Why it happens
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Attachment
A dog bonds with its people much as a child bonds with its parents. Your closeness means safety, so it chooses to be in the same room, even if it is only dozing.
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Everything good comes from you
A dog soon learns that when its owner heads for the kitchen or picks up a coat, something interesting may happen. By following, it misses nothing, and if it gets a titbit or a stroke for it, the habit grows.
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Breed
Herding dogs such as the border collie, retrievers, Hungarian vizslas and the small companion breeds were bred to work or live beside a person. Staying close comes naturally to them and is not a problem.
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Daily routine
Dogs learn the household routine remarkably well. If a walk always follows your morning coffee, the dog will start following you the moment you get up from the table.
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A new home or a change
A dog from a rescue, a house move, a new family member or a new schedule can make a dog clingier for a while. Once it settles in, the following eases off.
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An ageing dog
An older dog that sees or hears less well may stay closer to you because it feels safer that way. If you notice such a change suddenly, it is worth asking a vet.
What helps
- Let it stay close If the dog follows you calmly but can also spend time on its own, there is nothing to change. It is friendly behaviour, not a problem.
- A comfortable spot with a view of you Put a bed in the room where you spend much of your day and reward the dog when it lies down there. It stays close without getting under your feet.
- Reward calm time apart Praise the dog or give it a treat when it rests in another room of its own accord. Close a door for a moment and come back while it is still calm, building up the time gradually.
- Things to do without you A chew, a puzzle feeder or a sniffing game gives the dog something to do while you are busy. It learns that time without you can be pleasant.
- Calm departures and returns Do not make a big event of leaving or coming home: long goodbyes and boisterous greetings only raise the dog's tension before you go.
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When to see a trainer or behaviourist
If the dog grows more and more uneasy without you, whines when you close a door or cannot stay alone even briefly, see a qualified trainer or behaviourist who uses reward-based methods only. In the meantime, do not scold the dog for following you and do not leave it alone for longer than it can calmly manage.
When it is a question for a vet
See a vet if the dog has suddenly started sticking to you and seems restless, shaky or listless, as it may be in pain or unwell. Also see a vet if an older dog has started bumping into things, no longer comes when called or wanders at night, or if, when left alone, it howls, scratches at the door, destroys things or wets the floor.