Dogs are a man’s best friend. But why does my dog follow me and not my husband? You may notice that your dog loves hanging out with you more than the rest of the family. Well, it’s not uncommon for dogs to have a favorite human. There are various reasons why dogs are more attached to a member of the household than the others. These reasons may even surprise you!
For instance, dogs have a scent preference, so they might just be following her nose! Dogs are notorious for picking up on our scent, and they’re naturally attracted to it.
Let’s take a look at these ten reasons why your dog follows YOU around instead of everyone else!
Reasons Why Your Dog Follows You And Not Your Husband
It is confusing when your dog exclusively follows one person. It can seem like the animal loves that person more, especially since you both love the pet so much. Does it mean that your dog likes the other person any less?
Sometimes, a dog can be more attached to one person than another. They might have been the first ones to take them in and raise them as a puppy or adopted an older dog from someone else.
It is an interesting question–in our personal lives, one person’s dog seems to always follow that person around more. To answer this, we looked into why my dog follows me and not my husband. Here we have compiled a list of some of those reasons:
1. Your Dog is Imprinting On You
If a dog imprints on a person, that will be the one it typically follows; this process happens between 3 and 12 weeks old.
A young puppy could start to view an animal or human close to them as their parent. You become the object of affection and your dog’s de facto parent.
Since you are more interactive with the puppy throughout its development, you become more than just a caregiver to your pet, and the dog becomes more attached to you.
Some pet parents call themselves “dog mum,” and without you realizing it, your dog is classifying you as one!
2. Your Dog Prefers Your Scent
Dogs can pick up on smells, even from long distances away. A study in 2011 found that dogs preferred the smell of people they live with over strangers and can also tell apart different human scents!
The next time you come back home after being gone for a while, your dog will immediately take notice of that scent and come running to greet you.
Another possible reason for your question on why my dog follows me and not my husband is the perfume he uses. Your dog might not like the scent, so they prefer your smell over your husband.
3. Your Dog Feel Hostility Towards Your Husband
Your dog may not be fond of the male figure coming into his territory. Dogs are territorial animals, and they think you’re their person, so why should he share with anyone else?
This situation is common when your dog grew up with you and just met your husband recently. Your dog might just be patrolling their territory, which is YOU. Your pet will continue to follow you as their instinct dictates it as a pack animal.
It is a common issue, but it can be solved by training your pup to get used to him! Just make sure to work on the training rewards.
4. Your Dog Consider Your Husband As A Stranger
Dogs view men differently than women, so it’s no surprise if he feels more uncomfortable around him. It might be because of how you interact with them or why he thinks males are generally not trustworthy.
There are many reasons why your dog may act aloof around your husband, but you can change this behavior. Get your husband to spend more time with you and your pet.
You may also allow them to bond over walks and outdoor play until your pet becomes used to spending time with your husband.
5. Your Dog Has No Bonding With Your Husband
Just like a human being, bonding increases the level of trust and love. Dogs have stronger affection for the one who feeds them every day than that person who comes once in a while. Your husband might be very busy or working away from the family, even if he is the owner of the dog.
If you establish a routine with your dog to engage in frequent interactions, it’ll bond more with you.
Though your pet enjoys associating more with leaders, if your husband has no time for attention, the dog will follow you instead.
It is essential to establish physical touch. If your husband does not groom or pet the dog, he will prefer you more when following you for attention and affection.
Be sure to have a grooming session with the dog regularly- at least once a week! It’s good for bonding, and your dog will love it.
6. Your Dog Waits for Your Positive Reinforcement
Dogs love attention, and they crave little reassurances from their humans. If your pet gets a reward when following you, they will always do it. They will think that such behavior will be rewarded with your affection.
During the imprinting stage, you might have given them approving affection such as a pat on their head, a scratch behind the ear, or a belly rub. Your pet will take this as a cue that you approve of them following you.
It is not wrong for your dog to react to your actions this way. However, it may also be one of the reasons why your pet is always following you instead of your husband or anyone else.
7. Your Dog May Have Separation Anxiety
Your dog might have separation anxiety, and they feel panicky whenever they see you leave.
