As a dog owner, you interact with your dog a lot, and with time, you will notice some habits. Some of them are understandable, while others may leave you with questions. One of the questions you may be asking yourself is, why does my Jack Russell follow me everywhere?
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Why Does My Jack Russell Follow Me Everywhere?
Your Jack Russell follows you everywhere for several reasons, including having separation anxiety, growing dependent on you, or receiving positive reinforcement.
Your Jack Russell is a velcro dog, and this behavior is common with the breed, although most dogs pick it up when they are in the socialization stage.
The behavior can become annoying, especially when you want to engage in activities that do not involve your dog. When you have found out why it is following you everywhere, it will be easy for you to find solutions to the problem.
Separation Anxiety
Many dog breeds have separation anxiety, and Jack Russell terriers fall in that category. Your dog will become clingy and follow you around the house. If you leave it somewhere where it does not have access to you, the anxiety kicks in.
It’s not always a bad thing for your dog to follow you around; however, there is a problem when it cannot cope without you around.
Social anxiety can be described as an over-attachment on a family member, and the dog starts to act out whenever that person is not around. It can start showing signs of distress such as howling, crying, and disruptive behavior. There are ways you can ease its separation anxiety, including:
- Minimizing greetings when you come or goodbyes when you are leaving
- Keep the dog away from you for at least two hours every day
- Leave treats for them to find around the house; it will keep your dog occupied
- Get calming supplements for the dog
If nothing seems to help with separation anxiety, you have to seek the help of an expert.
Positive Reinforcement
Your Jack Russell terrier may be following you everywhere because of what happened during its socialization stage. You took it everywhere with you, or it was allowed to follow you everywhere, and it got used to doing this. You talk to it constantly, pet it, give it treats, and are very affectionate.
Your actions gave it positive reinforcement, and because of that, it wants to be around you. It thinks that is the best way to get your love, treats, and attention. Many behavioral problems that your dog will display are based on what they learned during socialization.
This is why it is crucial to ensure they are socialized in the best way possible. If this is why your dog is following you everywhere, you may have to tone down the way you show it affection.
If it follows you around and you relent and give it a belly rub, next time, do not give it that. Do not be too happy when it jumps on you. Do this in moderation, so it does not feel that you no longer love it.
Dependency
How many times have you let your terrier sleep in your bed even though it has its bed? What boundaries have you set with your dog? Your dog should be able to spend time alone without feeling like they need to be around you.
It copies your behavior, and if there are no boundaries, it will not be aware of what it can and cannot do and, therefore, hard for it to be alone.
Dependency often leads to separation anxiety. Treat your dog differently from how other people in the family treat it; it will follow you everywhere. When you are not around, it will suffer from separation anxiety and may not be able to perform certain functions without you.
Do not let your Jack Russell become dependent on you. Have family members take turns taking it on walks, giving it treats, and rubbing its belly. This way, it forms a healthy relationship with everyone in the family, and it can function well when someone is not around.
Related Questions
Other questions you may have are answered below.
How Do I Stop My Jack Russell From Following Me Everywhere?
There are various ways you can stop your Jack Russell from following you everywhere, including taking time away from it every day, crate training it, providing it with exercises, and reducing the level of positive reinforcement.
When you start on the methods, start gradually and increase as you go along until they no longer follow you everywhere.
Are Jack Russell Terriers Clingy?
Jack Russell may become clingy if they are around someone too much. If you give them a lot of attention, they tend to become clingy and may develop separation anxiety when you leave them after they have become attached to you.
Conclusion
With proper socialization and boundary setting, your Jack Russell terrier will be well-adjusted and not follow you everywhere. However, if it already is, there are ways you can reverse the situation and enjoy some time away from your dog without it becoming anxious.
