Starting from your bedroom, kitchen, yard, and all the way to the outside, ever wondered why your German shepherd follows you everywhere? Is it loyalty, protectiveness, or something else? Let’s find out.
German shepherds are classified among the most popular breeds to have at your home. Naturally protective, caring, intelligent, and strong, a German shepherd might stay with you like a shadow at all times.
Not wanting to leave you alone, it is possible that a German shepherd is suffering from depression or is feeling frightened. It can also happen because of your German shepherd’s love and affection towards you. Whatsoever, it feels good for a limited time only, and you have to see why he is following you all over the place. Below, you will see prospective reasons and what you can do about it.
Potential reasons why your German shepherd follows you everywhere
Having diverse qualities, a German shepherd can be your perfect guard dog and as well as a great companion.
But sometimes, it feels irritating how it follows you everywhere, and there can be several reasons for it. Whatever it is, being a dog owner, you have to find it out so that you can find a possible solution. Though it is a good habit that German shepherds stick with their owner, following you all the time is not appropriate. After all, we all need space and a kind of privacy. Let’s explore why and think through what we can do in this regard.
It’s in their nature
Full of energy, initially German shepherds were bred to herd livestock, and this follows from generation to generation. So, the shepherds may follow you all the time because it is in their genes, or maybe they are trained for this.
Wants more attention
It is usual for the pets to become obsessed with your company. The same goes for German shepherds. If you spend more time with shepherds in the initial days, they will become habitual and will seek your attention when you don’t give them proper time as before.
To avoid this, you can distract them with toys or any kind of exercise. Divert attention from your side, and soon they will realize that they don’t need your continuous attention.
Food craving
Sometimes, it is us who reinforce the behavior due to which they follow us everywhere. For example, if you give them a treat for following you all the time or when you give them to feed every time, they come near to you. This makes the shepherds feel that they need to follow you in order to get more food.
Separation anxiety
Following you around all the time is a sign of separation anxiety, and it is common in German shepherds. When faced with this problem, German shepherds behave abnormally when their owner leaves; this includes excessive barking and destruction of whatever comes in their sight.
To treat, you need to focus on behavioral issues training. Carry on with your effort as it will take some time for the shepherd to overcome this issue.
How to stop German shepherds from following you everywhere?
It can be any reason from above that your German shepherd is following you everywhere, but we cannot let them continue with this. Try to understand your shepherd’s behavior, and then take note of the following. The below-mentioned ways will help you overcome this issue.
Mix up routine
If you and your dog are following the same usual routine every day and for a long time, they will become habitual. Bring yourself and your shepherd out from the loop and mix up your daily routine.
Give proper time to exercise
It is often due to lack of exercise that German shepherds follow you everywhere to drain their energy. Take note that German shepherds are naturally active, energetic, and strong. Therefore, they require an adequate amount of physical exercise. For more information on exercise requirements, see here how much exercise does a German shepherd need.
Do not reinforce the behavior yourself
If you continue rewarding the dog for following you everywhere, it will become difficult to let go of this behavior afterward. Do not be over-attentive yourself. Remember that German shepherds are intelligent, and they learn what you teach.
Get help from expert
If nothing works out, then you can ask for help and call in a dog behaviorist who will diagnose the situation and will propose the situation accordingly. Meanwhile, you should not be harsh with your dog nor try to punish. There could be a major problem with the dog’s behavior.
Conclusion
Developing it as a habit or actually feeling loneliness, there can be any reason your German shepherd is following you everywhere. While it seems normal in the initial days, you will eventually get frustrated. Rather than using physical punishment, you should focus on understanding the reason behind this behavior and then take the appropriate actions. Build a strong connection with your shepherd but keep a distance where it is required. Do not allow your shepherd to follow you everywhere, identify the reason, and then do what is required. Let us know if your German shepherd does the same or not.