Wherever I Go, My Dog Follows - Why Do They Follow You Around The House?

Does your four-legged friend enjoy a good old “follow-the-leader” daily regime? There are many reasons why our furry companions follow us around the house.

Firstly, our lovely canines aren’t naturally independent and are pack animals. Seeing as our dogs consider us a pack, it’s only natural for them to want our company and attention. Sometimes our best buds follow us because they want something from us e.g. food because all dogs are black holes that never seem to fill, oh and those belly scratches too.

On the other hand, your dog may be experiencing separation anxiety which can manifest as disruptive destructive behavior, such as getting under your feet and jumping on you to try to prevent you from leaving. Another reason may simply be that they are bored and looking to entertain themselves. And then there are Velcro dogs. These canines (Yorkies, Chihuahuas) main objective in life is to be superglued to your side like the fate of the universe depended on it which can become a bit much when you can’t get some me-time-bath-time.

Tips to lessen this co-dependency vary from:

1. Teaching your pupper to “sit-and-stay” (try throwing in some motivational treats),
2. Helping your anxious dog redirect their anxiety into activities by using “thinker toys” to distract them from your absence,
3. For bored dogs with too much energy try taking them for longer walks and extending the time for playing fetch to tire them out,
4. For the ever-needy Velcro babies; try boosting their confidence levels by considering enrolling them in a doggy day-care or creating a separate special spot for them filled with all their favorite things (minus you).

Setting consistent boundaries can help your dog realize that they can survive without constant contact and give you a bit of space!

Feature Image Source: Pixabay