It is no coincidence that the dog is considered the best friend of humans and has become one of the most popular and loved pets in the world. The devotion, loy alty, affection, sensitivity and joy inherent in the way of being of these furry ones win any heart. However, when a dog becomes overly dependent or demanding on his guardians and family members, this emotional attachment becomes unhe althy and begins to damage both the dog's well-being and family life.
A dog demanding excessive attention It's not normal An overly dependent dog cannot handle his loneliness or enjoy a positive social life tend to suffer from depression or develop behavior problems. However, dependence on their humans is not the only reason that can justify a dog demanding a lot of attention. Therefore, before starting any treatment, it is essential to know the cause that moves the dog to carry out this behavior. To help you, in this article on our site we talk about it and explain why your dog demands a lot of attention and what to do.
Is my dog very dependent on me?
A dependent dog is one that constantly demands the attention of guardians and family members, and can also exhibit the same behavior with other people. It occurs when a hyperattachment to one or more members of its family has developed in the animal. This occurs, above all, in dogs that have been weaned prematurely and, therefore, have not been able to learn the basic codes of social behavior that their mothers transmit. Likewise, it is usually common in dogs that have not received adequate education or do not have a routine.
Dependency symptoms in dogs
Because each dog is a unique individual with a unique personality, we can find many symptoms that indicate that our dog suffers from this type of dependency. That is, to attract people's attention and interest, each dog can perform various actions and gestures, including some behavior problems. So, to know if your dog is really very dependent and this is the reason that justifies him constantly demanding attention, you must learn to identify these signs.
It is not uncommon to see dependent dogs that cry or bark excessively (especially when alone), jump on people, bite or destroy clothes, objects and furniture at home or suffer separation anxietyIt is even possible for a dog with a high need for attention to be aggressive towards other people and animals that approach their guardians. For all these reasons, excessive attention demands and possessive behavior should not be ignored or considered harmless in dogs. In addition to causing problems in the dog's bond with the guardian, a very dependent dog can become dangerous for everyone who lives with him.
At this point, it is worth remembering that a dog's behavior is not only determined by breed and genetics, but also depends (and to a great extent) on upbringing and environment provided by each tutor. Although there are more independent and more attached breeds of dogs (which tend to be more possessive), the type of relationship that a furry develops with his guardian and other people will also be greatly influenced by the socialization, training and routine that each receives. dog.
Why does my dog want so much attention?
If you have ruled out hyperattachment but you still consider that your dog wants to get your attention at all times and you don't understand why, you should know that there are several causes that may be behind this behavior. Before explaining them, let's see what dogs do to get attention to ensure that this is indeed what happens to yours:
- Bark
- Mourn
- Howl
- Snarl
- Take toys
- Lick you
- Pass you
- Scratch
- Walking from side to side
- Chasing tail
- Nbble you
Also, if your dog is very cuddly or more affectionate than normal, it can also be a way of trying to get your attention to cover some kind of need. That way, whether your dog cries to get your attention, barks to play with you, or licks you, you can confirm that he wants you to listen to him and you need to find out why.
Your dog demands attention for lack of affection
Without a doubt, the most logical reason is that your dog does not receive the affection that he needs to be happy. To verify this, you simply have to pay attention to the hours a day that you spend spending time with your dog and ask yourself if you have played with him, have caressed him at some time or, simply, have you stayed by his side. Dogs are sociable animals that need to receive a minimum amount of attention to stay balanced, so it's totally normal for them to ask for it if they don't have it.
In this way, in this case it is normal for your dog to demand a lot of attention.
Your dog wants to get your attention because he is bored
Sometimes, it is not lack of affection that drives the dog to demand attention, but it is that he is bored. This happens, above all, in cases of dogs with a poor environmental enrichment That is, if the dog does not have toys, it does not receive the physical and mental stimulation that If you don't need or have any way to keep yourself entertained at home, you will most likely get bored and engage in unwanted behavior.
The solution in these cases is as simple as offering the animal adequate environmental enrichment and exercising it as it needs
Your dog calls your attention because he is hungry or thirsty
Many times we do not realize that the food or water bowl is empty and it is the dog itself that warns us of this mainly by barking, moaning or whining. Although at specific times it may be normal due to the lifestyle we lead, it is very important to avoid reaching the point where your dog demands attention to eat or drink water. If he has reached this point it is because he has been waiting for his food for a long time.
Your dog demands attention out of jealousy
If you have just adopted a new animal, regardless of the species and age, your dog is likely to feel jealous if the introduction was not appropriate or you are not handling the situation properly. Therefore, in these cases it is also normal to see the dog demanding a lot of attention.
Your dog wants to get your attention because he is not feeling well
If he feels pain in any area of his body, has eaten something bad or suffers from some other he alth problem, it is normal for him to try to get your attention by whining, licking, pacing or even giving you small blows. To check if this is the reason, palps his body in order to identify any signs of pain in your dog. Also, observe his general behavior in case you see that he tries to vomit or has diarrhea. If you identify any abnormality, go to the vet.
This can occur in dogs of any age, but is more common in older dogs. Also, older dogs tend to demand more attention than adults.
What to do if my dog demands a lot of attention?
Identifying the cause is the first thing you should do to treat it. As we have seen, there are many reasons behind this behavior and most of them are easy to solve, since they involve offering the animal entertainment, mental and physical stimulation, affection, food and water, all of which are basic needs.
Dogs are naturally active and curious, so they need to exercise and enjoy activities that keep them entertained on a daily basis. Thus, it is not enough to take 20-minute walks for them to relieve themselves in the street, they need to run, play with other dogs, explore, sniff and see new places. However, there are not only activities to do outdoors, the intelligence games are also a good solution to keep them entertained at home, especially when they are left alone. Boredom and lack of activity can not only lead the dog to demand frequent attention, but they can also develop other problems such as obesity, destructiveness, anxiety, stress and frustration.
Apart from meeting the basic needs of a dog, if the problem lies in poor or inadequate training, it is essential to establish routines and return to training to carry it out in a positive, respectful and correct way.
Now, when it comes to a dog with dependence or hyperattachment, the solutions are different.
Hyperattachment in dogs - Treatment
Before starting, it is important to highlight that negative emotions are not reinforced That is, if you have confirmed that your dog is very dependent, The last thing he needs is for you to react as soon as he demands attention, because in this way he interprets that with that action he gets what he wants and you do not solve the problem. What your dog needs is to learn to manage these emotions in a positive way. To do this, socializing him with other dogs, animals, people and environments is one of the most important steps for him to learn to relate correctly.
As we said, it is not recommended that you pay attention to him until he shows a calm and calm attitude. At this time, you can reward him with caresses or words of encouragement. Likewise, working on basic obedience also allows us to foster in the dog this calm attitude that we are looking for, so asking him to sit or lie down will help you.
On the other hand, promoting a calm environment in which the dog feels comfortable is more than recommended, as well as establishing he althy routines for him and covering all his needs. In this sense, the use of synthetic pheromones in a diffuser is a technique that favors the creation of a relaxed environment because it emits a copy of the pheromones that mothers they transmit to their puppies.
In dealing with such a complicated situation, the best thing to do is go to a canine ethologist or an educator specialized in behavior modification so that evaluate the case and set the action guidelines with you.
