How to deal with attention-seeking dog behaviour
First of all spend some time thinking if your dog’s behaviour is warranted. Are they getting enough exercise? Is the exercise they are getting giving them outlets for their hardwired breed behaviours and energy levels? Do they have plenty of mental stimulation – especially for smart working breeds? Do you spend enough time with them?
If you don’t provide your dog with what they need in terms of physical and mental exercise and social interactions, they can hardly be blamed for going self-employed!
Once you are sure your dog doesn’t have every reason to seek your attention, you can start to work on reducing their excessive attention-seeking behaviours.
What is important however is to reward your dog when they are doing what you want them to do. A sad fact for many dogs is that the only way they can get their owner’s attention at all is by doing something their owners thinks is ‘wrong’. Many people totally ignore their dog when they are sitting or lying quietly, doing exactly what they want him to do, and the only time they are the focus of their owner’s world is when they do something they don’t want them to – like barking at them, jumping on them, chewing things they shouldn’t, running off with something valuable… Anything to get their beloved owners to pay some attention to them.
And of course our attention is rewarding for our dogs, and so once they work out how to get attention, they will keep doing it – because it works!
To prevent or stop attention-seeking behaviours:
With some patience, understanding and management, you can prevent attention-seeking behaviours but if you are struggling to get this under control, seek advice from an accredited and experienced behaviourist.
Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Attention?
Despite their constant need for attention, it’s important that owners don’t give in too much. It’s not uncommon for dogs to constantly whine and cry as a puppy.
New owners will often come to the rescue to make them feel comfortable. However, this can lead to a development of bad habits and separation issues.
By over-coddling a puppy, they will rely on the owner too much and this habit will extend beyond their puppy years. Puppies that always get attention will essentially take advantage of it. They’ll make a connection between their whining and getting the owner to do something.
Eventually, whining will become a trigger and they’ll rely on it to get their way.
If the whining is caused by loneliness or fear, owners sometimes just need to give puppies their space. It can be tough, but these young pups need to figure some things out on their own. As they get used to their surrounding and new way of life, they’ll eventually stop whining and know how to comfort themselves.
As a rule of thumb, owners shouldn’t give them any more attention, other than training, than they plan to do when they are an adult.
Stress and anxiety are far too common with young puppies. This is especially true when they’re separated from their new owner.
Because of this, many owners believe that they have to stay home with the pup at all times. However, this will only exacerbate the problem.
If an owner spends all day with their puppy, the dog will get used to having them around. When the owner then goes back to work or simply leaves the house, the dog will become stressed from their absence.
As mentioned earlier, dogs need to get used to a routine at a young age. Accommodating their every need now will only make it more difficult as they get older.
The best way to handle separation anxiety as a puppy is to make small changes. Owners shouldn’t clear their schedule to be with the puppy, but rather make time small changes for training. Something as simple as going home during a lunch break to let the new puppy out can prove to be beneficial.
They’ll slowly get comfortable with being alone while still retaining their bathroom training. To make their time alone more comfortable, it’s important to give them things to do and create a comfortable space. Whether it’s a crate lined with training pads or a designated room, it’s good to fill it with toys. They’ll learn to entertain themselves while the owner is gone.
One of the most frustrating things a new owner may deal with is getting the puppy to sleep comfortably throughout the night. Due to their erratic sleep patterns, puppies may remain awake. It’s important to create a routine for the pup to ensure that they don’t whine throughout the night.
The worst thing an owner can do is give the puppy attention whenever they wake up and start whining. They need to learn how to sleep throughout the night away from the owner.
This can be achieved by putting the puppy to bed at the same time every night. They should be fed and let out before bed to let them know its time to sleep. Again, creating a safe and comfortable space to sleep in is crucial.
One thing to take note of is that this space should never be used as punishment. Puppies that are forced into a crate or room every time they whine will associate it with a place of punishment. Instead, they should be made comfortable so they willingly retreat there.
To sum up, puppies do need to have quite a bit of attention, but not so much that they begin to rely on that attention to function.
During this time, puppies are building skills and a familiar routine.
Aside from the additional training, owners shouldn’t give them more attention than they’ll get as an adult. This will help prevent over-reliance and bad habits.
Typically, puppies will need up to 3 hours of care separated throughout the day for training, socialization, and exercise. With the right amount of attention, puppies will grow up to be happy, healthy, and well-behaved.
Can a puppy be too attached?
Some dogs develop a dysfunctional hyper attachment to their owners that causes anxiety when their owner is out of sight, and many of these dogs are also velcro dogs. If your dog gets anxious when they’re unable to follow you around they have separation anxiety, not just velcro dog syndrome.