Constant Following

[Amber]

Precious CONSTANTLY follows me around the house. She can be in a dead sleep next to me and if she hears me move, she will jerk her head up and start following me to my destination. She can be across the house and if she sees me move from one room to the next, she HAS to come see what I'm doing and then follow me everywhere thereafter.

I have her on a modified version of the NILIF program. I do various training exercises with her throughout the day, however, I have not taken her to a professional trainer like I want to do with Sally. I'm not sure if this is part of her personality (to be nosey) or if she has a problem.

Can someone give me some suggestions? I'm currently working on her "Stay". She CANNOT stay in one place for more than 3 seconds and especially if I walk out of the room! lol

[Renee Premaza]

Hi Amber!

I think this article will help you:

http://www.doggiebagonline. com/articles/article.php?articlei d=21

When you begin working with this behavior, everytime you take a step away from Precious, repeat the STAY command. Little dogs are much harder to teach a stay to than bigger dogs. Little dogs react much faster whenever our feet move because they're probably afraid of getting stepped on. Work slowly and she will learn. Start working first with duration. Then start working on establishing some distance from her while she stays in a sit or down.

When you work on hard behaviors like this, make sure your rewarding Precious with VERY VERY VALUABLE TREATS. Foods, like left over chicken, cheese, liver, etc. are on the menu for teaching stay. Don't give her these particular treats at any other time so they become really special to her.

Precious CONSTANTLY follows me around the house. She can be in a dead sleep next to me and if she hears me move, she will jerk her head up and start following me to my destination. She can be across the house and if she sees me move from one room to the next, she HAS to come see what I'm doing and then follow me everywhere thereafter.

I have her on a modified version of the NILIF program. I do various training exercises with her throughout the day, however, I have not taken her to a professional trainer like I want to do with Sally. I'm not sure if this is part of her personality (to be nosey) or if she has a problem.

Can someone give me some suggestions? I'm currently working on her "Stay". She CANNOT stay in one place for more than 3 seconds and especially if I walk out of the room! lol

[Amber]

Renee,

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I will start doing these exercises with Precious ASAP.

[Lesly Stevens]

Amber,

You have a Poodle! That is a Poodle trait! I don't know anyone with a Poodle who doesn't do this! They don't call 'em velcro dogs for nothin'!

Maddy and Bo are Standard Poodles. The bathroom gets pretty crowded! When Maddy was a puppy, she'd jump in the tub with me!

Lesly, Maddy & Bo

[Valerie K]

Shih tzus are pretty clingy as well. I have worked with mine to get them to stay put for a bit, at least when I know I am only going to another room for a minute or two and am coming back. Not only do I go through the stay routine, but I tell them "I will be right back". Over time, they have learned that "right back" means it isn't worth getting themselves unsettled. If I just get up and go somewhere, they will follow me. Everywhere. If I just tell them to stay and leave, they will stay put until I am gone from the room, but will follow shortly afterward. Because they might be missing out on something you know... ;)

I found the best way to start getting them to learn this was when they were in that sound sleep. I would get up and their little heads would perk up and I would tell them to stay, use the hand gesture, and tell them I would be right back. If they got up, (which usually means down from the couch...) I would put them back where they were and tell them stay again... Then I would leave the room and come right back. If they were still on the couch, I would tell them how good they were and give extra scratches and belly rubs. If they didn't stay, I would just tell them "I told you I would be right back" and go sit somewhere else in the room and ignore them for a bit. Eventually, they caught on.

[Amber]

I'll try that along with what the Sit/Stay article suggested. Precious is really smart, so I think she'll understand what "I'll be right back" means as well. Thanks for the thought, Valerie.