Why Does My Cane Corso Lean On me?

I’m here in my backyard with my dogs and as always when we are not actively doing something, Ares is leaning on my leg like this. That got me thinking, and I immediately did a little research. I finally got the answer to the question: Why does my Cane Corso lean on me?

Your Cane Corso leans on you because he wants to be close to you. Corsos are big guard dogs and it’s in their nature to stand close to us to make us feel safe or to get our attention. But it doesn’t mean that that’s the case every single time, there are other reasons and situations where your Cane Corso will lean on you.

Let’s take a look at the main reasons why.

Protection

The Cane Corso has a history that dates back to ancient Roman times. It has roots from the Roman war dog of the first century, called the Canis Pugnaces. Apart from war they were used as guard dogs as well, no thief in those times would have wished to find themselves engaged in a brawl with Cane Corso.

They had a long legacy as guardian dogs, and after the fall of the Roman Empire they continued their journey as farm dogs, keeping the stock and the family safe, again for many centuries. They learned to spend time and work beside their owners because they consider them as their leaders.

All those years engraved a strong sense of family protection in the Cane Corsos DNA. That may be one of the reasons why your loyal dog is leaning on you, to make you feel safe, and to protect you.

To be Close to You / Love

As we all already know, dogs want love! Many pet experts believe that dogs in general, no matter the breed, lean on you because they love you and seek your touch, and warmth just as we do with our loved ones.

It’s not just leaning, have you noticed then when your Corso jumps in bed with you, he always lays in a way where he will have at least some body part touching you. Or when he sits on you, or puts his paw on you.

Cane Corso is a large dog, they can’t be lifted and cuddled like a small dog, and they don’t expect to be, so they do what they can to snuggle as close to you as they can, and that is usually by leaning or sitting on you.

“Dogs lean because they want something: your attention, your affection, your comfort.”
Karen Reese, animal behavior manager at Operation Kindness

For Attention

It is not uncommon for a Cane Corso to lean on you when he wants your attention or something from you.
With my Ares, it’s often neck scratches, he loves neck scratches so much, and when he wants them he starts leaning on me, then turning his head to look at me and positioning himself to get them. If that doesn’t work he will start whining, imagine a male adult 60 kg Cane Corso whining for cuddles and scratches.

Anyway, here is a list of things he could want when he is trying to get your attention.

To play

Cane Corsos are known as one of the least barking breeds, really, they bark so rarely. Unlike other breeds who start barking and whining when they want you to entertain them, Cane Corsos tend to lean on you or “hit” you with their paws. It’s like a sing telling you, “Let’s get moving!”

He is Hungry

The most obvious thing our dogs are asking us for is food. So, your Corso will try to get your attention by leaning on you when it is hungry.

Again, Corsos are not the most vocal dogs, so they will politely tell you that they are hungry with some signals, and maybe, just maybe, a little whining.

Praises, Cuddles, Scratches

Obviously, these are all things dogs absolutely love, so it’s not a surprise that they will put the effort into trying to get them.

If every time your dog leans on you, you praise him, he will lean on you every time he wants praise. If that is bothering you, you just have to start ignoring those requests, and he will soon pick up that it’s not working, and he will stop.

They are Afraid

Loud sounds, thunderstorms, fireworks, and other dogs can all be things that scare your Cane Corso. Just like a little kid seeks mom’s and dad’s hand when afraid, your dog also seeks your touch to calm down.

They will lean on you when they get scared because they see you as their pack leader and someone who has more experience with the outside world. They trust that you as their leader will know what to do in a situation they can’t handle alone.

Separation Anxiety

Cane Corsos can have separation anxiety just as any other breed. If that is the case, he may be leaning on you because of that.

One of the symptoms of separation anxiety is an over-the-top reaction when the owner returns home, one of those reactions could be leaning on you, so “they make sure you are there and not going anywhere”.

If you suspect separation anxiety in your dog, please seek a veterinarian’s help, It’s a serious condition, dogs experiencing separation anxiety are in a chronic stressful state, but it can be cured with time and work.

Trained to Lean?

I have personal experience with this, my brother and his family have a Cane Corso, and they are not his first owner, they adopted him when he was already 3 years old.

He was constantly, and I mean constantly, leaning on my brother, right away it was obvious that he was trained to do that. We contacted the previous owner, and our suspicion turned out to be true.

The previous owner had him compete in dog shows, and a professional trainer had to train him to always be close to him so they can compete in the dog show smoothly.

Could Leaning Be a Problem?

Leaning is a harmless dog behavior, some people are okay with it, and some people are bothered by it. If you really dislike when your dog leans on you, you can easily “correct” that behavior. Give your do zero attention when he leans or tries to lean on you, with time, your dog will learn that he gets nothing out of you by leaning on you, and he will stop.

Some people argue that dogs may be leaning on you to establish dominance, by claiming your “ground” or territory. Some even say that they are leaning on you to “show you who is boss”.

A lot of dog behavior professionals got fed up with these types of claims and disputed them once and for all.

Dogs do not lean on people to establish dominance! They lean to feel safe, for attention, for protection, out of love and companionship!