Why Does My Dog Follow Me and No One Else?
Dogs are smart animals and will often single out one person to follow, sometimes even to the exclusion of others. This usually indicates that this person fulfills whatever the dog is looking for.
Sometimes, this person is the primary caregiver who feeds, walks, and plays with the dog. Other times, it is the person who gives out snacks most frequently. Or it could just be the “most fun” person. Dogs get everything they need from people, and they will generally follow the person who takes them to the things they want most.
What is the Human Benefit of My Dog Following Me?
People also benefit from being close to a dog. A loving dog prevents loneliness, and when a dog wants to play and exercise, the owner can benefit from the activity. Dogs who want to be near us make us feel loved, and everyone can benefit from a healthy dose of unconditional love. It is not just your amorous feelings that improve when you are near your dog, though. Several studies have shown that even brief interactions with dogs reduce anxiety and improve mood. Dogs can also improve our health — they improve our heart health, keep us exercising more regularly, reduce stress, and even can help detect diseases like cancer.
In addition, dogs’ uncanny ability to display the understanding of our cues is the catalyst for our bonding to them, and may even be why we have evolved to where we are today. Dogs are our ‘best friends’ because they understand us and we can communicate with them. Many researchers believe that it was this ability to understand our wants and wishes that helped humanity thrive during the agricultural revolution.
How Does Following Me Benefit My Dog?
With all the time that your pet spends following you around, you might wonder if she’s actually getting anything good out of it. The human/animal bond works both ways. When a dog spends time with a person, the dog is likely to come in contact with reinforcement — things the dogs like, such as food rewards, petting, fun activities, and companionship.
The time that your dog spends studying your every move also helps her to understand you better, which can help her better interpret the meaning behind your actions. Given all the research to support a unique adaption to understand human gestures, language, and tone, it is no wonder that dogs often look like they are studying our movements. They are watching our every move to see if we give them clues as to our intentions, or to catch us communicating with them. In this way, they could anticipate that it is time for a walk, or see that you are getting ready to leave, or perhaps that it is dinnertime. They have become the animal kingdom’s human language experts — both physical and spoken language.
Why Does Your Dog Follow You Everywhere?
Have you ever tripped over your dog because he’s following behind you so closely? Have you ever tried to head into the bathroom and been accompanied by your dog? If you’re a pet parent you have probably been followed around by your dog a time or twelve and in this post, we’re talking about why your pet exhibits this particular behavior.
Every dog is different and will behave in unique ways, but there are some behaviors that almost all dogs seem to do…and following their pet parent around is certainly one of them! Some dogs love to stay close to their dog mom or dad all the time, while others are more passive about their trailing and only follow them when they get up to move to a new room. Whatever the case may be for your pet, there are several reasons that could be behind this behavior.
It might be as simple as that! Your pet and you share a special bond and Fido just wants to be around you as much as possible. Our pets are social creatures and they crave human interaction. Your dog may be following you as a way to let you know that he wants your love and affection.
If your dog is bored, understimulated or hasnt exercised as much as normal lately, this could be the reason behind his following you. Your pup is looking for something exciting to do, hoping you’ll take him outside for a walk, or dreaming of a round of tug-of-war with you on the rug.