Is My aussiedoodle is too attached to me?

[Rebecca bratter]

My loving aussiedoodle madiba follows me everywhere in the house and sleeps at my feet when I'm in the bathroom. I don't mind but I don't think it's good for,her because she won't relax or go to sleep unless she can see me or knows where I am, even though my husband is sitting with her, she always wants to be by my side. If she is asleep and I get up and walk to the bedroom, she silently sneaks in and when I turn around she is sitting there waiting for me. It's so endearing but is it normal? She's only 4 months, will she outgrow this? She also has separation anxiety if i try to leave her at home even for a minute, she freaks. She's extremely social with people and dogs but in our apartment she must be by my side. Any advice?

[Diane, Baker & Oskar]

My 1 year old, Oskar, does this too...I think it's sweet...he's well adjusted otherwise, he just loves his mom :)  it sounds like Madiba does too...be sure to leave her alone at times though...I'll bet her 'freaking' is short lived :)

[Rebecca bratter]

Thanks. I do leave her alone but never more than 2 hours. She does quiet after a few minutes, because I stand outside the door and listen. It breaks my heart though. It's my first puppy and I feel like she must be sad when she's alone. I know it's dumb but I hate hearing her in any kind of distress. I also travel for work so she is alone with my husband for a week or so. It's heartbreaking for me.

[Becka]

If she's only complaining for a minute or two and then quiets down, and isn't destroying things in your absence, I wouldn't diagnose it as full-blown separation anxiety yet. She most likely sleeps when she's alone. She's very young and may grow into more independence. I also wonder if part of the reason she sticks so close to you is the shepherd in her--not only are you her pack, you're her herd!

[Rebecca bratter]

Yes she quiets down after about 2 minutes, unless I crate her and then it's a full blown melt down. She doesn't destroy anything, she drags some old clothes that are on the floor around and sits on them but we usually come home to find her laying down or waiting by the door. Once we are home she's stuck to me like glue. She goes to doggie day care once a week for a few hours and does fine but if she sees me, it's all over, she has to be with me. Frankly I love it, I'd take her everywhere with me if I could.

[Michael Gurley]

All of that sounds exactly like my girl, Sunny. She outgrew the crying at about 7-8 months, but she is still very attached to me and only me!

[Moe]

Mine is almost 2 and still does this. She seems to be sound asleep but if I leave the room she will get up and follow. She is always underfoot. I don't worry about it.

[Rebecca bratter]

Ok, we'll maybe I shouldn't worry too much then. She is so silent she sneaks up on me. I think she's sleeping in the next room and I turn around and there she is. She sleep anywhere that I am.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Tara is the first dog I have had that doesn't follow me everywhere and I posted a discussion about it because I was concerned that it wasn't normal LOL!  I think what you are describing is really pretty normal. I too think that if you continue to leave her she will realize, as she gets a little older, that you will return to her and she won't be so stressed.  She'll get used to the routine. She is such a cutie and I totally understand how stressful it is when they are unhappy. :( Just give her a little more time...

[Becka]

I agree, Ricki. I always think that my separation anxiety is far worse than my doodle's--it sounds like that might be the case with Rebecca and Madiba, too! ;)

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

LOL Becka, that is SO true-I'm the one with the separation anxiety! I just hate driving away and seeing her little face watching me out the window. She doesn't cry or anything just sits silently watching me leave....kills me...

[Rebecca bratter]

Yes, I hate leaving madiba, I want to stay home with her all day but I can't. My husband is with her all day but she doesn't seem to have the same bond with him, although she loves him too, just a different relationship. I try to tell myself that dogs don't have the same emotions as we do but I keep thinking that she's lonely and upset when Im not there, especially when I travel,overseas for work.

[Heather & Jake]

My Aussiedoodle Jake is the exact same with me and was also noisy but not destructive when left alone when he was younger... however his noisy was for about 30 minutes!!  Not good. To fix this and to stop it from going into full-blown anxiety we practiced leaving and coming back and did forced separation as we are both home all day long.  This was just alone time in his crate in the other room.  We also never let him sleep in our bedroom until he was no longer making noise when left alone.  Jake still follows me everywhere, bathroom included, and has to make sure I am in his line of sight but he knows that if I leave I will come back.  It was hard keeping him away at first because they are so cute (and time demanding) at this age, but it has worked for the better especially when we have others watch him when we can't take him out of town with us.  This may be something for you to consider down the road as well.  At four months, you are very trusting to let her be out and about alone and unsupervised... maybe working on her crate training since she sounds to dislike it may be beneficial. I do agree that some of it is the Aussie in there... they are known as "Velcro dogs" for a reason!  You just don't want to foster any little seed of anxiety it to make it worse.

I notice you are really close by... there is actually a doodle romp this Sunday with another Aussiedoodle there as well if you would like to come and chat some more!  Join the NOVA Doodles group for info :)  Hope to see you there and if you have any questions, feel free to ask!