Does Your Doodle Follow You About the House?

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Tara is the first dog that I have had that does not follow me when I move about the house. She will just stay in the living area sleeping or chewing her bullystick. I think she keeps track of me with her hearing though because once in a while if I am doing something "different" she will show up to check things out.

This in a way makes me feel unloved by her!  Why doesn't she WANT to be with me every moment and shower me with adoration like my other dogs did in the past? Sometimes I see posts like this in regard to rescue dogs (Goofy in this case!) and I wonder why those dogs love complete strangers more than my own dog loves me:

"He is a total love....Wants to be near us at all times and will sit in your lap if you let him....Puts that big paw on you when he wants attention and wants to be as close to your face as possible when he is being loved on.."

Recently the issue of our doodles touching us and always needing to be near us has been raised in the training group. Now I am beginning to see Tara's behavior in a different light and wonder if what she does is actually a sign of her being "balanced". That it may just be "normal" dog behavior. I'm not sure.

Tara likes to snuggle and sit on my lap but it is almost always at my instigation.  Once in a while she will ask to get up on a chair or the couch with me. So it's not like she is a cold fish or anything. We get our loves in but it is mainly the fact that she doesn't stay with me every moment that has me curious.

What does your doodle do and how do you interpret it?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I had two velcro dogs. Hershey would not let me out of her sight and even when she was so old and could barely get up the steps, she could only wait so long when I was down in the basement to follow me down. Drove me nuts, because I had to hoist her back up basically. Honey followed me everywhere too, and came to us as a rescue dog and was beside herself if I left to go anywhere.

Fudge and Vern are the first dogs that DO NOT follow me and I absolutely love it. I can go about my business and they are content to look out the window, etc. Sometimes, Princess Fudge has me put her on my bed and she stays back there for hours getting her beauty rest. Vern checks on me more than Fudge. Now, when they think I am getting ready to take them for a walk, they won't leave me alone :)

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I need for your dogs to teach Tara about walks. Maybe your walks are just more exciting then mine!

I have to admit I don't miss tripping over a dog every time I turn around! And Tara is small enough that sometimes she is right at my feet but out of my line of sight. I will be calling her and calling her and she is sitting there going "Duh".  So I could probably fall over her pretty easily if she was a clingy girl.

[Adina P]

Rosco follows me LOTS but mostly within an hour and a half before meals and if he thinks I might be doing something interesting (food or outing related).  Boca would rather leave the house and follow squirrels and toys around, but when she is stuck indoors she also follows.  I think it's pretty normal and not a true hint of a problem unless there are other reasons to interpret a specific dog's behavior differently.  I am not fond of the following simply because I can barely navigate my floors as it is (obstacle course daily created by kids toys, kid holding apparatuses, kids, and dogs) without a dog to run into or block my path.  I think with my dogs it is okay as far as 'balance' goes and doesn't indicate there is a problem.  Boca would be more balanced if I had more time to spend with her in training and leadership and teaching her self-control.  But as it is she gets to be a little whirling dervish until afternoon or after dark. 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Adina prior to Tara I had 2 dogs at the same time. Both were followers but one was a clingy, needy, always wanting to be touched dog and the other just liked being in the same room but often on my feet. The first dog was very dog aggressive and had many anxiety  issues as well. In that case I think that his need to be close went along with his other issues. The dog that liked to just be near me but not attached didn't have any of the other problems.  So as you suggest, it may be a case by case basis and other things need to be looked at to determine the motivation behind it.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

"Whirling Dervish"....that is my mom's favorite expression :) I have never heard anyone else use it!!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Sound of Music, the nuns say Maria could throw a Whirling Dervish out of whirl. ;o)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I have seen that movie often, and never heard that...I will have to pay better attention next time :)  Sometimes, I thought my mom made it up..LOL!!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Tara's DogFather calls her a Whirling Dervish! :) Here is what they look like! It makes me nauseous to watch them! And I don't think my girl is one! :(

[Heather Martinez]

Teddy will almost always follow me upstairs, but he won't always come downstairs with me unless I call "downstairs, garage!". If he's sleeping in the living room, when he wakes up and realizes I'm not in the room he'll come and look for me upstairs. I think he prefers to go upstairs because he's not normally allowed in the bedroom, but sometimes I will let him in there if I'm putting away laundry or something. Mostly we're downstairs in the kitchen, dining room or living room, and Teddy will walk around and play with his toys or lie down where he can see us. 

Teddy is not allowed on the furniture and he won't get on my lap if I'm sitting on the floor. He does like to sit right in front of our feet when we're on the couch though.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Teddy sounds very content! :)

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

If we are on a couch, Luna really likes to sit by us, almost always touching us (or close enough to get some rubs).  However - if we're at our computers or otherwise about the house, she's content to just be near us, and almost always exactly between the two of us. 

Our offices are in adjacent bedrooms (can you tell we don't have kids yet?), so she usually sleeps on the floor in the hallway in between if we're both on the computer. 

If I'm downstairs and DF is upstairs, she sleeps on the landing on the stairs (so she can "keep an eye" on both of us!).

However - if anyone makes some sort of noise like they're going somewhere, she HAS to go see where they're going to follow them.. even if it's to the bathroom!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Aww...Luna sounds like an equal opportunity doodle! Sweet!