Why Is My Dog Following Me Everywhere Suddenly? – Reasons And Solutions

Your dog following you everywhere? If you are a dog owner, you might have experienced that your pet is behaving strangely all of a sudden.

Your canine companion, who used to be confident, is acting a bit strange and now is suddenly following you everywhere that you go. You are now in a dilemma if this behavior is normal or not and checking everywhere. This question is constantly haunting your mind that why is my dog following me everywhere suddenly?

As your canine companion cannot express its emotions through words, you need to observe its body language to find clues deeply. In this article, we will certainly explain to you what might have made your dog clingy and overly attached to you. If the reasons match your situation, you will be able to know what to do next and whether it’s time to visit the nearest veterinarian.

Why Do Our Dogs Have This Following Trait In Them?

Dogs domesticated at least 15,000 years ago from their pack lives. Humans selected dogs as their constant companions and created a mutually beneficial relationship. Humans provided dogs with food, shelter, warmth, and protection, for which the dogs developed an emotional connection with their human leaders.

Being in the pack, dogs follow the pack leader, and in this case, dogs consider their human owners as their pack leader. So, they follow every move of their human leader. There are some dog breeds which are known for this following trait such as velcro dogs.

Velcro dogs tend to glue to their pet parents and show their emotional dependency. Again, breeds like Chihuahua are selected mostly as the human’s little friends. So this Chihuahua breed follows their human parents’ footsteps. Breeds like Border Collies and Labrador Retrievers follow their human leader for their orders to perform a specific action.

If you adopt a puppy before it is about 12 weeks, it mostly follows you to imprint your action. The puppy considers its owner as a parent type figure. It takes time for the puppies to gain confidence, and eventually, they become matured enough to stop following their owners.

Why Is My Dog Following Me Everywhere Suddenly? – Details Guide

If your dog occasionally gets attached to you and follows you but now is doing it constantly, you should be alert. Look for some signs in your dog’s behavior to get a better understanding. Your canine friend might be going through something but unable to express it to you, so you better keep track of some of its actions.

1. Your Dog Might Be Suffering From Stress

If you wonder if dogs may follow their owners if they are suffering from stress, then the answer is an absolute yes. Observe whether your dog is stressed by anything that is happening around it.

Check Whether it is bothered by any other pet in your house or in the neighborhood or any strangers who bully your dog. Notice even the minute behavioral changes in your dog and then act accordingly.

2. Any Change In The Routine?

Dogs are extremely routine animals. If there’s any breach in their daily schedule, dogs do get anxious and might behave strangely. If you change their food timing or their playtime or you have stopped taking them to walks, it is difficult for them to adjust to these changes.

Different dogs react differently to cope with these changes. Following you everywhere suddenly might be among these changed behaviors. Try to keep the routine unchanged, but if changing the schedule is necessary, then train your dog for it. Help your dog to adjust to the changes.

3. Is Your Dog Feeling Insecure?

Insecurity might be a reason for your dog to start following you everywhere all of a sudden. To regain your love and interest, the dog tries to follow you and show its affection and loyalty towards you. It happens when there’s a new pet in the house, and then the other pet might behave this way.

It also might happen after territorial aggression between dogs, and then the dog, which is weaker, feels threatened and unsecured. The weak dog might end up following its owner for support and security.

4. Maybe It’s All Because Your Dog Is Just Bored

Dogs often get depressed or frustrated if there are no activists for them to do. Most healthy dogs love to play. Whenever there is a lack of activities, they simply get bored and crave your attention. When kept idle for a long period, the highly energetic dogs get anxious and follow their owners to remind them to play with them.

It is most likely to happen if you observe that your dog follows you with its toy. Then it’s time for you to spend some time with your dog. Eventually, if the dog is engaged in a lot of activities, it will be tired and hopefully, end this obsession of following you.

5. Check For Any Sickness In Your Dog

Credit: The Spruce

Dogs do not always understand the changes that happen to them when they get sick. As a result, they try to snuggle you and follow you to receive comfort and warmth from you. If you observe that your dog is unusually sleepy or behaving strange or following you everywhere, then these might be signs that they are ill.

