10 Reasons Why German Shepherds Follow You Everywhere

10 Reasons Why German Shepherds Follow You Everywhere

The German shepherd is a social breed, and this dog will be glad when you keep it company. If left alone, this dog may tend to develop some behavioral issues.

So, has your dog recently been seeking to be with you every time? Whether it’s in the bathroom, the kitchen, or the backyard, your dog is always behind you. So, what’s the cause of this behavior? And is it ok, you ask yourself? You are not alone; many German shepherd owners face the same problem.

So, let’s look at some of the top reasons your German shepherds follow you everywhere.

Your German shepherd Wants Your Attention

As earlier discussed, German shepherd dogs are social animals, and they thrive on attention. Also, this dog needs lots of exercise per day. If not exercised, this dog will follow you everywhere, notifying you there is something wrong.

That said, always ensure your German shepherd gets adequate exercise daily. If you have been feeding your dog at a specific time and forget, your German shepherd will not hesitate to remind you.

 Again, if you know, you are bound to forget your dog’s feeding time, delegate that duty to someone else.

If you quench your German shepherd’s need, it’s rare for this dog to follow you everywhere.

Your German Shepherd Loves Company

Like its cousins in the wild, who cannot live alone, the German shepherd needs company every day. Your German shepherd could still be having the instincts of living in a pack, and it loathes being alone.  Foxes and wolves, the distant cousins of this dog, stay in packs as they feel secure when they are together. If alone, your German shepherd may feel vulnerable.

Separation Anxiety

Dogs, like German shepherds, can acquire this behavior of separation anxiety. If, let’s say you are the one, who feeds, trains, exercises, or cleans the dog, he will probably become attached to you. This dog will never become happy whenever you leave without its company.

Such dogs, when you leave, start thinking you will never return, and that’s when panic starts kicking in for them. A dog with anxiety will display other unwanted behaviors.

Behaviors you should look out for are;

  • Peeing on itself
  • Barking and whining
  • Gnawing everything around

The German shepherd Has Learned to Follow You Every Time

German shepherds who follow you everywhere may have learned this behavior. If let’s say, you always allow your dog to follow you every time, and each time you give it a treat, it won’t stop having such a tendency. This dog will always be happy to follow you as it knows either it’s going to play or it’s going to get a treat.

Nevertheless, it would be best to cut off such behavior as it can result in lots of over-dependency.

You Have a Velcro Dog

Velcro dogs love their owners a lot, and they love to stay close to them if not following them everywhere. With that said, your German shepherd is following you everywhere because he’s a Velcro dog. Unlike dogs with separation anxiety, Velcro dogs will not panic when you go away.

Here are some of the reasons that can make your German shepherd a Velcro dog.

  • You always reward your dog when it follows you.
  • You always let your dog sleep with you.
  • Your German shepherd is a rescue dog who has a bad history
  • You have a senior German shepherd who finds it hard to stay alone

Your Dog Sees You as the Leader

As you already know, the German shepherd is a member of the Canidae family. And most members of this family thrive where there is leadership. In that case, the dog has accepted you as the leader, and he always follows your everywhere as he sees you as the leader.

As a work-oriented dog, the German shepherd perhaps wants a task to help, hence why he can’t stop following you around.

The good thing is that these dogs are fast learners and know who to respect as their leader.

It’s Imprinting

Perhaps you adopted the German shepherd when it was still a puppy.  Then you have grown together; you have been exercising, grooming, and even feeding it. Most probably, your German shepherd will capture you as its sole guardian-where now imprinting occurs.

Imprinting occurs when a German shepherd regards you as its mother-Remember in its puppyhood, the German shepherd will stay with its mother, where it will learn various socializing skills.

In the case, you note your German shepherd keeps following you, and probably you have stayed with this dog since it was a puppy- then it most likely imprinting has occurred.

You German shepherd Has Fear

Fear will make your German shepherd follow you everywhere. Perhaps your dog was attacked, or it was threatened when you were away. In such a scenario, the dog will not be happy when you leave- it has to follow you everywhere.

You German shepherd Wants Something

If you always give your German shepherd food or treats before you go, it will capture that in its mind. This dog will follow you to give it food or give it the same petting you give it every time before you leave.

It’s One of the Signs of Affection

German shepherds will display affection in lots of ways, and one of them is by them following you everywhere you go.

German shepherds will tend not to love everyone in equal measure, they tend to have a favorite human, and this person is the one who either feeds or exercises the dog frequently.

How Do I Stop My German shepherd From Following Me?

If this behavior of your German shepherd following you everywhere is bothering you, you need to check ways to reverse this behavior. That said, below are some of the measurements you can take to stop or minimize this behavior you dislike.

Points out

  • Be patient

Don’t be in a rush to stop this behavior, and expect to see the results in a flash; you need to be patient. Expecting the results too soon will make you more and more frustrated.

