So, you have a dog who has acted normally most of the years. He came when he wanted to cuddle, and he went. Then he started behaving differently. She became obsessed with you. Why is my dog so obsessed with me all of a sudden?
There are several reasons for that. As a matter of fact, we were able to find seven of them that explain this change in behavior. Now, we are going to reveal them.
Why Is My Dog So Obsessed With Me
1. Separation Anxiety
Why is my dog so obsessed with me all of a sudden? This has one simple and most common answer. It is caused by separation anxiety. Your pet started feeling this way all of a sudden, and he wants to be as close to you as possible, all the time. Keep in mind that separation anxiety and clinginess are not the same thing. In the case of separation anxiety, he will panic when you are not at home. Clinginess means that he will be close to you when you are at home.
If this is the explanation for your issue, leave an old piece of clothing at home so he can smell it. Don’t play with him, but ignore him when you come home. If the issue remains, talk to your vet. The bottom line is that your dog is afraid to be without you, and he obviously wants to be close to you whenever he can.
2. A Massive Change In His Life
If you have moved or made any other massive change in your life, your dog will be under a lot of stress, and he will want to be with you all day long. This is basically the cause of the first reason, separation anxiety, and you can see the similarity. It can happen at any given moment, and it is going to last.
Sadly, there are not a lot of things you can do in this scenario. You can try to make the transition as smooth as possible and help your pet accept the new environment easily, but it is still a big change in his life.
3. Dementia
Sadly, dogs can suffer from dementia as well. It is called CCDS (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome), and it is common in senior dogs. What this means is that he will want to be close to you all the time. He is afraid when left alone, and he may even forget that he played with you a few hours ago. Imagine a person with Alzheimer’s. A dog with CCDS will behave in the same way. We must add that clinginess is one of the first and most common symptoms of dementia in dogs.
It is believed that most dogs will show signs of this behaviour as they age. They like spending more time with the owners due to the fact that they feel more secure and protected.
4. ‘’Heat’’
No, we are not referring to the temperature. This applies to female dogs when they are ready to mate. She will start following you all the time, and she will show other symptoms that are very interesting. For instance, she will start flirting with male dogs. She will pee all the time, and her tail will be in a strange position. Other symptoms may include a swollen vulva and discharge from it. In addition, your pet can be aggressive and will lick her genitals more often.
There are no a lot of things you can do in this case. You can wait until it passes, which may take 2-3 weeks, or you can take her to a male dog if you want puppies, of course. Once the heat is over, your pet will return to a normal state.
5. He Is Bored
Here we have a not-so-bad reason for this behavior. In simple terms, your dog is bored, and he wants to use every single opportunity he can to play with you. That’s why we can see them following you all the time and wanting to play as much as they can. It is a harmless reason for this behaviour that still needs to be sorted out.
Ideally, you will start spending more time with your pet. You can take him to the park, organise different play dates, and provide him with all the toys he can play with. Don’t forget about snuffle mats and different puzzle games that can help him.
6. You Are Pregnant
If you notice this behaviour all of a sudden, and especially if your pet is trying to reach your belly, congratulations. You are pregnant. Dogs are experts at sensing a major change in the human body. They feel that something major is happening, and they will want to know more while at the same time trying to show you that. In addition, they may want to protect you more. Some dogs can be the best and most accurate pregnancy tests!
7. He is sick
Many dogs will want to be alone when sick. On the other side, we have dogs who will want to be close to their owner all the time. This can be caused by countless diseases, conditions, and issues. If you notice that your pet is acting differently, talk to your vet. In most cases, there is a successful treatment or another type of help you can give to your dog. If he starts acting like this all of a sudden and there are no other symptoms, illness may be the answer.
8. You Have Reinforced That Behavior
This is another common reason—and actually one of the most problematic reasons on the list. What this means is that you have reinforced the behavior, and your pet now does it all the time. You will notice that he is obsessed with you all the time, and he must be close to you. Basically, you petted him, fed him, or played with him every single time he came close to you. Now he knows that this behaviour will give him certain things, and he will use it to his benefit.
9. Your Dog Is Scared
This is another common reason why a dog is obsessed with you and doesn’t want to move away from you. Keep in mind that dogs can get scared easily. The best examples are fireworks, thunderstorms, or anything else that makes a lot of noise. It is also possible that some family member is yelling and making loud noises. If he becomes obsessed with you at these times, you will know what causes him to do this.
Determine Why Your Dog Is Obsessed With You
Now that you know all the reasons why dogs can become obsessed with their owners, you need to determine why your pet is doing this. Think of when he became obsessed. Is it when you haven’t fed him or when it’s time for a walk? Will he become less obsessed once you feed him or play with him? As you can deduce, you will determine the cause of his obsession, and you can do certain things in order to prevent that from happening. Keep in mind that a dog can become obsessed with you if he is scared to think of anything that may scare him.
How To Discipline A Dog After Fighting. Watch This Video!
How To Put An End To This Behavior?
There are a few things you can do in order to stop this type of behavior. The first thing is to adjust his diet and provide him with more exercise. If he was obsessed due to food, exercise, or attention, this will solve the issue. Also, make sure to take a look at the diet he has and adjust it with a more suitable one for your specific dog breed.
The best way is still to train your dog. A trained dog must obey his command in over 80% of cases so all you have to do when he becomes obsessed is to give him a proper command. There are experts who can help you with this. Also, you may want to give him a distraction like a toy when he is obsessed with you.
Conclusion
Why is my dog so obsessed with me all of a sudden? It is one of these reasons. It is highly unlikely that multiple reasons are present, but it is still possible. Keep in mind that you may want to help your pet overcome this issue in specific cases or leave it, and it will pass by itself. However, you need to know which cause is present and react accordingly.
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