Why Do Dogs Bring You Their Bones

It is four in the afternoon and you are relaxing at home with your friend. Your dog is relaxing on his bed, chewing on a bone. You both seem to be enjoying this nice afternoon when your dog gets up and brings you his bone. He drops it at your feet and you don’t react. He then proceeds to pick it up again and place it in your lap. You think it’s adorable that he is bringing you his bone, but you have absolutely no idea how you can help him. Understanding the behavior of our pets can help us better interact with them on a daily basis. 

When dogs are chewing on their bone, they will usually want to protect and hide it from all who are around or they will want to share it with you. If they want to share it with you, there is a good reason for why they are doing it. The first reason is for praise. If you have previously seen your dog walking around with a bone, you may have thought it was adorable and rewarded him with loving attention. Now, your dog knows that if he brings his bone to you, you may react the same way and reward him with your love and attention. It is a call for love. In this, your dog is also wanting to interact with you. Your dog may also bring his bone to you so you will spend time with him and play. His bone is a toy and a treat and if he gives it to you, it is a simple form of communication where he is asking for playtime. It is suggested that you interact with your dog during this time because he or she will begin to trust you more. There are other reasons why your dog brings his bone to you, as well, and every dog has a different reason for doing it. Some dogs just love to share their possessions with their family. This displays the ultimate form of respect, welcoming of socialization, and safety. This action is the best way your dog can display his love for you. Dogs will also use your lap as a form of support for chewing their bone. Sometimes, they will chew it in your lap because your body acts as a form of support. Either way, this action is nothing to fear, unless your dog becomes possessive in the act bringing you his bone.

If your dog brings his bone to you, there are obvious reasons as to why. As a pet owner, you must decide if you like letting him bring it to you all of the time. For the most part, there is not a huge reason to not encourage your dog’s behavior of interacting with you. If you feel like your dog is bringing you his bone for attention, it may be best to set boundaries with him and ignore his tendency, at times, when he brings you his treat. You can also show your dog where to chew his bone, so he doesn't constantly bring it to your lap or use your body as a support cushion. Yet, most times, your dog is showing you the ultimate compliment when he brings you his bone. He absolutely loves and adores you. If you don’t mind him constantly bringing you his bone, then you should let your dog bring his treat to you. It is a way he is communicating his feelings. If you feel like his habit of dropping his bone in your lap is bothersome or is an issue, you may want to change the way you interact with him and teach him to not bring you his bone. 

If your dog is constantly bringing you their bone and you don’t like it, you may want to look at the behavior and decide why they are doing it. A common issue with this behavior is leadership roles and attention-seeking. Your dog might be displaying fellowship to you or they may be showing you their power role. If you feel it is necessary, you can help your dog understand that you are their leader and you will play with them at times, but they cannot always drop their bone in your lap. If you want them to continue this behavior, it is suggested to give gratitude and if not, you can set proper boundaries. Yet, this common behavior is nothing short of normal and most dogs love to do it to interact with their owners. 

Dogs are beautiful creatures who love to play and interact with their owners. They look up to their owners for anything and everything. Whether they choose to give you their bone to receive attention, show you love, or ask for play, it is still a harmless action. Once in a while, it won’t hurt to interact with your dog in this way, even if your lap is covered with slobber from their bone.