  • Don’t kick your dog

Punishing or throwing stones at your dog will not be a solution- it will cause this behavior permanent- if you kick your dog, he may develop another behavioral issue that you may dislike.

Nevertheless, here is what you can do.

Ignore Your Dog

Have you been giving your German shepherd attention every time it follows you? Then you need to stop that. Don’t excite or give your dog treats, since the more you do it, the higher the chances the dog will keep following you.

Exercise Your Dog

Like earlier said, German shepherds, need exercise to keep them engaged and physically fit. And if your dog is not active, the more it will follow you. For example, puppies will need 15 minutes of exercise per day, whereas teenage German shepherds may require a maximum of 2 hours daily.

If not exercised, this dog will never be satisfied, and it will keep following you.

 Remember To Feed Your Dog

Dogs are always keen about their mealtime. You better joke with anything else than their feeding time. So, if you have not fed your dog, then it won’t hesitate to remind. The German shepherd will follow you everywhere. Perhaps you could be feeding your dog at the right time, but not with the right quality of food.

Nevertheless, consult your vet on the best feeding guideline suitable for your German shepherd.

Visit an Animal Behaviorist

 If all seems not to work, then your dog could be following you because of anxiety, and with that, you need to seek the services of an animal behaviorist who will help eradicate this behavior. Get help from this animal behaviorist, and he will guide you and help analyze why the German shepherd dog is acting in such away.

Don’t Let Your Dog Stay Near You

We are not saying you chase your dog away, but you need to create a boundary whereby your dog won’t become over-dependent on you.

Let the dog become independent. For example, you should always let the dog sleep on its bed, not yours. Again, don’t make your arrival or departure dramatic.

With that, the dog will learn, and he will rarely become over-attached to you.

Teach the Dog the ‘Stay’ Command

The German shepherd needs to learn the stay command. Although it can be hard to train your dog, you can do it in phases. You can use treats to make the training sessions smooth all the time.

You can first train the dog to stay in a room on its own when you are in the next room. Next, increase the distance and the time you stay away from your dog.  Do this consistently, and your dog will learn this command.

Conclusion

Above are the highlighted reasons your German shepherd won’t stop following you. It’s either the dog wants your attention, it’s a Velcro dog, or the dog is anxious when you leave. If the behavior of following you everywhere seems not to go away, you need to seek the services of an animal behaviorist who will help eradicate this behavior. Also, you can follow the measures we have outlined and wait for the results.

The German shepherd is a social breed, and this dog will be glad when you keep it company. If left alone, this dog may tend to develop some behavioral issues.

So, has your dog recently been seeking to be with you every time? Whether it’s in the bathroom, the kitchen, or the backyard, your dog is always behind you. So, what’s the cause of this behavior? And is it ok, you ask yourself? You are not alone; many German shepherd owners face the same problem.

So, let’s look at some of the top reasons your German shepherds follow you everywhere.

Your German shepherd Wants Your Attention

As earlier discussed, German shepherd dogs are social animals, and they thrive on attention. Also, this dog needs lots of exercise per day. If not exercised, this dog will follow you everywhere, notifying you there is something wrong.

That said, always ensure your German shepherd gets adequate exercise daily. If you have been feeding your dog at a specific time and forget, your German shepherd will not hesitate to remind you.

 Again, if you know, you are bound to forget your dog’s feeding time, delegate that duty to someone else.

If you quench your German shepherd’s need, it’s rare for this dog to follow you everywhere.

Your German Shepherd Loves Company

Like its cousins in the wild, who cannot live alone, the German shepherd needs company every day. Your German shepherd could still be having the instincts of living in a pack, and it loathes being alone.  Foxes and wolves, the distant cousins of this dog, stay in packs as they feel secure when they are together. If alone, your German shepherd may feel vulnerable.

Separation Anxiety

Dogs, like German shepherds, can acquire this behavior of separation anxiety. If, let’s say you are the one, who feeds, trains, exercises, or cleans the dog, he will probably become attached to you. This dog will never become happy whenever you leave without its company.

Such dogs, when you leave, start thinking you will never return, and that’s when panic starts kicking in for them. A dog with anxiety will display other unwanted behaviors.

Behaviors you should look out for are;

  • Peeing on itself
  • Barking and whining
  • Gnawing everything around

The German shepherd Has Learned to Follow You Every Time

German shepherds who follow you everywhere may have learned this behavior. If let’s say, you always allow your dog to follow you every time, and each time you give it a treat, it won’t stop having such a tendency. This dog will always be happy to follow you as it knows either it’s going to play or it’s going to get a treat.

Nevertheless, it would be best to cut off such behavior as it can result in lots of over-dependency.

