Since the beginning, a dog and its master have been great friends and like walking together. However, it is annoying when your husky follows you everywhere. Imagine you are just in the kitchen cooking, and your husky is there. Sometimes it will follow you into the bathroom or any other private room. Some dog owners find this behavior sweet, while others get it annoying.
Your husky follows you everywhere when it knows it will receive gifts or presents from the boss. Maybe it only wants attention from the owner, but you are so busy with your stuff. Or it is the separation anxiety, and it is afraid the boss might disappear. Some studies show it is natural for huskies to follow their owners everywhere.
Reasons Your Husky Follows You Everywhere
1. When it knows it will receive gifts and presents
Dogs learn very fast and are hard to forget. Your husky follows you everywhere when it realizes that it will get something good whenever it is close to you. It can be pieces of food, some playing time, lovely treats and many others. Your husky knows it will receive action and love when it is close to you.
It takes time for this behavior to develop and mature. Many husky owners find to have been reinforcing the act without actually knowing. Now it is too late, and your husky follows you everywhere. The best solution is to stop the treats and gifts for specific reasons, such as during training sessions. Soon your husky will learn the routine has changed, and it will adjust.
2. Seeking attention
Research shows that huskies are an attention-seeking breed of dogs. They adapt naturally to pulling heavy sleighs and doing other complex work. Your husky follows you everywhere when it stays for long without work. Indeed, huskies are hardworking dogs. Your husky follows you everywhere, expecting you will give it some activity to do.
In this case, the solution is to ensure you’re husky get at least two hours of physical activity and exercise. Physical exercise is essential to a husky’s mental and physical development. It will burn down excess fats and get time to bond with the owner. Your husky would have received enough love and attention after the exercise; hence it will relax somewhere peaceful.
3. Separation anxiety
A couple of lovers cannot stay apart for long, or else they will feel uncomfortable; the same happens to huskies. Separation anxiety is when your husky cannot allow you to be away. Your husky anticipates that you are trying to escape, then it gets stressed; nevertheless, your husky follows you everywhere, watching your moves.
Vets and psychologists say separation anxiety is a severe condition, and you have to watch out for the signs. The first sign is the nervous behavior whenever you pick up your jacket or keys. It shows your dog is worried you are leaving. Most huskies start howling and panting when you put on your shoes.
The condition will worsen when your husky refuses to eat when it is alone. It will start self-destruction traits such as biting its tail and legs in advanced stages. The solution to separation anxiety takes time to train your husky that you can be absent anytime. Some owners play their voice recording so that it thinks you are still around.
4. It is in the DNA
Your husky follows you everywhere because it is in its DNA; it is a natural trait they are born with. Historically, huskies work besides human beings, especially in cold areas. They pull sleighs, hunt for food and participate in sports. They are a working breed that always waits for commands from their master.
As a result, don’t be annoyed when your husky follows you around; it is doing what is beyond human control. Your husky wants the following command, so give it an order to stay at home or one specific place. However, you should note that a husky will stay down after doing some physical exercise.
5. It is hungry or sick
Apart from attention, your husky follows you everywhere simply because it is hungry or feeling sick. Huskies follow the chain of command, and it knows the master will solve all problems. It will follow you because the feeding time is near or has already passed. Dogs do not have watches but know the routine time to eat.
Illness can also be the reason your husky follows you everywhere. Something is wrong in the system, and it wants the master to check it out. Sickness can be the reason when you know it is not its behavior to follow you everywhere. Check the color of the gums and tongue or take it to the vet for a better diagnosis.
Can I Stop My Husky from Following Me Everywhere?
Yes, you can stop the behavior, but you must identify why your husky follows you everywhere. Below are some of the techniques you can use to control the behavior:
1. Try to ignore the behavior
Do not show interest when your husky follows you everywhere. Do not give it what it wants; instead, reward the dog when it has appropriately behaved. This is a way of not encouraging the behavior. However, it is not a good technique because it can lead to separation anxiety which is a worse condition. You can also ignore it, and your husky is very sick.
2. Regular physical exercise
Always remember huskies love working and pulling heavy stuff. So ensure your husky gets a few hours of physical exercise. Run around with your husky or go for a walk, and it will stop circling you for work to do. At least take thirty minutes to play “fetch” with your husky, and it will be satisfied.
3. Watch out for some reinforcements
All dog owners want their dogs to be used to a specific routine and behavior. However, some behavior will stick in your husky’s brain, making it follow you around. Do not give it treats and gifts every time you are together because it will be used to the routine. Appreciate your husky whenever it does something good or correct.
4. Provide all basic needs
Ensure your husky gets all basic requirements like good food, a nice place to sleep, and good attention. Show that you love your dog and it is satisfied with the environment. Basic needs include medical and health care like vaccines and deworming. Immediately your husky will stop following you everywhere.
5. Get professional help
Give a chance to the dog trainers to work out their magic. Let them train your husky to stay at home and follow all commands. This technique will be the best when you notice your husky has separation anxiety. It is a bad condition that requires professional skills to treat. However, dog trainers charge some high service fees.
Separation Anxiety in Huskies
Separation anxiety can be the reason your husky follows you everywhere. Your husky is always worried that you will leave it alone, and it cannot tolerate that situation. Your husky will start to show some undesirable characteristics like howling and whining.
Separation anxiety mainly happens to dogs that have gone through abandonment at some point in their life. Consequently, any time you leave the room or house, they think you will never return. So they tend to follow you everywhere, ensuring you are still there.
Change of environment can also bring up the separation anxiety in your husky. Your husky follows you everywhere because it sees new neighbourhoods and hears new noises. Modification of your daily routine can trigger the condition. Your husky does not understand your routine because you come and leave at different times each day.
Frequent changes in family members will make your husky to be anxious with the new faces. The anxiety will develop into separation anxiety when your husky follows you everywhere. Sometimes side effects of medication can make the husky stay by its master. Make sure the vet explains all the side effects of a drug.
Signs Your Husky has Separation Anxiety.
The following are some of the signs your husky is suffering from separation anxiety:
– Your husky follows you everywhere you go, including private rooms.
– Your husky becomes nervous whenever you put on shoes, pick up your shoes or any sign that you are leaving the house.
– Your husky does not eat or drink whenever you are not around the house.
– Excessive panting and howling when it sees you are leaving the house.
– At advanced stages, your husky can start self-destruction behavior like chewing the tail and paws.
Conclusion
The main reason your husky follows you everywhere is that it knows you will give it something nice. You reinforce the behavior, and it is used to it. Maybe your husky is just seeking attention from form the master. Or it is suffering from separation anxiety, and it is anticipating that the owner will be leaving very soon.
Furthermore, it is natural for huskies to follow their leaders. For thousands of years, huskies have stayed alongside humans helping each other. And the last possible reason can be it is hungry or even feeling sick. Ensure you give your husky all basic needs and do not reinforce some behaviors. Try and get professional help when the condition persists. Get here facts on why your husky can be breathing so fast.