Your dog suffers from this condition if you seem to get scared when you’re away. They may also exhibit destructive behavior such as chewing or barking when you leave them.
Try to spend more time with your dog to reassure them of your care and affection. Give your pet more time to get used to being alone with your husband until they get over their anxiety of your absence.
8. Your Dog Wants Companionship
Dogs are social animals, and they need some bond with another living being to feel happy. It is why after every walk, they’re always looking for someone to cuddle with.
If your dog follows you, it might be because he’s lonely and wants some company!
9. Your Dog Is Protecting the Territory
Dogs are also territorial animals. Your pet might be following you around because they are trying to keep you safe.
He could also feel like he needs to protect you, which is why he’s always by your side.
This behavior has got to do with their instinct. Deep inside, dogs feel that it is smart to stay together and remain close with their pack.
10. It Is a Breed Specific Behavior
Certain breeds are bred to follow and provide protection for their owner. For instance, herding breeds like Corgis tend to follow their owners more than others.
Your pet might be following you around because it is an insane behavior for them. If these dogs were trained to follow owners, they would eventually do it now.
Should I Worry Over My Dog Constantly Following Me?
Most of the time, your worries over why my dog follows me and not my husband are nothing to be concerned about. But if your dog’s obsessive behavior of following is a recent event, then it might indicate something amiss.
Pay closer attention to your dog’s body language and how they communicate. If they follow you around while showing signs of stress or anxiety, seek help from a behavior consultant.
A dog that keeps on barking, whining, or being unable to settle down may have fear, aggression, or separation anxiety.
Sudden changes in their behavior may also point to an underlying health condition. If your dog starts following you while showing signs of discomfort, consult with your veterinarian right away.
Tips To Stop My Dog From Following Me
Your dog’s behavior of constantly following you may be an endearing behavior that you love. Some pet parents would encourage this because it makes them happy.
But if your husband is feeling left out, you have to think of ways to change it.
Here are some ideas on how you can get your dog to stop following you and ultimately like your husband too!
Discourage the Behavior
If you want your dog to stop following you, it is important to discourage the behavior. You can do this by picking up a new routine and changing your dog’s surroundings.
Start leaving for work earlier than usual, so you have more time to spend with them before they start following you out of the door when it’s time for you to leave. It will also make it harder for your pet to follow you.
Another tip is to take your dog on walks at different times of the day so they can experience new smells and sights. You may also want to stay home for a while so that he doesn’t get too used to seeing you leave in the morning!
Let Your Dog Spend More Time With Your Husband
Bonding with your husband takes time (it could be months on end before it happens). And puppies are well-known for having a short attention span.
Your dog may be following you because he’s getting the attention and affection they need from your husband or the other way around.
Try to have your husband do all the caring, grooming, and feeding so that your dog becomes more familiar with them.
If you want to encourage them to spend more time with him, then it might help if you tried giving your pet some space for a while so that others can bond!
Keep Your Dog Busy
Your dog will be less likely to follow you if he’s too busy focusing on other things. You can do this by providing them with more opportunities for playtime and getting out of the house!
For instance, try setting up a few toys around your living room before leaving home or take him on an adventure at the park. It will help wear your pet out and stop him from following you around the house.
Try to Give Your Dog More Attention
Another possible reason my dog follows me and not my husband could be that your pet is trying to get your attention.
For instance, if you’re cooking dinner while ignoring him or watching TV, he sees this as a way of getting the affection they need from their owner. Your dog may have learned that following gets them more time with you.
To stop this behavior, start by being attentive to your dog and giving him more attention when he’s not following you around the house.
It would be best if you also tried to set up boundaries too. For example, don’t let them follow you into the bedroom or bathroom so they can get used to staying in one area of the home while you’re away.
Conclusion
One of the most common reasons for a dog’s preference is that you may spend more time with them. Your pet may keep following you because they love being around you. You’re probably also better at understanding their needs and commands, making it easier to give your pup the love and attention they crave.
It would help if you also observed why your pet follows you around more than before. Sudden changes in their behavior may indicate an underlying health condition.
It’s important to recognize that your dog is a member of your family. They are like kids who crave your attention. It will also help to allow them to spend quality time with your husband to improve their bond.
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