[yorkietalkjilly]

Sure doesn't sound dominant to me, taken by itself. Putting a paw on a human unbidden when just sitting around may be considered dominant behavior, but only if other dominant behaviors also occur throughout the day or begin to develop. If it occurs with other behaviors that indicate the dog is trying out dominance, then it might mean something.

Dogs rarely suddenly begin a great deal of dominance all at once - they try it out, little by little. Does she exhibit one or more other signs of a tendency to dominance? If she does exhibit other such behavior, disagree with & correct them as they occur with a sharp clapping sound of your hands, or saying "uh oh", pushing her gently but firmly away & turning your back; or standing up & turn your back when she exhibits nonstop pushiness, persistent pawing, standing up on you & staring in your face a lot. There are different ways to correct dominance guarding, claiming items or things as her own - showing teeth/growling if approached when she has them, claiming a favorite chair as her own - growling if moved, etc., by approaching with a tasty boiled chicken treat or squeaky toy to redirect or trade as you train her to react differently. You can Google canine dominant behavior to see other behaviors/corrective training - there are many humane/gentle ways to properly correct & train them how to properly behave. Our library here has good training articles. Start a bit of the Nothing In Life Is Free training if the dominent behavior persists. Behavior modification training will be your best friend should she trend to dominance.

If she does not exhibit other dominance behaviors, the well-placed paw may be a show of affection, a fear-based reaction to your lower voice or something - or strictly for her own reasons - something she just does.

Dogs often react differently to separate people. My sister's Yorkie used to actually grin at me - raise its little top lips, lower its lower lips & grin at me, while dancing & licking me in his usual love-greeting. He looked like a denture ad! The whole time I visited, he would stay in my lap if invited or sit near me, occasionally "grinning" more when looking at me. Everybody would laugh themselves silly watching Binky grin at me. He would not do that to my sister, her husband, her daughter, son-in-law or her grandchildren - just me.

So sometimes dogs just develop & exhibit different behaviors around certain people for reasons we'll never know, such as the grinning. We wondered if it was the perfume I wore or something. It was so cute & endearing, I will never forget Binky's grin.