What are the Reasons Why My Dog Follows Me?
If your dog follows you around constantly, you will likely either find it incredibly endearing or you will be tired of almost tripping over him all the time. Either way, it helps to understand some of the science behind why your dog certification might be constantly at your side.
Reinforcement. Often dogs will follow their owners if their bond is paired over time with a great deal of reinforcement. For example, if a dog learns that good things, such as food, pats, and fun activities come from a particular person, they may be more likely to follow that person.
Breed traits. Some breeds, especially those that have been bred for centuries to work with people, are more likely to be “velcro dogs.” A velcro dog is one that follows you around and wants to be by your side at all times. Often called clingy, velcro dogs have a desire to be close to their owners.
Companionship. Perhaps the most obvious reason, some dogs simply prefer the companionship of their human owners. Over the process of domestication, natural selection has shaped dogs to become companions for humans. Domesticated dogs are now ‘bonded’ with humans in some of the same ways as children. In this sense, our bond with dogs is one that has evolved over the course of domestications.
Separation Anxiety. Separation anxiety is triggered when dogs become upset because of the separation from their owners. Dog separation anxiety is often unknowingly encouraged by dog owners. We make a big fuss when we leave or come home, and in doing so we reward the dog’s concern with our absence, provoking in him even more stress every time we leave.
Stop the Problem Before It Gets Out of Hand
While it’s healthy for a dog to look to us for companionship, commands and cues, it can be unhealthy and annoying when a dog can’t stop following or looking at you. This is especially concerning if the dog has chosen only one particular person to interact with, and is fearful or avoids all other people. In these cases, the dog may be improperly socialized or might have overly bonded to one person. These dogs are at risk of developing social or separation anxiety, fear aggression, or other behavioral issues.
If your dog follows only you, and refuses to interact with other humans, this can be a sign of anxiety in your dog. They may cry or pace anxiously if you, the light of their life, is not in their sight.
To help an overly anxious dog learn to not be with you all the time, there are a few things that you can do to help alleviate your dog’s anxiety.
Dog Breeds That Are More Likely to Stick to Your Side
Many dog breeds, especially smaller lap dogs like French Bulldogs and Chihuahuas are particularly fond of following humans everywhere. These smaller dogs were bred to be companion dogs, so they naturally want to be around us.
The herding breeds, such as German Shepherds or Australian Shepherds tend to be one-person dogs, and are historically loyal to that one person. The sporting breeds such as Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are bred to be fun-loving companion dogs, so they’re most likely to follow you everywhere.
One reason why your dog might follow you around everywhere is that your dog prefers your companionship over other humans or dogs in the household. Over thousands of years dogs have bonded with humans, and during their evolution, natural selection has favored dogs that like spending time with humans over those who did not. Dogs just love to be around us.
14 Signs Your Dog REALLY Loves You, Confirmed by Science
It’s six o’clock in the morning. You stumble out of bed, half asleep, to make that oh-so-necessary cup of coffee and nearly fall flat on your face because your dog is following you a little too closely.
Most dog owners have experienced some variation of this scenario at some point or another, and, for some, it may even be a daily occurrence. But why do dogs follow you everywhere? And is this behavior normal? Read below to find out.