to her.  if a dog does it to her she will roll her eyes and snap her teeth at them to tell them to get lost.  It's like she's saying don't mess with this b**ch. Although if the same dogs approaches her without using paws on backs she will play quite happily with them.