Some of the dogs might give up on food. Considering all the signs, you might have to take them to the veterinarians and get your dog a full body check-up done.

6. Is It About The Seasonal Clinginess?

It happens with the female dogs. When female dogs undergo seasonal heat, they might behave differently. Temporary clinginess is one of those strange behaviors. This behavior can be noticed at a regular interval of time.

If you are not interested in having a breed in your home, then you need to spay your female dog. Spaying is a surgical procedure done by veterinarians under proper measures. The spaying procedure will protect your dog from

• the side effects of heat cycles.
• Conceiving or reproduction.
• Pathological conditions like pyometra, mammary gland cancer, etc.
• Other male dogs come over when a female dog is on heat.

Spaying your dog will ensure a healthy lifestyle for your dog with all the benefits as mentioned earlier.

7. Your Dog Might Be Getting Old

Whenever a dog gets old, it develops many physical and mental disorders along with the increasing age. Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) is one of the mental disorientations which is caused due to degeneration of neurons or brain cells.

This condition is geriatric dementia, commonly known as doggie dementia, and is common among elderly dogs. The mental or physical disorders in an old dog might result in abnormal clingy behavior. They expect your support and sympathy in their old age, and for this reason, they might follow you everywhere you go.

8. Are Unknowingly Rewarding Your Dog For Following You Everywhere?

Your dog is suddenly following you everywhere that you go, which might annoy you to some extent. You are scolding your dog for its clinginess, and that is what it wanted. The dog wanted your attention. It was asking you for attention by following you, and by scolding it, you actually gave it the attention.

Again, some of us give treats so that the dog stops following, but these treats act as a positive signal. So for getting the reward, which is the treats, the dog will continue behaving this way and follow you everywhere. If you suspect that you had been subconsciously rewarding your pet for the wrong behaviors like following you everywhere, you need to stop immediately.

The only way to stop this cycle is to ignore the dog’s behavior. No more reactions and no more treats. Simply ignore. Eventually, the dog will get no positive signals from you and stop following you everywhere.

9. Separation Anxiety

When a member goes missing to whom the dog is emotionally attached to, then the dog starts to behave oddly. The dog might feel extremely anxious due to this separation syndrome. The dog might follow you everywhere to remind you that the member is missing and continues to do so until that member returns home.

When that member returns home, the separation syndrome eventually reduces. This syndrome can be seen even when the owners change or die or in rescued animals. How will you get to know that your dog is going through separation syndrome? Here are some of the signs by which you can get to know whether your dog has separation syndrome.

10. Signs Of Separation Syndrome

a) Signs Of Aggression

Dogs might show active or passive types of aggression. Active aggression results in the direct harming of other humans or animals. Passive aggression can be noticed in growls or barks and does not include direct harming.

b) Signs Of Depression

Dogs usually do not show signs of long-term depression. However, they behave similarly during depression like that of humans. Signs of dog depression include irregular sleeping schedule, changes in eating habits, inactive or lethargic, indifferent, etc.

If you notice some of the above signs, then there are chances of your dog being in depression. You must seek the help of a dog expert as soon as possible.

c) Indoor Urinating And Defecation

This conduct is a common symptom of separation syndrome. Frustrated dogs often urinate and defecate inside the house even though they have been trained to defecate and urinate in a particular place. This kind of behavior can be very annoying for the pet owners to tolerate.

11. Destroying The Surrounding

It is also common for dogs to destroy their surroundings when they are highly anxious. This behavior can also cause harm to the dog itself in some cases. These are some of the common signs of separation syndrome, which can be noticed among pet dogs.

12. Your Dog Might Want To Lead You To Something

Try to follow your dog’s lead and see whether it is trying to lead you somewhere. It might be just trying to make you notice something. So don’t just ignore your dog’s actions. Try to understand your dog’s actions.

13. Check If Your Dog Is Scared Of Something Or Not

Sometimes your dog acts clingy when it gets scared, which could happen due to any reason. Dogs might be afraid of fireworks, loud noises, family fights, new guests, bonfires, etc.

