It is no accident that the dog is considered the best friend of humans and has become one of the most popular and beloved companion animals in the world. The devotion, loyalty, affection, sensitivity and joy inherent in the way of being of these hairy win any heart. However, when a dog becomes too dependent or demanding on its guardians and family members, this emotional bond becomes unhealthy and begins to damage both the dog's well-being and family life.
That a dog demands excessive attention is not normal . A dog that is too dependent cannot handle his loneliness or enjoy a positive social life, tends to suffer from depression or develop behavioral problems. However, dependence on their humans is not the only cause that can justify a dog demanding much attention. Therefore, before starting any treatment, it is essential to know the cause that moves the dog to carry out this behavior. To help you, in this Animal Expert article we talk about it and explain why your dog demands a lot of attention and what to do.
Is my dog very dependent on me?
A dependent dog is one that constantly demands the attention of tutors and family members, and can also have the same behavior with other people. It occurs when a hyperapist has developed in the animal towards one or more family members. This occurs, above all, in dogs that have been weaned prematurely and, therefore, have not been able to learn the basic codes of social behavior that mothers transmit. Likewise, it is usually common in dogs that have not received an adequate education or do not have a routine.
Symptoms of dependence in dogs
Because each dog is a unique individual with a unique personality, we can find many symptoms that indicate that our dog suffers from this type of dependence. That is, to attract people's attention and interest, each dog can perform various actions and gestures, including some behavioral problems. So, to know if your dog really is very dependent and this is the cause that justifies that he constantly demands attention, you must learn to identify these signs.
It is not uncommon to see dependent dogs that cry or bark excessively (especially when they are alone), jump on people, bite or destroy clothes, objects and furniture at home or suffer from separation anxiety . It is even possible that a dog in great need of attention is aggressive with other people and animals that approach their guardians. For all these reasons, the demand for excessive attention and possessive behavior should not be ignored or considered harmless in dogs. In addition to causing problems in the dog's bond with the guardian, a very dependent dog can become dangerous for everyone who lives with him.
At this point, it is worth remembering that a dog's behavior is not only determined by race and genetic inheritance, but also depends (and largely) on the education and environment provided by each tutor. Although there are more independent and more attached dog breeds (which tend to be more possessive), the type of relationship that develops a hairy with his tutor and other people will also be greatly influenced by the socialization, training and routine that each receives dog.
Why does my dog want to attract so much attention?
If you have ruled out the hyperapist but still consider that your dog wants to get your attention at all times and you don't understand why, you should know that there are several causes that may be behind this behavior. Before explaining them, let's see what dogs do to get attention to ensure that, in effect, this is what happens to yours:
- To bark
- Cry
- Howl
- Snarl
- Take you toys
- Lick you
- Screw up
- Scratch you
- Walk back and forth
- Chase your tail
- Nibble on you
In addition, if your dog is very cuddly or more affectionate than normal, it can also be a way of trying to capture your attention to cover some type of need. In this way, whether your dog cries to get your attention, as if he barks to play with you or licks you, you can confirm that he wants you to listen to him and you must find out why.
Your dog demands attention for lack of love
Without a doubt, the most logical reason is that your dog does not receive the love he needs to be happy. To check, you simply have to pay attention to the hours a day you spend spending time with your dog and ask yourself if you've played with him, have caressed him at some time or, simply, have remained by his side. Dogs are sociable animals that need to receive a minimum of attention to stay balanced, so it is completely normal to demand it if they do not have it.
In this way, in this case it is normal for your dog to demand a lot of attention.
Your dog wants to get your attention because he is bored
Sometimes, it is not the lack of affection that motivates the dog to demand attention but it is boring. This happens, especially in cases of dogs with poor environmental enrichment . That is, if the dog does not have toys, he does not receive the physical and mental stimulation he needs or has any way of staying entertained at home, he will most likely get bored and develop unwanted behaviors.
The solution in these cases is as simple as offering the animal adequate environmental enrichment and exercising it as needed.
Your dog catches your attention because he is hungry or thirsty
Many times we do not realize that the food or water bowl is empty and it is the dog itself that tells us about it by barking, groaning or whining, mainly. Although at specific times it may be normal due to the lifestyle we lead, it is very important to avoid getting to the extreme that your dog demands attention to eat or drink water. If he has reached this point it is because he has been waiting for his food for a long time.
Your dog demands jealousy attention
If you have just adopted a new animal, regardless of species and age, it is likely that your dog feels jealous if the presentation has not been adequate or you are not managing the situation properly. Therefore, in these cases it is also normal to see the dog demand a lot of attention.
Your dog wants to get your attention because he is not well
If you feel pain in any area of your body, have eaten something in poor condition or suffer from any other health problem, it is normal to try to get your attention through whining, licking, walking from one side to another or even giving you small blows. To check if this is the reason, feel your body in order to identify any signs of pain in your dog . Also, observe his general behavior in case you see that he tries to vomit or has diarrhea. In case of identifying any anomaly, go to the veterinarian.
This can occur in dogs of any age, but it is usually more common in older dogs. In addition, elderly dogs usually demand more attention than adults.
What to do if my dog demands a lot of attention?
Identifying the cause is the first thing you should do to treat it. As we have seen, there are many reasons behind this behavior and most are easy to solve, since they offer the animal entertainment, mental and physical stimulation, love, food and water, all of them basic needs.
Dogs are active and curious by nature, so they need to exercise and enjoy activities that keep them entertained daily. Thus, it is not enough to take 20-minute walks to meet your needs on the street, you need to run, play with other dogs, explore, sniff and meet new places. However, there are not only activities to do outdoors, intelligence games are also a good solution to keep them entertained at home, especially when they are alone. Boredom and lack of activity can not only lead the dog to demand frequent attention, but can develop other problems such as obesity, destructiveness, anxiety, stress and frustration.
Apart from covering the basic needs of a dog, if the problem lies in a poor or inadequate education, it is essential to establish routines and resume training to carry it out in a positive, respectful and correct way.
Now, when it comes to a can with dependence or hyperapego, the solutions are different.
Hyperapego in dogs - Treatment
Before starting it is important to highlight that negative emotions are not reinforced . That is, if you have confirmed that your dog is very dependent, the last thing he needs is that reactions as soon as he demands attention, because in this way he interprets that with that action he gets what he wants and you do not solve the problem. What your dog needs is to learn to manage these emotions in a positive way. To do this, socializing with other dogs, animals, people and environments is one of the most important steps for you to learn to relate correctly.
As we said, it is not recommended that you pay attention until you show a calm and calm attitude. At this time, you can reward him with caresses or words of encouragement. Likewise, working basic obedience also allows us to encourage this calm attitude we are looking for, so asking you to sit down or lie down will help you.
On the other hand, promoting a calm environment in which the dog feels comfortable is more than recommended, as well as setting up healthy routines for him and covering all his needs. In this sense, the use of synthetic pheromones in diffuser is a technique that favors the creation of a relaxed environment because it emits a copy of the pheromones that mothers transmit to their puppies.
Since it is such a complicated situation, it is best to go to a canine ethologist or educator specialized in behavior modification to evaluate the case and set the guidelines for action with you.
If you want to read similar articles to My dog demands a lot of attention, is it normal?, we recommend you visit our Behavioral problems category.