Paw preference may be predictive
The general outlook of a dog towards the world can influence that dog’s risk of becoming anxious, stressed or suffering from other welfare issues. Dogs who are hopeful and optimistic are less vulnerable to emotional distress that those who are more pessimistic. Individuals of many species with a negative mindset are more likely to attend to negative stimuli, remember negative events and consider ambiguous stimuli more negative than individuals in a more positive emotional state. A negative outlook can therefore predispose dogs to suffer emotionally in conditions that may pose no threat to individuals with a rosier outlook.
via Whisker Therapy