If your Golden Retriever dog is following you around everywhere, you might be curious why and what you should do about it. We’ll go through some of the most different why they do it, as well as what you can do to make it stop.
So, what’s the deal with your Golden Retriever dog following you around everywhere? It may be because it does it naturally, because it needs care, because it has anxiety issues, because you have been rewarding it, or because it is afraid of something.
Below are we go over a little history and a few common reasons why Golden Retrievers follow their owners and make them more likely to be the cause why yours has been following you.
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Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever is one of America’s most famous dog breeds, an exuberant Scottish gundog with great elegance. When they work, they are skilled explorers, field workers, and instructors for the blind and search-and-rescue.
They enjoy discipline and other outdoor activities, and they also have an amusing passion for life. The Golden Retriever is a medium-sized, robust dog with a thick, luster coat like gold, which gives the dog its identity.
There is a range of possible reasons, and it may be a variety of them. Even so, there are several factors to consider when determining the most valid evidence, as well as some actions you may take.
Anxiety About Being Separated
It may be that they suffer from separation anxiety. It’s because the retriever dog does not want to be left alone and becomes nervous when facing such a situation. If your Golden Retriever dog gets scared when you leave the house, this is much more than possibly the reason.
In this situation, you might try to reduce the amount of anxiety it experiences around you through doing things like:
- Let it seem as if you’re about to exit by grabbing your keys, for sure.
- Follow these two steps only several times and reward your Golden Retriever for not being nervous.
- Take up the keys and place your key in the door handles to take further steps toward leaving.
- Repeat the same procedure few more times to reward the Golden Retriever for not being nervous.
- Unlock the door and go out there for a few minutes before returning to treat your Golden Retriever.
- Repeat the process above, except for this duration, remain outside for a little while.
They Want Attention
It’s also possible that they are doing it because they want your complete attention. It is much more likely to do it when you aren’t paying any attention to them, and you usually pay close attention when they do such attention-seeking things.
Instead, if you want this to stop, you can pay attention to it throughout the day by exercising, practicing, and playing with it.
However, trying to praise it when it behaves the way you want it to and using positive behavior learning to behave the way you want it to work.
Nature
Golden Retrievers sometimes spend hours each day standing directly with their owners. Your Golden Retriever may follow you around because it’s in its nature and they get attached.
In this situation, it will be beneficial to give them a lot of instruction, such as how to sit or stand, and then when they do obey you, they will do what you order.
You Have Been Reinforcing the Behavior
You may have taught them to obey you by encouraging these with things it likes when it does so. If you bring them toys, treats, or specific attention when they mimic you, they will probably do it more often to get some more treats.
Instead, rewarding it when they act in the way you like and encouraging them to behave in the way you want because of positive behavior training will be helpful.
Mistreated in The Past
It could be that they do not like to be alone because someone mistreated them when they were younger; if you adopted them from a shelter, this is most likely the explanation for their excessive attachment to you.
Hence, as they get old, they would become less connected, is always some teaching you do to make the process easier and a little less insecure.
Fear
Golden Retriever dogs are susceptible to possible dangers. They may follow you around because they get scared by themselves and feels safer when you’re around.
They are much more likely when it does it even more while there is stuff present that could frighten them, such as strangers or excessive noise like gunshots or storms.
Things to Consider.
Here are few aspects to think about if you’re trying to figure out why your Golden Retriever behaves this way.
When They Began to Follow You Around Everywhere
It could help them think about what else happens since they first generally watched you because it triggered them. If they began doing it suddenly, maybe it’s because they praised the action but because there was a complete change in its surrounding.
Don’t Punish Them
It’s important not to punish them for pursuing you. If you are doing this, your dog does not realize why you are punishing, which may add to despair.
Instead of praising it for following you, it would have been better to be using behavior modification techniques and get it to behave the way you expect.
What Is Different When They Do Not Follow You
If they don’t always follow you, this is also a good idea to think about what is unique when they don’t follow you. If it doesn’t follow you anywhere after it has been eaten, for example, it may be following you around because they are hungry.
How to Get Your Golden Retriever Dog to Stop Following You Everywhere
Below are few things you can do to get your Golden Retriever dog to stop following you.
Train Them Properly
The alternative is to provide them with a series of useful reinforcement learning from such a young age such that they know how to act.
That is where you praise for doing the manner you would like it to by encouraging it and rewarding when it shows any signs of doing the same.
Avoid Rewarding Them
As already mentioned, it may have trained to obey you in exchange for rewards. It will be beneficial to praise your dog when it acts as you wish and stop rewarding it when it does not.
Encourage Them to Go to Bed
Start by convincing your dog to go off to bed and remain there for a shorter amount of time when you are present. Reward your Golden retriever for being quiet in the bed for quite a while.
Then, when you walk away to leave the bed, ask them to continue. Leave and reward while staying.
Increase Distance and Time
Begin by increasing the distance you left them and the duration you consider leaving them for each time. Reward your dog with food and attention if your golden retriever remains nice and peaceful.
Come in and take a backward step in training by reducing the distance and time if your dog is running to return to you or continues barking or growling.
Get an Interactive Dog Monitor
Talking to your dog while you are not at home is a perfect way to keep them from being bored or lonely. Technology now has a perfect alternative to physically coming home every couple of hours to visit your dog.
You may easily purchase an interactive dog monitor that allows you to see what your dog is up to at any moment, communicate with them, or even give them rewards even when you’re away.
Exercise Them Daily
It will also be beneficial to ensure that your golden retriever receives appropriate exercises for its age. Also, a Golden Retriever dog must be exercised every day. It is recommended that they will be exercised for up to twice a day.
When healthy, this also suggested that adult Golden Retrievers get at least an hour of physical activity each day.
Avoid Allowing Them to Be Near You at All Times
Allowing the Golden Retriever to be with you all of the time might be referring to its anxiety issues.
Try to avoid allowing your Golden Retriever dog to be with you on all occasions if you want it to be happy even when it’s not with you.