Why Does My Dog Follow Me Everywhere?
You’ve probably been wondering why your dog wants to follow you everywhere, whether it’s to the bathroom, to the kitchen for a snack, or upstairs to lay on the couch. It’s not just a nuisance, this is a type of dog behaviour where they are attempting to making a profound and meaningful connection with you.
There are many reasons that dogs might want to be around people, but new research is starting to show that one of these reasons might be because they want companionship in their old age. Many owners just assume that your dog wants to be around people because people have food, water, beds, and a lot of great toys.
However, they could always be the possibility is that dogs follow us around everywhere because they are training us to follow them. Dogs are pack animals after all and if they are not able to establish a hierarchy with us, they will establish it with other dogs. So, if your dog is following you everywhere, they are actually instructing you to follow them. I know my little Maltese does this; she would follow me to attract my attention in order to have me follow her.
Companionship
Dogs may also be seeking companionship. According to a new study published in the journal Animal Behaviour, dogs are more likely to follow their owners if there is no dog present. Researchers found that dogs are more likely to follow their owners if they are separated from another dog, even if their owner is just a few feet away.
A study examined 30 pet dogs from domestic households and compared their reactions to their owners as compared to other dogs. On average, the study found that when reunited with their owners after a brief separation, the dogs displayed more affectionate behaviours such as licking or seeking contact. The dogs were also found to vocalize more and seek constant attention.
Previous studies have also showed that dogs are more likely to follow people when they are separated from other dogs. In this study, researchers wanted to find out why. The study found that the dogs displayed a strong physical proximity response to their owners, but not to other dogs; this suggests a stronger desire for social connection with humans rather than with other animals.
Boredom
Researchers agree that dogs are more motivated to follow their owners around because they are seeking companionship. You may also experience this, if your dog seems to be following you every place you go when you’re bored.
In the study, researchers found that dogs displayed high levels of arousal and excitement when they were reunited with owners after a brief separation. The researchers suggest that this is because being separated from their owner felt like a loss for the dogs since they hadn’t experienced it in a long time.
It’s also possible that dogs were seeking excitement from their owners because they were bored when their owners were away. Although many dog owners don’t realize it, a lot of dogs’ experience separation anxiety when they are left alone. A study by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found that around 25 percent of all dogs have mild to severe separation anxiety and 20 percent of all dog bite injuries happen when people come home and find their dog so excited that it jumps on them too hard.
The study also showed that the dogs in the study displayed more physical affection and vocalization toward their owners, but not toward other dogs. Dogs also displayed more affectionate behaviours toward their owners when they were reunited with them after a brief separation. The researchers suggest that the lack of response toward other dogs may result from there being no need for it.
Unmet Needs
But there may be more to it than just boredom, social connection, and companionship. It’s possible that dogs are following you around everywhere because they can sense a change in your body language, and they want to make sure that you’re safe.
According to a study published in Ethology, Evolution and Behaviour, dogs follow their owners when they are separated from other dogs because they believe their owners to be highly valuable resources. Dogs follow their owners because there’s something about them that makes them feel safer and happier.
In the study, researchers asked a group of dogs to follow a human and monitored them for up to 10 minutes. The researchers found that the dogs that followed their owners were more likely to investigate strange noises and unfamiliar smells than dogs who did not.
The researchers also asked a group of humans to follow a dog; this time around, the humans only followed their owners, not any other dog. In this case, the humans found it difficult to stay quiet in areas where they were actively tracking their owner. They were also more likely to investigate unfamiliar smells, sounds, and movement.
The researchers concluded that dogs are following their owners because they are in a highly valuable resource that makes them feel safer and happier. It’s possible that dogs can sense their owner’s mood and body language, so they respond to any changes by following their owners around, whether it is to the kitchen for a snack or upstairs for a nap.
Lack of Confidence or Anxiety
Another possible explanation lies in the fact that dogs are more likely to feel anxious when they are separated from their owners. Anxiety is a common emotion experienced by dogs when left alone, especially for those dogs that have experienced abuse or neglect.
According to The Campaign Against Animal Cruelty, some of the most common signs of anxiety in dogs include excessive barking, backing away from humans, whimpering, and looking away. The dog may even become aggressive, showing aggression toward the owner or other people.
It is believed that these signs are a way for dogs to tell their owners “I’m in trouble and I need help.” Anxiety can also be caused by an owner being separated from the dog, especially if it happens frequently. It’s not uncommon for dogs to develop separation anxiety when they are left alone too often.
If the anxiety is caused by abuse or neglect, it is possible that you have a dog with attachment problems. Dogs that have experienced abuse or neglect still have complex relationships with other people and other dogs, so they may be reacting to the separation by having a difficult time trusting their owner again.
What Should I Do?
If you want your dog to stop following you around all day, then you need to train it out of the habit. One of the easiest ways to reinforce the idea that you and your dog should be separated is by training your dog to work or play alone.
Start by training it to stay in a specific area, like a room or even just behind a baby gate. When your dog stays in that area, give it a treat and lots of praise. If your dog gets up and goes outside of this area, simply repeat the training session, or set up another training session as soon as possible.
Also, ask yourself if you are actually reinforcing the behaviour by responding to your dog’s whining or barking. If you’ve got a barking machine on your hands, then know that dogs only bark when they feel ignored or neglected. It’s up to you to make sure that your dog learns to be quiet when you ask it to.
Always remember if your dog has anxiety or fear issues, then separation will likely make these problems worse. It may be a good idea to work with a professional trainer or behaviourist before beginning any training program.
