Oh dear, my lab will not leave me alone, he constantly wants my attention, i sit at the computer and he nudges me, i cook dinner and he sits by my feet,he will sit at the bottom of the stairs asking to go to bed but he will only go when i go, he follows me about the house like he is connected to me, he has a pigs trotter this morning and he has a chew then every so often comes over for a fuss then goes back to his trotter, he is ok if i go out and now has the run of the house he no longer does any damage and has'nt done for months,
I have had dogs before but they have never been as loving as Toby, do your dogs do this?

Heidi

my staffie follows me around the house (apart from upstairs as she is not allowed up there! ) she nudges me for cuddles and also sits by me when cooking food (although thats just for the scraps!! :D ) She is a very loving dog too, and would have cuddles 24/7 if i let her, all i do if i am busy is just say a quick hello and tell her to get down, she will sit and look at me for a couple of minutes then wander off and play or sleep.

Emma

Leo follows me around the house all day (maybe its cos i feed him lol) and when he wants fuss he jumps on me, he goes one better than nudging my hand when im on the laptop he just walks across it until i pay attention, its like hes telling the laptop its his turn on my lap.

By far the cutest thing he does tho is the way he always runs to me when hes scared - OH's dad pulled  alump of wood out of his mouth, i dont know if it hurt leo or just scared him but he yelped and ran as fast as he could to me and sat between my legs refusing to go near anyone else - that happen any time anyone upsets him now.

Bess (6yo Springer) follows me around from room to room, she isn't allowed upstairs but sits on the bottom step if I'm up there. She's forever pestering me to play (high pitched whine that goes right through you usually does the trick ;)) but she does settle down for a sleep if she thinks I'll be sitting down for a while (comp or TV) though she's on the alert as soon as I move. If my hubby goes outside to do the farmwork she'll go with him, do a quick wee then sit on the doorstep and whine to get back in to me. :D

Ahh it's great to be loved isn't it?!

Kath.

My two staffies follow me everywhere.  Jas nudges my hand or arm with his wet nose and I have to stroke him then as I hate the feel of wet noses on my arm :)

When I am cooking they both sit in the basket side by side looking very much like a naughty pair of school kids and then fighting to get up on my lap in the evenings when me and hubby are watching a film.  Tam usually wins and Jas usually gets his own back by sitting on her head.

The children are quite jealous of me, they try to make Toby go to them but he is soon back to mum :D
but then i am with him all day and im the one who feeds him and takes him for walks :p

Heidi

That was my idea lol I used to get jealous that my dogs liked my mum better, so when we went to get leo i made OH drive so i could have leo on my lap, I feed him, play with him etc and cuddle him . we both walk him but he follows me around the park  he will run to OH but then straight back to me hehe

Whilst it's really nice that our dogs can ask for and receive attention, it's not a good idea to give it 100% of the time, it can lead the dog to believe that he asks for something, and he gets it!  Think about the child that ALWAYS gets what it wants - does it have respect for it's parents?  The same thing happens with dogs - although I do NOT agree with NILIF programmes running all the time, it doesn't do any animal (or human) harm to learn that there are times when asking for attention is not appropriate.

My Doberman is a velcro dog and so is my boy Chihuahua....the two boys. My girls are a little more independent, although my girl Chi has her times of wanting to be on my lap constantly. And there are times when they all follow me around, even my more independent Lab girl. But I would say my boys are more the "in your face" affectionate kind of companions. LOL. Doberboy thinks it's his job to look after me I think. He gets concerned if I disappear around the corner of the yard for instance. LOL.

Carrie

My shih-tzu's are my constant shadows,iff i go to the loo i have to leave the door open so they can get in aswell,been caught a couple times with my pants down Same goes when i have a shower,my 2 faithful companions lie on the bathroom mat until i am done.
If they are sleeping next to me while i'm on the computer and i want to get a drink or something,i sneak out as quiet as a mouse so i dont disturb their sleep,otherwise they pull themselves up follow me to the kitchen and back to the computer,i feel bad that they feel they have get up from their comfy spot just to follow me and then i come straight back,altho it is the rare occasion that i can slip out without one of them noticing.
It does get annoying at times as i cannot go anywhere in the house without them right next to me. They are fine if i have to go out to the shops or wherever,no seperation anxiety here :) I wonder why they feel they have to stick to me like glue,does anyone have an opinion on this.
When i say stuck to me like glue,i am not exagerating,they are never more than a metre away, they follow my every step!

christine

I know what you mean about sneaking away while they're sleeping. Nothing gets past these velcro dogs. Although my Dobe is often ok to stay out in the living room while I go into the den. But my house is very small and so he can hear my click, click of typing. LOL.

I think lots of little breeds are especially little shadows. Other than dogs being pack animals and wanting to be close to you....in the wild they're safer in numbers LOL... and some being more independent than others is the only explanation I can come up with for their wanting to be near you a lot.

