I Might Be a Wee Bit of a Harlot

I am under the general impression that most dogs, regardless of breed, enjoy a good belly rub. I've seen this typical display of affection transferred from human to dog, as I'm sure many of you have. It usually begins with petting down the back before gradually moving to the side. Maybe some preamble ensues about how good the dog is and does it want its belly rubbed. The dog, anticipating the impending joy it is about to receive, rolls onto its back and there we have it, simple and innocent. I could be mistaken, but this seems to be the normal sequence of events: initiated by the human and lovingly received by the dog.

Sure, there are probably some dogs who enjoy this display of affection to such a degree that they will no doubt approach the human for the initial pet, hoping for the move to the belly, but those over-anxious dogs represent only a small portion of the canine species. Now let's turn to a Jack Russell that not only defies the norm, as she does with so many of her odd behaviours, but also makes those few impatient dogs, keen for their belly rubs, seem like apathetic cats.

What Skippy does is truly remarkable in its complete ridiculousness. At the slightest movement or possible inclination of gesture toward her she forgoes all previously mentioned steps described in the belly rub process and immediately rolls on to her back, both sets of legs inappropriately and shamelessly spread. But ironically, as one fully exposed and aware of their shame before a doctor, she looks away, careful not to make eye-contact, and waits the rub she thinks you mean to give. After all, didn't you just reach your arm intentionally toward her? Naturally, one hesitates upon seeing this blatant cry for physical affection. This delay causes Skippy to twitch and twist her body, legs still spread, to draw your attention to her because obviously if you were paying attention your hands would be rubbing her exposed underside right now.

It gets even more silly. On occasion, if you so much as look in her direction and make eye-contact, you can witness the same shamefully immodest display. Is my dog so starved for attention and physical affection that she must resort to this? No. She's just really strange, which somehow makes her suggestive body language (by human standards) forgivable and very amusing. Can dogs be diagnosed with human personality disorders? Until that time, it's merely theorizing and speculation as to what's up with my dog; unless she's just a "belly-rub harlot".

Hilarious and yet slightly disturbing