![]() ![]() Stop the Problem Before It Gets Out of Hand If you suspect that your dog has separation anxiety, consult your veterinarian, he/she can offer you some recommendations such as medications and behavioral therapy. Other symptoms include chewing, digging at doors and window sills, attempts to escape, pacing, and even coprophagia (eating excrement). Some symptoms of separation anxiety include urinating and defecating in the house, excessive barking, or destructive behaviors such as tearing up furniture or chewing household items. Over many trials, the length of time the owner is gone is extended, until hopefully your dog gets so used to the idea of you being gone, and is reassured that you will be coming back, it no longer bothers him. This is when you leave for a very short period of time, like maybe 5 minutes, then come back in the house. If those distractions don’t work, you could try desensitization, a behavioral solution to separation problems. or leaving a radio or television playing when you are out of the house. If you think your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety when you’re not around, behaviorists recommend leaving an interactive toy to help divert your dog’s attention from your absence. What to Do If Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety Then when you return home, your dog jumps up and down, and acts as though he hasn’t seen you in years. Dogs with separation anxiety will sometimes start barking, pacing or exhibiting other distressing behaviors after a short time after being left alone. Some dogs even try to prevent you from leaving. This is triggered when you and your dog are separated for any amount of time, and some dogs can become very agitated when you leave them behind at home, while others seem depressed when they see you getting ready for work or packing your bags. Separation Anxiety Can Cause Your Dog to Not Leave Your SideĪnother reason for your dog never letting you out of his sight is separation anxiety. What could be more fun for Fido than getting in the car and going for a hike in the woods? As soon as your best friend learns that you’re a provider of all things fun, it’s natural for them to follow you everywhere in hopes of receiving some of this positive reinforcement. We reward them by letting them sit on the couch while we pet them, we reward positive behaviors with food or treats, and we reward their companionship with fun activities. ![]() Reinforcement from Habits Can Cause Your Dog to Stick by Your SideĪs mentioned above, velcro dogs are often rewarded for their constant attention by our behavior, because they associate us with pleasant and positive experiences. 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. 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. 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. The herding breeds, such as German Shepherds or Australian Shepherds tend to be one-person dogs, and are historically loyal to that one person. These smaller dogs were bred to be companion dogs, so they naturally want to be around us. ![]() Many dog breeds, especially smaller lap dogs like French Bulldogs and Chihuahuas are particularly fond of following humans everywhere. ![]() Dog Breeds That Are More Likely to Stick to Your Side In order to find out why your dog won’t leave you alone for one minute, it might be helpful to look at some possible causes of this behavior. Now some dogs follow their owners everywhere out of sheer love, or it could be due to separation anxiety. More often that not, dogs just want to be with us no matter what we’re doing. Dogs can be our best friends, and studies show that people who have dogs are healthier and happier, and the more time we spend with our dogs, the better they come to know us, and the more we reinforce the human-dog bond with food rewards, cuddling, petting, going on hikes and other activities. Do you have a “velcro” dog? Does your dog follow you around constantly, even when you’re going to the bathroom or brushing your teeth? You probably think it’s either really cute or really annoying, especially if you’re tired of almost falling on your face every time you step over or around your dog.ĭogs are naturally social animals, and chances are that your dog sees you as the leader of the pack, so it’s natural for your dog to want to follow you around. ![]()
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