My dogs are just the opposite, very independent types think it must have something to do with the breed -whippets. They are just too busy lazing about (they are sunbathing as I speak) to follow me anywhere. On the other hand I have a velcro daughter, I can never take a bath without an audience but I do draw the line when it comes to following me into the loo. LOL :D
Would be interested to know if all whippets are the same. My dogs don't bark when the door bell rings, show very little interest in visitors, (maybe lift their heads to have a peek at whose coming in the door) any burglar would have to step over them! LOL  They certainly are the most laid back dogs I have ever known.

Harriette,

I loved your description of your dogs, got a kick out of it. They sound like a wonderful breed, a relaxing sort. My Dobe is up off the couch at the slightest hint of anything amiss. He's ready for action at all times. LOL. So are my guard dog Chihuahuas. My Lab is more like your dogs, one twitch of an ear and that's about it. LOL.

Carrie

my gsd (11 months old) follows me everywhere too.  She is not the same with hubbie and kids.  If i leave the room she follows, if i go upstairs she lays at bottom, if i go in garden she is there and the same when i am cooking she lays on doormat.  I don't mind though, i think it is quite comforting and i love her to bits.  She is no trouble and does not bother when i leave to go out and now she has run of the house at night and when i am out with no problems.

Just a word of advice- my GSD has always been very loving and adores me but now it's becoming too much- she is sulky and depressed when I'm not there- such as the few hours each day that I work, the few hours it takes me to go shopping etc :-(  I'm not bothered by it but I know she's unhappy when I'm not there- she won't even go out for a wee or entertain anyone else when I'm not there :-(  Obviously I can't be with her 24/7 so she has a few very unhappy episodes each week :-(  Please don't let it get to these extremes with your dogs.  They are supposed to adore us but there is a limit- mine acts as if she NEEDS me to breathe :-(

Stacey x x x
 

Oh I agree with you there, and with what Digger said.  :) There has to be a healthy balance between giving them the attention they're seeking but not "giving in" to them every time otherwise I'm sure they do become unhappy and/or demanding. If Bess wants attention and I dont then she'll go and lay down or go to her bed, whatever I tell her but I do worry that she's too clingy.  She will go happily with the others (2 teenagers and hubby) if there's food or action going on though. ;)

Kath.

But how can i stop them from following me everywhere,i honestly dont think i can?? They are definatly not demanding of attention,such as pats or anything,they just want me in their sight constantly.
Their favourite times of the day are their walks but they refuse to go with anyone but me,which is a big fat pain :( My daughter wants to take them for walks around the block but Emma puts the brakes on at our front garden and will not go any further and bonnie continuously looks behind her too see if i'm coming!Apparantly when i'm out and hubby is home they follow him around like a shadow also but if i'm home they will ignore him ;)
At the moment they are on either side of me chewing on a kangaroo tail each(best bones for dogs in the world imo) so i have to put up with icky bones in the house coz they wont be outside long enough to eat them without me! Thankfully they DO leave me to go outside by themselves to wee and poop and come straight back in but that is the extent of their backyard times unless i'm out there.

I honestly dont think i'm doing any damage by letting them follow me,it is by their doing,not mine,altho the shower and the loo thing is a bit of a pain,there is no room for me to dry myself as they are sprawled out over the bathroom floor and take up every bit of the bath mat and i have to stand on the cold tiles :(

christine

Try having a Spanish Water Dog, they follow me everywhere.  Go to the toilet they push the door open and there they are sat on their hind legs with their front ones on my knee :d  I know it's my fault and everyone says that I'm ttoooooooo soft with them, but hey, I can't help it.

If you go out of a room for 2 seconds anyone would think that you've been away for hours.  Not much fun though as I now have "Spanish Water Dog Legs" legs with little bruises everywhere from where they've bounced up and down!!

I was a bit worried about Millie being obsessed with me - if I go upstairs, she sits at the bottom whining, if I get up to cross the room to turn the light on, she comes with me, if I go out to the kitchen ,she will get up and follow then have to come all the way back.  If we're out for a walk and OH has the lead, if I disappear round a corner, she will sit down and panic until she can see me again.  If i leave the 'pc room' where she has been sleeping, to go and watch telly in the living room, she will follow me rather than stay in here with OH.  However, I feel a bit more assured, knowing that she will happily go (of her own accord) out to the garden to sit there for half an hour without me, will quite happily go for a walk with anyone who has a lead in their hand and is willing to take her, and every visitor to the house is greeted like a long lost love and she totally forgets I exist.  So maybe we have the balance just about right.  Phew! :-D

Of course you can - it can be harder when a dog's become obsessed with you, but it can be done!  simpley reward the dog for being apart from you - even for the shortest possible time - even not getting up to follow you will do to start with......  And it grows from there.