My one-year-old female GSD usually shows me great respect, but I’m a little confused about one thing she does. When she comes out of her crate in the morning (no leash), she does something like a gentle body slam on my legs. She enthusiastically wraps her body around my legs, first one side of her body, then she turns and wraps the other side of her body around my legs, over and over again. She’s happy and excited to be with me, but I don’t know if I should let her do this. Someone told me it was like a cat rubbing on you wanting to be petted. Is this true? I need to know whether or not this is acceptable, because I resent the behavior, thinking it is dominance-related since it is so similar to a body slam. Note: She doesn't even remotely do this to me at any other time.

She does it a lot with my daughters’ dogs when they come over, a gentle body slam to the front shoulder. She is so happy to see them and loves to go out and play with them. They are also higher in rank than her. Is it simply an invitation to play? Now that I think about it, she rubs her butt (hip) on my husband's legs, after he comes home from work and is sitting in a chair with his laptop or watching tv. She would love for him to play with her.

By the way, she is a pet not a working dog, and a very well behaved one, with strong prey drive and play drive.

Now, if it is inappropriate for her to wiggle and rub on me when she comes out of the crate, how do I correct that behavior without stifling her puppyness? Or, is it just affection and is it okay to let a pet do that?

Hi Cheryl, I attribute this behavior to the excitement a one year old has towards you and the rest of the family.
If it something you don't like or want than you can work with her so she doesn't do this.

I sometimes get this behavior too, and I think it is because I have gotten the dogs too excited when I am greeting them.
I have found if I don't want this behavior, to give a command for a calm sit before I will pet them.

You can also let the dog out of the crate and and walk away, as to not reward that excited behavior and only reward the calm behavior you want. You can ask her to sit and when you get a calm sit, then reward with a calm voice of praise, or a small treat.

I would say generally, though this is just normal but excited dog just happy to be out of her crate.
Does she give you a calm down inside her crate before you let her out?

I use the 'no touch, no talk, no eye contact' with Jethro and he is very calm when I let him out of his crate. He is also indifferent to my arrivals and departures and I like that. My husband gives him more attention and Jethro is squirmy, whiny and pushy in his greetings with him. There are so many areas that I am in active training mode with Jethro, this is one that I am grateful I don't have to give a command or monitor whether he is following through on an instruction.

It's funny, because Skipper gets up to greet me when I come home, but he is very polite about it, kind of wiggling and waggling his tail and standing there waiting for his pet. So I give it to him. I love his greeting behaviour.

We are working on teaching Jethro that he will get attention when he sits and waits, but it is a bit of slog right now because my husband and I need to be on the same page and that is my training challenge right now.

Thanks for your words, Joyce. I think you're right--she's happy to get out and connect with me. And I could make her sit calmly before petting her, but considering that she is not normally too affectionate with me, and I would like her to be moreso, I think I should accept this moment of excitable affection, so that I don't stifle her loving behavior even more than I already have (by being a firm alpha). Besides, she's still a puppy. She's not jumping-up-excited though (probably because I don't encourage her). I would call it enthusiastic, more than anything. It's not over-the-top. I just wasn't sure if it was considered body slamming.

Yes, she gives a very calm sit inside her crate before coming out.

Husbands! "Sure, I'll play with you for a couple of minutes, but then you have to stop and leave me alone, okay?"

I like Skipper's greeting, too.

Dallas has settled down a lot since she was a pup. I didn't think I could handle her energy there for awhile (my first dog that wasn't "owned" by the kids). In fact, sometimes I'm concerned that she is a little too controlled for her age. That's why I think I need to let her wiggle a little when she comes out of the crate.