Why Does My Dog Follow Me Everywhere?

Are you providing your dog with enough physical and mental exercise every day?

Does your dog goes potty outside but is following you inside the house?

Does your dog display pinned ears, wide eyes, grimaced panting, or increased tension as you're getting ready to leave the house?

Is your dog a herding breed like Border Collie, or a guardian breeds like German Shepherd?

If your dog doesn't get enough physical and mental exercise every day, this can lead to them following their people all over the place, looking for something to do. Try giving your dog a chew toy and see if he stops following you. If so, he was probably bored.

If your dog hasn’t gone potty for a while and he’s suddenly following you everywhere, it might be a sign that your dog needs to get outside. Many dogs become especially clingy when they are feeling unwell or otherwise need some help. Try taking your dog outside and see if he needs to go potty.

Some dogs rely on our social presence because they’re nervous about being alone. The following can be a symptom of separation anxiety. An anxious dog may display pinned ears, wide eyes, grimaced panting, or increased tension as you get ready to leave. Anxious dogs might not be willing to eat a treat or play with a toy while you leave the room.

Some breeds are more predisposed to following their owners around. Herding breeds like Border Collies and Shelties, as well as guardian breeds like Great Pyrenees and German Shepherds, are especially prone to following their owners around.

We bred dogs for generations to want to be around us. The fact that most dogs spend their days alone is a new thing for them. Because dogs are such social creatures, they are often strongly motivated to be in our presence as much as possible while we’re around. Furthermore, if you regularly positively engage with your dog, your dog is probably just following you because it likes your company.