My dog stood over me?

[tia2]

Hi all, this is my first post... :) I have 2 dogs and a question... ;)

Last night the neighbors across the street were hollering and screaming and shooting of fireworks for quite a while. While one dog had taken shelter in the bathroom as he always does, my other, towards the end of the explosions (by this time unnerved himself) jumped on the bed I was laying in and strattled my upper body (two legs on one side, two on the other---we shaped like a t).

after a couple minutes of this, I checked the clock and he continued to stand there for 8 more minutes as the noise subsided. He looked back at me also and stared at me. (I swear he could win any stare down) like he was making sure I was alright.
I trully felt "guarded" .....I couldn't believe his behavior. Haven't been able to think about anything else since.

What did it mean? Do you think he was really trying to protect me?

[crow_noir]

My thoughts are either he was trying to protect you as you said (most of us know our dogs better than others do.) The other possibility was him taking a alpha position to feel more secure. (This would be something a cat would be more likely to do... go to a high spot to feel more secure... but you never know. The more secure a dog feels in its role of superiority the less it will act like its station. Dogs that we can clearly see being dominant on a daily basis are NOT secure about being alpha or beta.)

I don't know your dog though... So I'd take your word that he was indeed trying to protect you.

[summerpuppy418]

You know your dog could be afraid of the fireworks. I would suggest that you try to calm him by letting him lay with you,feed him a treat,give him his favorite toy, anything! Just keep him calm.
As some other people said he could be trying to gaurd you. He might think that your afraid. Dogs always try to protect there owners!

[pitc9]

Buddy does stuff like that to me when he hears noises. If I'm on the floor he'll stand over me, or if I'm sitting in a chair he'll stand in front of me looking in the direction the noise came from, looking back at me once in a while.

In Buddy's case, I know it's his way of protecting me, but some dogs could stand over their owners to show they are dominant like Crow said.

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

and I have 3 alphas in my pack, not including me, so it is constant interruption and correction. You lead by example, and everything is always alright. They take their cues from you. I do not permit any alpha behaviour toward me. None. No paws on me, no standing on, against or over me. That puts me in submissive posture. No. Strong correction (my BlindPup has a very alpha personality and carries her wigglebutt tail held high constantly) When she paws me (places her paw on my arm, thereby 'claiming' me), I grab her paw and she does not get it back until I say she does.
I have 3 lethals and two lab mixes in my pack, and the ONLY way a handicapped pack can work is with strong leadership. They adore me, they obey me, the deafblind will seek me out with a nose and he is a cuddler. They see me through my hard times, and I love them. More than words could ever say. But I am always the leader. Anything else would create very undesirable behaviour that would be unlivable and certainly unacceptable.
Next time he gets over you remove him with a sharp NO. And put him into a sit. When he does, lots of rewards, whatever you use for training that rings his bell, toy, PRAISE, a treat.