You Have a Velcro Dog

Velcro dogs love their owners a lot, and they love to stay close to them if not following them everywhere. With that said, your German shepherd is following you everywhere because he’s a Velcro dog. Unlike dogs with separation anxiety, Velcro dogs will not panic when you go away.

Here are some of the reasons that can make your German shepherd a Velcro dog.

  • You always reward your dog when it follows you.
  • You always let your dog sleep with you.
  • Your German shepherd is a rescue dog who has a bad history
  • You have a senior German shepherd who finds it hard to stay alone

Your Dog Sees You as the Leader

As you already know, the German shepherd is a member of the Canidae family. And most members of this family thrive where there is leadership. In that case, the dog has accepted you as the leader, and he always follows your everywhere as he sees you as the leader.

As a work-oriented dog, the German shepherd perhaps wants a task to help, hence why he can’t stop following you around.

The good thing is that these dogs are fast learners and know who to respect as their leader.

It’s Imprinting

Perhaps you adopted the German shepherd when it was still a puppy.  Then you have grown together; you have been exercising, grooming, and even feeding it. Most probably, your German shepherd will capture you as its sole guardian-where now imprinting occurs.

Imprinting occurs when a German shepherd regards you as its mother-Remember in its puppyhood, the German shepherd will stay with its mother, where it will learn various socializing skills.

In the case, you note your German shepherd keeps following you, and probably you have stayed with this dog since it was a puppy- then it most likely imprinting has occurred.

You German shepherd Has Fear

Fear will make your German shepherd follow you everywhere. Perhaps your dog was attacked, or it was threatened when you were away. In such a scenario, the dog will not be happy when you leave- it has to follow you everywhere.

You German shepherd Wants Something

If you always give your German shepherd food or treats before you go, it will capture that in its mind. This dog will follow you to give it food or give it the same petting you give it every time before you leave.

It’s One of the Signs of Affection

German shepherds will display affection in lots of ways, and one of them is by them following you everywhere you go.

German shepherds will tend not to love everyone in equal measure, they tend to have a favorite human, and this person is the one who either feeds or exercises the dog frequently.

How Do I Stop My German shepherd From Following Me?

If this behavior of your German shepherd following you everywhere is bothering you, you need to check ways to reverse this behavior. That said, below are some of the measurements you can take to stop or minimize this behavior you dislike.

Points out

  • Be patient

Don’t be in a rush to stop this behavior, and expect to see the results in a flash; you need to be patient. Expecting the results too soon will make you more and more frustrated.

  • Don’t kick your dog

Punishing or throwing stones at your dog will not be a solution- it will cause this behavior permanent- if you kick your dog, he may develop another behavioral issue that you may dislike.

Nevertheless, here is what you can do.

Ignore Your Dog

Have you been giving your German shepherd attention every time it follows you? Then you need to stop that. Don’t excite or give your dog treats, since the more you do it, the higher the chances the dog will keep following you.

Exercise Your Dog

Like earlier said, German shepherds, need exercise to keep them engaged and physically fit. And if your dog is not active, the more it will follow you. For example, puppies will need 15 minutes of exercise per day, whereas teenage German shepherds may require a maximum of 2 hours daily.

If not exercised, this dog will never be satisfied, and it will keep following you.

 Remember To Feed Your Dog

Dogs are always keen about their mealtime. You better joke with anything else than their feeding time. So, if you have not fed your dog, then it won’t hesitate to remind. The German shepherd will follow you everywhere. Perhaps you could be feeding your dog at the right time, but not with the right quality of food.

Nevertheless, consult your vet on the best feeding guideline suitable for your German shepherd.

Visit an Animal Behaviorist

 If all seems not to work, then your dog could be following you because of anxiety, and with that, you need to seek the services of an animal behaviorist who will help eradicate this behavior. Get help from this animal behaviorist, and he will guide you and help analyze why the German shepherd dog is acting in such away.

Don’t Let Your Dog Stay Near You

We are not saying you chase your dog away, but you need to create a boundary whereby your dog won’t become over-dependent on you.

Let the dog become independent. For example, you should always let the dog sleep on its bed, not yours. Again, don’t make your arrival or departure dramatic.

With that, the dog will learn, and he will rarely become over-attached to you.

Teach the Dog the ‘Stay’ Command

The German shepherd needs to learn the stay command. Although it can be hard to train your dog, you can do it in phases. You can use treats to make the training sessions smooth all the time.

You can first train the dog to stay in a room on its own when you are in the next room. Next, increase the distance and the time you stay away from your dog.  Do this consistently, and your dog will learn this command.

Conclusion

Above are the highlighted reasons your German shepherd won’t stop following you. It’s either the dog wants your attention, it’s a Velcro dog, or the dog is anxious when you leave. If the behavior of following you everywhere seems not to go away, you need to seek the services of an animal behaviorist who will help eradicate this behavior. Also, you can follow the measures we have outlined and wait for the results.

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