How do I prevent my dog from being too "attached"?

Question

We recently adopted a 7 y/o Schnauzer mix from the shelter. I picked him up and I walk him and take him outside. He is a very obedient and well trained dog. My problem is that he won't do anything without me. He plays with my daughters but if I stand up he comes to me. I make my daughters feed him and walk him so he becomes more dependant on them but it doesn't seem to help. He follows me everywhere in the house and if I leave, he stays at the door and howls, even when the rest of the family is home. How do I break him of this behaviour?

Some people are taking me wrong. I love that the dog has become attached, but it is a problem when I go to work. We've had him a month and he has never made a mess in the house. Problem is, I have been home for him because of surgery. In a couple of weeks I go back to work as a firefighter. I'll be gone for 24 hours. He needs to go outside with my wife or kids.

Answer 1

it isn't good for a dog to become so dependant on one person because he will then be stressed when you aren't around. the way you are asking your daughters to feed him and walk him is a good start. what do you do when he comes to you after you stand up? do you give him attention? what you need to do is start ignoring him a little more. when he runs to you, just walk away. it sounds harsh, and you don't need to do it all the time because of course you love him, but he needs to learn that you aren't going to baby him every time he is near you. if you leave and he howls at the door, make sure you don't come back until he stops howling. you don't want to teach him that howling makes you return. make sure the rest of the family is involved in training, feeding and walking him all the time. hopefully this will help. by the way, i think it is fantastic that you gave a home to an older dog! they usually have a hard time getting adopted!

Answer 2

I have the exact same problem with my pug. She is extremely attached and I love her to death, but she howls uncontrollably whenever I leave her to go somewhere. My boyfriend and I didn't know what to do, since we live in an apt where we obviously can't let this continue. Our vet said she actually has separation anxiety, and that it's the physical act of leaving her that sparks everything, not being alone or with other people. So she suggested we put her on Colcicalm (not sure if that's the right name, but it's pills to help with her anxiety).

Anyway, the vet assured us it was safe and she doesn't have to be on them for too long, it is up to us when she goes off. Hershey, my pug, has been sooooooo much better now that's she's on the pills. I distract her with a frozen kong toy filled with wet dog food, and leave for work with no problems now. She could care less what I'm doing when she has her frozen treat filled kong toy. The neighbors haven't heard her howling at all, which means she's more relaxed without me. Plus, she's going on more walks with my boyfriend, in order to get her a little less attached to me. And only he's allowed to feed her treats, so it's something special from him, that she knows I won't give her. It's wonderful that your dog loves you so much, but I understand where you're coming from completely.

Answer 3

I think dogs (and other pets) are like children in so many ways, and in this case, your dog probably takes his place among the children and sees you as the "mom" or "dad". Just like any toddler, or child, he sees you as the provider of all his needs and loves you more than anyone in the world, just like most children love their mothers and fathers.

As for the howling, it's just like a toddler crying when he is being left, and eventually should stop after awhile if he is distracted with positive attention from the rest of your family.

Good luck to you.

I have 6 dogs and 2 cats, some of them brought home by my kids, and the kids are brothers and fun to play with and all, but nothing beats hanging out with Mom (or Dad). They follow me everywhere.

Sorry, you took the job... you can't make them love someone, and you can't make them unlove them, either. Don't you have time in your day and room in your heart for someone who will unconditionally love you no matter what you do and will never, ever reject you?

Answer 4

He has already bonded to you and the master of the house. There is no way around it you can not train a dog not to miss you when you are gone. My dogs do the same thing when I leave and my husband stays home. Dogs normally become attatched to the alpha for safety.

Answer 5

Hi Bill,
I understand your problem, dogs always find one person out of the whole family to bond with the most. Give it time. When you are at work tell your kids to have a treat with then or a ball and talk like there excited to play with the dog when they want they dog outside, and to walk outside with the dog.
My female dog hates the rain and I just couldn't get her to go out into the yard to pee until I had a treat in my hand and went outside with her. Its takes time, be patient. :o)

Answer 6

My mothers dog does that and it is terrible, if he doesn't get enough attention he will go on the carpet every now and then knowing he should not. Try to get him to be equally around others when he follows you too much say no and let him stay alone for a bit. Take him to dog parks with all your family hav ehim spend time alone with everyone.

Answer 7

My dog is very attached to me also. He's always right there when I turn around, he doesn't follow my husband nearly like he does me. Maybe if he spends more time with the others it will help. Maybe if u don't give him so much attention and kinda ignore him a bit, it would help. I know that's hard to do becuase they are so loveable. Good luck

Answer 8

Did the shelter give you any info on his background? It could be that in his former home, his owner was a male and that is why he has bonded to you so quickly and never wants to leave your side. Keep doing what you are doing by having everyone in the house help in caring for him. In time, he will become just as bonded to them as he is to you.

Answer 9

Well perhaps he perfers men. His old owner was probably a man and a man is who he is used to listening to. I know it happens that dogs can perfer one sex over the other depending on how they were raised. He probably loves your daughters but you are what is important. I think you are on the right track make them spend more time with him while you spend less. But it is special to have a dog that is that attached. Keep that in mind....good luck!!

Answer 10

This guy designated YOU as the master. He is there to serve YOU. Good luck on breaking this behaviour. He's been in a shelter and needs to attach himself to a loving family. He sees you as ALPHA dog. We should all be so lucky.