Does your furry friend follow you around wherever you go? This may be a sign that your dog is a clingy one.

A clingy dog often stays close to his human companion and when not in the same room, shows signs of distress. Furthermore, canine may refuse to leave his human’s side, watching his every move and attempts to follow the person. While loyalty is a desirable quality in a dog, a normal and healthy canine maintains his independence and isn’t troubled by a short separation.

You may not mind it if your pooch rests his head in your lap each time you watch television. However, it becomes a huge problem if your dog starts exhibiting destructive behaviors due to separation.

Let this guide from a Dubai pet food delivery service help you understand your clingy dog better and teach them independence.

Why Your Dog Won’t Leave You Alone??

There are some breeds that are genetically predisposed to be clingy. Lap dogs such as pugs and Chihuahuas tend to be quite attached to their humans. Even people-pleasing canines like Labrador retrievers may also become clingy.

Dog personality types vary and sometimes they become clingy because their owners allow them to be by giving too much attention. The “appropriate” amount of clinginess is up to you and if it’s becoming a problem, you’ll have to cut back on petting your pooch every time they are near.

Reasons Dogs Are Clingy

There are other factors that may also be the cause of why your dog seeks comfort from your companionship. These include:

Separation Anxiety

This involves the emotional discomfort that a dog feels when away from family members. Some dogs often need to be right next to their pet parent at all times. Anxiety may lead the canine to engage in destructive behaviors which usually starts to show within 30 minutes.

Illness

A dog seeks protection by staying close to his owner when he’s not feeling well. Aging, although not an illness, can weaken a dog and make him more susceptible to illness. Just like senior dogs, epileptic dogs cling to their owners for support when they know they’re about to have a seizure.

Female in Heat

A female pooch who is “in heat” or receptive to mating is in heat. This happens twice a year, beginning when the dog is a year old and lasts from three to four weeks. When a dog is in heat, she may become clingy and stick close to you often.

How to Ingrain Independence

Teaching your dog independence is crucial in ensuring that he’ll be completely fine even if you’re not around. When you come home after work, your house shouldn’t be in a messy state just because your dog can’t take being away from you.

Tips Ease Clingy Dog Toward Independence

Provide Plenty of Exercise

One of the easiest ways to decrease your dog’s stress underlying separation is to make sure they get enough exercise. Aim for two hours of exercise each day. You can either go for a walk, run in the park, or simply enjoy a game of Frisbee in your yard.

Set Boundaries

Your dog should understand that not everything will go their way. For your dog to realize this, it’s important that you set some boundaries. For instance, you can train your pooch to go to their bed or crate every time he gets underfoot. When you ignore excessive clingy behaviors such as pawing or whining for your attention, eventually, your dog will stop.

Establish A Safe Place

If you’re not around, your dog should have a safe place where they can retreat for rest and relaxation. This is a great way to keep your pooch out of trouble. It’s important that your canine pal has a positive experience in their crate so that he can see it as his own safe refuge.

To encourage your dog to feel good about his crate, leave the crate door open for him to enter and exit at will. Place some food, treats, and toys inside to make the crate more inviting. You may also want to place the crate where you’ll be in your canine’s sight until they become accustomed to it.

Use Interactive Toys

It’s not rare to find dogs ignoring their toys unless someone is there to play with them. Balls and stuffed toys may seem to have no point for your dog if you’re not around to throw it for them.

For moments when you’re not around to play with your pooch, give them interactive toys so that they can have fun even without your help. Puzzle toys are a good example of interactive toys which not only provide your dog a form of entertainment but also help their mental stimulation. Problem-solving interactive toys can help keep your pooch busy and focused.

Enroll Your Dog in Obedience Program

Whether your canine pal is young or a bit older, they can benefit from beginning to advanced obedience training. This way, they will learn to be more disciplined and having scheduled classes will add more consistency to their activities. Also, will help instill self-confidence and begin to trust people.

Visit Vet Clinic

If nothing seems to work and you suspect your dog is clingy because of separation anxiety, let a veterinarian evaluate their condition. Your vet mayprescribe anti-anxiety medication and some behavioral exercises to reduce his clinginess.

Understand Your Dog’s Fear or Pain

If your dog’s clinginess is a new behavior, it may be his way of trying to find relief from certain fear or pain. Are your neighbors using fireworks or is your child poking your dog lately?

Don’t simply ignore your clingy dog and find first the root cause of their behavior. Remember, it’s okay to pet your dog when he’s afraid. In the meantime, make sure your pet has a safe place they can go to when he’s afraid so that do not totally depend on you for comfort.

Guest Author Bio

Farah Al-Khojai is the Managing Partner of Pet’s Delight. https://www.arablandtrading.com/ A passionate entrepreneur, Farah holds a BSc in Government from the London School of Economics. She is always on the lookout for new opportunities to develop and grow the pet and equestrian retail and wholesale market in the UAE and beyond,