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Pixabay.comIt is not an uncommon occurrence, if you own a dog, that youโre scared out of your wits by a shadow behind you when you wake up in the middle of the night to relieve yourself. Most dogs think it a delightful duty to follow their humans around the house, day or night, and hopefully outside too. And when youโre not up and walking somewhere, your dog will snuggle at your feet or watch your every move, even if youโve just finished feeding her a giant bowl of food that should have put her right into a happy sleep.Whether you find their constant pursuit adorable or find yourself craving for some space, it helps to understand your dogโs undying need to be near you all the time.
Youโre someone your dog feels safe withYoung animals come to recognize an owner as a parent, as someone they can trust. This behavior, called imprinting, manifests in a constant need to be near the owner as the animal ages, either for imitation or for security. Puppies can begin to imprint on their owners from as young as three weeks of age.
Your dog wants to help with what youโre doingWhen you get up to go to the next room, your dogโs first instinct could be that youโre patrolling the area for resources or for intruders. Dogs have been domesticated for centuries, but instinct is one ancestral trait that still comes natural to them. As she follows you out, it may just be the case that your dog believes she could help you with the patrol.
Your dog is trying to understand youOf all pets, studies suggest that dogs are the human language experts, and constantly study human behavior to learn what to expect from us. All the times your dog seems to be inspecting your every move and ready to leap if you should get up for a walk, she is only studying your behavioral traits, and quietly keeping canine records of how you respond in different situations.
Your dog could be unwellDogs are known to follow their owners to inform them of a particular ailment they have no vocabulary for. If you find your dog shadowing you without her usual jumps or barks, check if something is bothering her, and get a vetโs advice. If your dog appears frightened by other humans or dogs, getting her tested for anxiety could help, also.
Youโre the source of all your dogโs treatsMost importantly, everything your dog finds joy in, all the snacks, the snuggles, the backrubs, and the evening walks, are all timed and controlled by you. Youโre effectively the door to any of these joys, and youโre who she would have to follow when she feels like any one of them.While your dogโs incessant following could be inconvenient at times, most reasons as to why she finds such joy in it point to the fact that she loves learning about you, about what you seem to be doing, your treats, your cuddles, and most of all, your company. The best you can do, it appears, is to love her back.