My Dog Always Follows Me Around
By leslie4130
@leslie4130 (44)
United States
August 29, 2010 8:19pm CST
I love this but sometimes I feel bad, because, my dog will jump up on my big bed and get comfortable with me at the end, as I lay down, then I remember that I forgot something and I will get up, and she will get up and follow me, no matter where I go, well except if i go into the bathroom which is in my bedroom, I think she is used to that by now.. Guess she KNOWS im coming back, but she hasnt always stayed. Otherwise no matter how sound she is sleeping, if i get up no matter where I am she will wake up and get up and follow me!! poor thing, she MUST be tired!! lol Why does she do this? She is almost a year old now. I know dogs dont like to be alone, and she is quite the protector, does this have anything to do with either of those two things?
5 responses
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
30 Aug 10
It might look cute when she does so, but I'm afraid you are going to have problems when you need to leave her home by herself. The way she follows you all around shows that she might have some separation anxiety problems.
How does she behave when she is left alone at home?
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
31 Aug 10
Oh, but it sounds great! She seems to behave well when she's home alone, this means she doesn't have separation anxiety problems. Getting into the trash doesn't count. This is just a successfull hunt. 
How many hours did she stay in her crate while your were gone?
How many hours did she stay in her crate while your were gone?@leslie4130 (44)
• United States
30 Aug 10
She is very "submissive" So I don't know if that contributes to it... Not sure, maybe not. But She does really good when I am not at home. Except she likes to get into the trash but we have started putting it up when we leave... other then that if the trash is put up everything is left alone. Its only been a few months now that I started allowing her to stay loose in the house while we were gone, before that we put her in her crate when we would go anywhere, but she does good when we are gone so I trust her... all except for the trash part like i said :)
@Penguin123 (19)
• Portugal
30 Aug 10
My dog is a little bit older than yours, about 15 months old (not sure exactly as she was found abandoned at around 7 weeks old). She follows both me and my partner around the home and garden. Everytime we move she will wake up if she is sleeping. I do wonder whether she will grow out of it when she is about 2 years. There is a message further down to say that you may experience problems if you leave the dog alone in the house when you go out but our dog is used to being left for periods up to 4 hours alone. She does not do any damage in the house but will usually bark if she hears a noise. If the dog is an only dog then it will understandably want more attention than if it has another dog as a playmate. At night though we do leave our dog in the lounge and have done since we had her so she does get the majority of her sleep at night. If one of us gets up in the night she may wake up but she soon goes back to sleep and is not disturbed.
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
31 Aug 10
Hi Penguin123,
A dog who's experiencing separation anxiety doesn't necessarily destroy things in the house. Most of them don't feel confortable when left alone, sometimes they cry behind the door or just stay close to the door waiting for their master to return home. No matter what they do when left home alone, dogs with separation anxiety feel miserable when their owner is not there.
So, when I told Leslie about this, I didn't mean "your house will be a mess when you leave your dog home alone". I meant "if you leave her home alone, your dog will feel miserable because she won't have anybody to follow". It is better when the dog is a little independent, she'll suffer less when their owners have to leave them at home.
@dodo19 (47336)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
30 Aug 10
As my husband and I temporarily are living in an apartment where no pets are allowed, my mother-in-law is taking care of my husband's dog until we can find somewhere his dog is allowed. Last time she was down for a visit, my husband's dog would not let him go anywhere. She wouldn't let him go to the bathroom or anything. She was following my husband everywhere. It was somewhat funny, but at the same time, I'm sure my husband would have preferred it if she would just let him do what he needed to do without a fuss. But that's the way she is.
@leslie4130 (44)
• United States
30 Aug 10
Yeah sometimes ill be like, "oh no just stay, I'll be right back, stay...Stay!!!" and inevitably when I turn around she follows. When I go to the bathroom she sits at the door, and when I shower she sits right next too it licking the water dripping off the door, and laying and waiting, when im at the kitchen sink, no matter if its just for a minute, she comes and sits right on my heels. Its really cute, and sweet. I know she loves me. But the only time that it bothers me is when im in the kitchen trying to cook and im in a hurry and she stands right in front of my walk way.... she hasn't learned the word move yet, and she doesn't get that when someone is coming towards her she should move out of the way, lol.
@puccagirl (7294)
• Israel
30 Aug 10
What kind of dog is it? My dog also follows me around a lot, but not all the time. Sometimes he doesn't feel like it for whatever reason. Mine is 2 years, so I am not sure it is puppy behaviour either...
@leslie4130 (44)
• United States
30 Aug 10
The vet told me that she is part German Sheppard & Heeler Mix. She is VERY submissive, and sensitive. She loves me a lot and I really think that she is attached to me..She doesnt do this to anyone else in the house...
@xxpunklovexx (4)
• United States
30 Aug 10
Dogs are like people and do often grow attached :). My dog, even though I don't live with her, will follow me around when I visit. I love this :)
