Why Does My Dog Follow Me Everywhere? Common Reasons Why

Dogs, being human best friends, dogs will always want to hang around you and follow you everywhere in the house. There are times you will enjoy this companionship, but certainly, there are times you wouldn’t, especially when it is becoming too much. You should not get too worried; your dog probably needs some attention.

Dogs are smart animals, so there’s always a reason if a dog is following you there’s always a reason. The most common reasons are because it wants your attention, it is bored/afraid. Also, your dog might want to play, go potty or eat. It might be instinct, like if they sense danger or experience separation anxiety.

As long as you own a dog, you have a companion who will follow you around; this shows how much interest and trust the dog has in you.

Why Does My Dog Follow Me Everywhere?

Your dog following you everywhere could be fun and a wonderful experience sometimes. However, there are chances that you do not want your dog following you around on some occasions. However, it would help if you understood several reasons dogs follow their owners. Some of the reasons dogs follow their owners everywhere are;

Boredom

Just like we humans get bored, dogs also get bored. When your dog is bored and wants your attention, it will follow you around. While it chooses to follow you everywhere, you could decide to help it keep it less bored by engaging the dog in some form of play. Although this helps keep your dog less bored, the implication is that you reinforce this behavior.

So, your dog is likely going to get used to it, such that whenever it wants to play, it keeps following you everywhere. However, if you are not cool with your dog following you, you can get some dog toys to keep it company. Dogs that do not get the required mental and physical exercise daily will follow their owners around.

Companionship & Boredom

Dogs are social creatures. Most people own dogs for companionship. The process of natural selection and domestication has greatly helped in shaping dogs to become human companions. Dogs love their owners’ presence and would always want to be around them. You should not be surprised if you notice that your dog follows you everywhere.

Your dog can also follow you around because it is bored and is searching for something to do. Dogs can derive pleasure and satisfaction from watching what their owner does, especially if they are likely to get a treat. To curb this, you have to ensure your dog is engaged most of the time. An idle dog will be bored.

Breed Traits

Some dogs are known to always follow their owners, especially the breeds used for herding. These breeds include German Shepard, Australian Shepard, Border Collies, Hungarian Vizslas, and Golden Retriever. So, when a dog follows you around, it could be its instinct because it is part of its natural social behavior.

By following their owners around, dogs can create and sustain bonds. Based on their history of working and following people in the past, they could make a Velcro dog. Velcro dogs are usually very clingy and want to be around you. So, you do not need to be surprised if you see these dogs always wanting to follow you everywhere.

Separation Anxiety

When a dog is left for too long, it can cause separation anxiety. This is often triggered by the dogs’ separation from their owners while away. Dogs suffering from separation anxiety usually follow their owners everywhere and begin to panic the moment their owner leaves.

Separation anxiety is common among dog breeds, and the Covid-19 pandemic has made it more common. Dogs experiencing separation anxiety tend to display wild and uncultured behaviors, including excessive barking, being destructive (tearing/chewing furniture and other household items), and having accidents in the home.

To help your dog manage its anxiety, ensure you do not make a big deal about your coming in and leaving the house. When you do, it tends to worsen their anxiety. Instead, come in and leave gently without them noticing.

Reinforcement

Dogs often create a bond with a person they have a history of positive reinforcement training with. For instance, If a dog has noticed you as the one who baths, cooks, and takes care of it, it will likely follow you around. Also, every time a dog is with you, the dog will likely be clingy with you if it gets some form of affection.

Dogs can identify the person training them with positive reinforcement; they are likely to follow that person around because they know the person will be gentle, patient, and calm with them; also, the person may have a treat in hand. So, if a dog is following you, it could be because you are the good person around.

Why Does My Dog Follow Me To The Bathroom?

As a dog owner, you might have no problem with your dog following you about every corner of your house. You could also enjoy its companionship or even allow it because it wants some attention. All creatures are complex, and it is almost impossible to predict or procure a viable explanation for various actions.

However, when this following becomes so intense that it begins to try following you to a private area like a bathroom, you could become more curious. The truth is, your dog is just likely following you around based on some of the reasons we have explained above. Although, there could be some other motives too.

Bathrooms are filled with a lot of smell. This smell could be unpleasant for us. However, dogs do not perceive it that way – they could find it intriguing. Due to this, they could become curious and explore what is in that bathroom. Another reason your dog follows you into the bathroom is instinct.

A dog could be interested in even exploring the wastebasket kept in the bathroom. So, whenever you go to the bathroom, do not be surprised about why your dog wants to follow. Nevertheless, if you notice your dog often going there to check out the garbage, you can discourage this act by always keeping the door closed.

Your dog could also follow you into the bathroom to ensure you are safe; once a dog loves a person or an animal, it will do everything possible to guarantee the safety of the person or animal. This devotion means that the dog is ready to follow you everywhere to protect you from external threats.

Also, dogs do not fully grasp the concept of alone time because the only time a dog in a pack wants to be alone is when it does not want to share its meal. Because of this, your dog does not know that the bathroom is a private space, and you must be alone there, so it will follow you inside.

Why Does My Dog Follow Me Around And Stare At Me?

Your dog will follow you around and stare at you because it is curious about what you are doing. Dogs are curious animals, so you should not be surprised when it pokes its nose to see what you are doing. If a dog believes you have a new toy or treat for it, it will follow you around and consistently stare at you.

Final Thoughts

Dogs are great companions; however, since they are not as smart as humans, they may not know when you need privacy. A dog will follow you everywhere as long as it likes you or you have a treat for it. Their sense of smell and perception is enhanced, so they can read moods and body language.