After adopting a dog and, if we have never had one before, we can quickly realize that the animal does not stop following us wherever we goPerhaps this situation bothers you or you are just looking for a response to his behavior. For this reason, on our site we are going to explain the causes that generate this behavior in dogs.
Discover below why your dog follows you everywhere, what this behavior really means and some important details you should know like owner. You can not lose this!
The dog, a social animal
Dogs are characterized by being very sociable animals, a trait that has also been sought and promoted during their domestication and breeding. For this reason, it is not surprising that they constantly seek our attention and affection, even more than towards other members of their same species.
Dogs see in us a figure of reference that gives them security Especially in places little known to him, it is totally normal that we follow, so as not to get lost and to continue having this figure by their side that is a "safe base" for them, something that directly influences their well-being.
Once inside the house, the dog follows us to see what activities we do, one more way to enrich his day to day and go out of monotony. Still, it is also possible that they follow us to make sure they can pick up some crumbs that we have dropped in the kitchen or to try to participate in what we do.
Dogs tend to follow those who provide comforts or privileges inside and outside the home. It is also necessary to add that a dog will not only follow an owner for everything material or physical, this behavior is marked, in addition to all these privileges, by the love and affectionwe provide you.
What to do if our dog follows us everywhere and we don't like it?
If you have decided to adopt a puppy or a dog from the animal shelter as an adult, it is normal for you to observe this behavior exaggerated. You should ask yourself if this attitude bothers you or not, and most importantly: if it is the result of a behavioral problem. Many owners feel comfortable feeling the support of the dog behind them, others do not accept the perpetual and silent company of the pet.
Follow these tips if you want to avoid your dog always following you:
- To start working, your dog must learn two basic commands: sit and stay. Learning all kinds of basic commands for dogs is essential for them to understand what you expect of them.
- You will always use positive reinforcement when training these commands. You must have patience and perseverance. Remember that a mentally stimulated dog will be a he althy and happy dog. For this reason, in addition to teaching him basic commands essential for his daily routine, you will generate more confidence and little by little you will observe a decrease in the dependent attitude. Reward him whenever he deserves it and has done a good job.
- Accept your company. Remember that a dog is a social animal Stop playing with him if he hurts you or if you are tired but don't avoid interacting with him often. Teach him commands and tricks and praise him if he plays with other pets. It is very important that you feel socialized and happy.
- You can try to lessen dependency on yourself by adopting a second dog from a shelter.
Always remember that the dog's natural attitude is living together in a group. Although there are more distant dogs and others that are more attached, they all need to interact and enjoy the company of other humans and dogs.
When following becomes a behavior problem
Beyond our favorable or unfavorable attitude towards our dog following us everywhere, there is another factor that influences this behavior and that is very important to work on:separation anxiety If left untreated, separation anxiety creates an insecure, distrustful, and fearful personality in your dog, which can lead to other behavioral problems.
If you think that your dog's behavior is exaggerated and that he may have a behavioral problem, we recommend that you review some of the the symptoms you may observein the dog:
- When you are away from home the dog becomes destructive, barking and even urinates or defecates.
- he overreacts to you and gets depressed when he knows you're leaving
- Insecure, skittish, and dependent behaviors.
- Inability to stay alone and manage loneliness appropriately
Separation anxiety is a serious behavior problem that affects many dogs. It is important to go to a professional to correctly diagnose this problem and give us the appropriate guidelines to solve it. For this you can consult a trainer, a canine educator or a veterinarian specialized in ethology.