During the celebrations, when new guests arrive, dogs can behave strangely. So, if your dog starts following you suddenly and you should check whether your dog is scared due to any reasons or not.

14. Your Dog Might Be Trying To Convince You To Bring Food

When your dog is hungry, it might start following you so that it can convince you to give food or treats.

If you observe that your dog is suddenly following you everywhere, try to remember the time when you gave it food. Please don’t keep your dog waiting for food and give your dog food on time.

15. Major Life Changes

It is difficult for your pet to accept some of the major changes. It might start following the person it feels comfortable with to lessen the anxiety due to changes.

Some of the major changes are given below:

• Changing the house to a new place.
• Childbirth or the addition of a new family member.
• Death of a family member.
• Death of another pet in the house.
• Marriage of the owner.
• The arrival of a new pet.

Sometimes traumas can also cause such behavioral changes.

How To Know If The Trait Of Following Has Gone Too Far?

A healthy dog follows its owners’ orders and can remain calm and confident even when the owner is not around. If your dog never leaves you and always follows you and misbehaves when you are not around or unavailable, then it is a matter of concern. If your dog continues to be too clingy, then it’s time for you to take some action.

• Design activities for your dog, which can stimulate its mind.
• Send positive signals by rewarding with treats when it follows your commands.
• Play with your dog and maintain the regularity of its daily schedule.
• Ensure short or no outdoor stays if possible during these sessions.
• Visit a vet and get regular counseling.

How To Stop Your Dog From Following?

There can be many reasons why your dog follows you. The first thing you need to do is figure out why they’re doing it. Do they worry about getting left behind? Aren’t they drowsy? Here are several methods you may use to prevent your dog from following you, whatever the cause –

Teach them to ‘stay.’

This is an important command as it allows you to move away from your dog. To do this, you need to get the dog some treats.

Exercise Your Dog

One thing that dogs love to do is walk. If possible, make sure you get your dog out every day for a long walk, and if you do this on a regular basis, the dog will stop following you as it has spent enough time with you.

Keep Your Dog Busy

Try to keep your dog busy when you leave the house. You can do this with a chew toy or some other type of toy, depending on the dog’s choice.

Let Them Watch TV

This is an excellent way to keep your dog busy while you’re away. For those dogs that follow you and become bored, this is the best solution as it makes them get some exercise just watching TV.

Top Reasons For Dog Following Me Everywhere

Dogs love to follow their owners around the house and yard. But most likely, your dog is following you because he’s lonely and needs some attention. Dogs are social animals who need companionship. Here are some top reasons why your dog follows you everywhere-

Separation Anxiety

Your dog is lonely because he lost his family or friends. He wants to reconnect with you and will follow you around the house or yard so he can get your attention. You may need to make some noise or engage in some activity that leads to a release of energy for the dog to release his anxiety.

It Is Trying To Tell You Something

Dogs are very good at communicating with body language. They could occasionally only want to communicate with you. They may be telling you that there is a squirrel, raccoon, or other animals somewhere in the yard.

They’re Bored

Dogs need to exercise so that they can release built-up energy. Dogs that don’t get enough exercise will be bored and then will often follow their owners around the house or yard.

They’re Afraid

Dogs who are afraid often follow their owners around so that the owner can reassure them that they are safe.

It’s All About The Food

Dogs follow us around because we feed them. Your dog may follow you into the kitchen if you wish to feed him there. If you want to give him his dry food in a bowl, he will be overjoyed and follow from behind to get his bowl.

Wants Attention

Just like people, dogs want attention. Dogs will follow you around the house to get some attention from you. They want love, petting, a walk outside, and just a little bit of your time.

Conclusion:

Dogs are amazing creatures and great companions for human beings. So it is the responsibility of human beings to take good care of their pets as we are benefitted from them. It is also our responsibility to ensure that animals are treated correctly and stop all sorts of animal abuse.

If you have any concerns, queries, or suggestions related to this article, please let us know. I hope now you understand the fact “Why Is My Dog Following Me Everywhere Suddenly”. Please share your experiences with us about your dog following you everywhere suddenly in the comment section.

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