# Velcro Dog



## angiefurst (May 24, 2018)

I have a velcro dog! Bella seems to think she must, at all costs, attach herself to my body. She is loving and playful to all other members of my extended family - except when she can't see me, then she runs around the house until she finds me. If I'm not home, she cries. Not a little girly cry - but a loud squall guaranteed to get everyone attention! 

This upset me so much, I actually feel guilty about leaving her. Eventually she'll quieten and velcro herself to my husband.

What did I do to cause this behavior and what can I do about ii?


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

For some weird reason all of our female dogs are Velcro dogs. They love to follow me and literally stick to my leg, feet, or arm. I think it is the dogs personality to be cuddly and very sweet. I love my Velcro pug and kit. 

Make sure your dog does not have separation anxiety. My dogs are Velcro but they are fine when I am not there.


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

My Molly keeps me in her line of vision at all times.........even if I'm in the bathroom! But although she hates being left, she doesn't cry or whine when I leave because once I saw this starting to happen when she was a puppy, I made a point of leaving several times a day, even if it were for a minute or two, (went to the mailbox or walked out to my Apt's foyer) to show her I would always come back. No goodbyes or acknowledging my leaving, and none when I returned, making it a 'no big deal' event! Now as an adult, I have no SA to deal with, and when I return and sit down we have a happy reunion! The cure is to catch it early before it becomes an issue by showing you will always come back, starting with small time increments and building on it! Good Luck!


----------



## Dogs4Life (May 27, 2018)

If she is crying loudly when you leave and seems to be in distress, then it is most likely separation anxiety. Depending on how severe it is, you might need to work with a trainer. Miracle, my rescue dog, has mild separation anxiety. I was able to help her by letting her run free in my apartment when I am gone because putting her in a smaller space was making it worse. Jasper, my dog I have had since he was a puppy, has severe anxiety. I allowed him to become attached to me, and didn't consider the consequences. When I moved, his anxiety in general became pretty severe. He has been living with my parents because he could not handle moving to an apartment; to help him, I will need to work with a trainer. The sooner you start training, the better.


----------



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Out of 6 dogs in my household, the boy is the most velcro (well, my female Maltese is right up there)! 

I would start getting some separation from Bella by gating or crating her away from you for small periods of time. It's nice to be loved, but you want her to feel secure, of course. Start in the same room, then start crating her in a nearby room. Work up in gradual increments. She's still a young girl, right? With some time and training, she'll get less clingy, I think.


----------



## angiefurst (May 24, 2018)

Good idea. Wish I could attach sound to this reply - it is indeed something to here. She should like she's physically hurt.

I've left her for as long as two weeks and she still acts up when I leave the house. Everyone says after a while she calms down and get on my husband's lap and is fine.

She is terribly spoiled.


----------



## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

I made departures and returns very low key. Poodles feed off of your energy, so if you are stressed and worried, they feel it. Being Velcro, they know you, so keep calm and don’t hug at the door


----------



## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

Yep they are very clever. Mine was very much the same and if on leash and I handed over to another family member and I walked away he would jump yelp and carry on. We just kept doing it on and off for short times and now he is good. Still looks like where do you think your going without me but he accepts it. And now when he goes in his crate (which we do and and off because he learned what times he should be in there and didn't want to go if it wasn't the right time). They learn so quick and I don't make a fuss when I leave or come back, so now he quietly will wait in his crate until I open the door and say free time. Then its like mama where have you been.


----------



## angiefurst (May 24, 2018)

You're absolutely right that poodles feed off your feelings. They also feed off other dogs in the family. I'm going to try all these great suggestions. Perhaps, she'll be more comfortable when I leave her.


----------



## lisasgirl (May 27, 2010)

I actually do say goodbye to Archie, and it really helps him. If I just walk away without acknowledging him, he'll bark and whine/squeal. But if I say "I'll be back," in a calm, even tone (not happy and excited, but not anxious), then he just sits quietly and watches me go. It cues him to be calm.

My theory is that if I don't say anything, he thinks I don't realize I've left him behind, so he makes a bunch of noise to remind me. But if I give him a cue phrase, he knows we're on the same page and he doesn't worry about it.

For lots of dogs, though, any kind of goodbye ritual just winds them up more because they start anticipating the anxiety they'll have once you're gone. So it really depends on the dog.


----------

