Why Are Some Dogs Protective When Owners are Making Out?

You are on the couch with your new boyfriend when things are getting quite romantic. The movie you were watching together is no longer relevant, and the bowl of pop-corn is put aside. Suddenly, every thing disappears and it is just about you and your loved one. You start kissing, and just as eating the most delectable chocolates, one leads to another, until suddenly you feel a slimy tongue licking and your dog literally wedges in between you.

''Oh, Rover! Go back to your place! Stupid dog!'' you claim.

''Where were we?''

Shortly after, the scene repeats, and you end up closing your dog in his crate or in another room. Your boyfriend starts questioning you what is the problem with him, and you both assume he is probably jealous.

Anthropomorphism is the term used to depict giving animals human qualities. While dogs may appear to be jealous when they get in between two lovers, in reality there are other more likely motives behind such behaviors. Following are a few more likely suppositions:

• ''Splitting'' To Calm Down

Some dogs may not feel comfortable watching you kiss and feel the need to intervene, by wedging his way between you. Turid Rugass, a Norwegian dog expert author of a great book I highly recommend to all dog owners called ''On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals'' reports that dogs tend to wedge themselves in between dogs that appear to be in conflict is an effort to calm the two parties.

In the dog world, dogs do not kiss, so they may have a hard time clearly understanding what is going on. They may have a hard time in particular if the kissing is more on the passionate side ;) and may interpret it as something confrontational going on between you two.. Wedging in between you therefore may be his way to ''calm you down'' and return order. This may likely be what is happening if he is distinctly placing his body in between you.

• Attention Seeking Behaviors

Some dogs are plain and simple attention seekers. They notice something interesting is going on and they want to be part of it. In this case, you may likely find your dog joining in licking you and wagging its tails or barking. These dogs are therefore looking to get their dose of attention, sort of like when some dogs become pushy when you are on the phone or ignoring them. They just want to be part of the fun!

• Plain Old Curiosity

If the house was dead quiet prior, and now you are kissing making smacking noises, you will certainly be attracting your dog's behavior. Your dog may have been laying down and pricked up his ears and decided to check up on you. Your smacking noises may have also been interpreted as a way to call him, if you usually use those types of noises to get his attention.

• Protective Natures

Some dogs may act protective and be wary when somebody approaches their favorite owner, but generally this would cause some barking or perhaps growling. Many times though, dogs are perceived to be protective when in reality they are simply insecure and anxious.

Dogs do best if when they are told not to do something, they are given an alternate behavior to engage in. So let's say you want your dog to stop putting himself in between you or barking at you, you should teach the ''off command'' where theoretically you are claiming your space and telling the dog to move away. Here is how to teach it:

Get up from the couch and move into the dog's space, standing tall and moving forward. If you want to make it more relevant you can also swing your arm in the direction where you want your dog to go. Don't be afraid to do this, dogs in nature do this all the time. You will see dogs push other dogs out of the way and wedge their way between groups of dogs without having to say ''excuse me''. When you do this your dog will likely back away and leave.

Do this repeatedly and then once your dog starts getting the message, add the cue ''off''. This will be the command that means ''move away''. So say ''off' and then move into the dog's space sending him away.After some repetitions, your dog should start getting the message and moving away upon hearing ''off'' even before you get up.

Now, your dog will have learned to not bother you and use an alternate behavior which is to move away. If you want to kick this up a notch, you can teach your dog to ''go to your place''. Place a rug far from you and prepare a stuffed Kong. Say ''off'' and toss the Kong on the rug. When your dog goes on the rug and gets the Kong say ''good boy''. After several repetitions, after saying ''off'' add the cue ''go to your place''. Your dog will then learn what ''go to your place ''means. This way you are chaining two behaviors ''off'' and go to your place''. If you stuff the Kong very well, chances are he will be distracted by it, allowing you to finally share together some time alone.