# Puppy really, really loves only me!!!



## we4elves (May 11, 2010)

OK, so my 5 month old follows me everywhere I go, sits and waits at doors if I go through them...wants to be next to me or in sight of me at all times..If the family is around her, she will leave all of them to follow me..It doesnt bother me, but my family thinks that I should do something to stop her....What do you all think, is it normal for a puppy to pick out one person? Will this behavior, if not discouraged, prevent her from getting attached to the other family members? I want her to be a family dog, not a one person dog...My thoughts are that she stays with me because I do everything with her (feeding, training, walking) and that she will slowly broaden to everyone...what do you all think?


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## Denman (Jul 6, 2009)

Welcome to owning a GSD... They are big time velcro dogs... Since you do all the feeding, training, walking, your pup knows it depends on you, which is what you want... I would not discourage the behavior, if your family wants a closer relationship, they need to start helping with the feeding, walking, and training...


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

Denman said:


> Welcome to owning a GSD... They are big time velcro dogs... Since you do all the feeding, training, walking, your pup knows it depends on you, which is what you want... I would not discourage the behavior, if your family wants a closer relationship, they need to start helping with the feeding, walking, and training...


That's exactly what I tell my fiance Sarah. She complains that he vecros me and also barely listens to her. I encourage her to get more involved and that's basically all I can do about it. I'm sure that he will still recognize her as a beloved pack member, but without the involvement they will pick a main person.


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## Miss Molly May (Feb 19, 2010)

Relayer said:


> That's exactly what I tell my fiance Sarah. She complains that he vecros me and also barely listens to her. I encourage her to get more involved and that's basically all I can do about it. I'm sure that he will still recognize her as a beloved pack member, but without the involvement they will pick a main person.


 
Same here lately my wife has been telling me that Molly is my dog because she sticks to me like glue


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## King&Skylar (Jun 3, 2010)

Our "family" shepherd is completely attached to my mother, but she has her own business now and works all the time, so i've had to help a ton with him- She's still his "main" person, but he's now attached to me too since i've been feeding, walking him etc. My first girl puppy was totally attached to me, she really didn't care about anyone else at all, haha. I'm sure if they helped you with your dog it'd help, but i think you'll always be the one it looks to most.


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

we4elves said:


> OK, so my 5 month old follows me everywhere I go, sits and waits at doors if I go through them...wants to be next to me or in sight of me at all times..If the family is around her, she will leave all of them to follow me..It doesnt bother me, but my family thinks that I should do something to stop her....What do you all think, is it normal for a puppy to pick out one person? Will this behavior, if not discouraged, prevent her from getting attached to the other family members? I want her to be a family dog, not a one person dog...My thoughts are that she stays with me because I do everything with her (feeding, training, walking) and that she will slowly broaden to everyone...what do you all think?


My four-year-old mix (Sobacca) is the EXACT same way and has been all of his life-- although we aren't sure what kind of dog he is. But he'll leave everybody else to follow me and be with me; and he sulks when I go out of town and leave him, he gives me the most pitiful look if I even pack a bag to leave. 
It's like having a second shadow...that walks on four legs. :laugh:

Edit: Forgot to mention, he does love my ENTIRE family-- so in a sense he is a "family" dog...he just prefers to be with me.


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

Jax has been my shadow since the first night I slept next to him with my arm in his crate all night. I do all the feeding and walking, bf takes him out 2-3 times a day but I do all the doggie maintenance. He even follows me into the shower... If he doesn't I get a little offended/concerned that he's upset with me. 
If my bf wants the same level of attention from Jax, he'll have to fight me for it! 
I wouldn't discourage your 5 month old from being attached to you, she's just showing her provider affection


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

maybe other people in the house should
get involved with the pup.

i'm glad i don't have a velcro dog. my GF 
and i can move around the house without
our dog following us everywhere.

my dog can be in the same room with us
but not under foot. he'll jump
on the sofa and bed with us but it's not all of the time.


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

doggiedad said:


> maybe other people in the house should
> get involved with the pup.
> 
> i'm glad i don't have a velcro dog. my GF
> ...


I guess by now, it's pretty clear to all that you have a perfect dog.


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## milkmoney11 (Feb 11, 2010)

This sounds like Cash exactly. He is 5 months as well (in one week). Everyone thinks its cute that he follows his daddy everywhere but it gets annoying. Like when I run upstairs to get something really quick, he's right behind me. I go into the bathroom...there he is. 

I actually try to sneak around sometimes.


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## NIKKI NOODLES (Jun 24, 2010)

Everyone in the family should get involved with the pup , and if you are a first time GSD owner .... take it from a person who has had them all her life.... socialize, socialize, socialize !!!!!


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

doggiedad said:


> my dog can be in the same room with us
> but not under foot. he'll jump
> on the sofa and bed with us but it's not all of the time.



Gotta agree with this. Although I have no problem with my "velcro dog" I've also established rules with him...he's not allowed on the bed without permission...and he's not allowed to "demand" my attention. He'll follow me but as long as he's in the same room as me he doesn't feel the need to be attached right at my hip.


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## StellaSquash (Apr 22, 2010)

VChurch said:


> Gotta agree with this. Although I have no problem with my "velcro dog" I've also established rules with him...he's not allowed on the bed without permission...and he's not allowed to "demand" my attention. He'll follow me but as long as he's in the same room as me he doesn't feel the need to be attached right at my hip.



agreed.

as long as Riley can see me, she's fine. no need to be on top of me. when we're outside however, I have to run to get back in the house otherwise she's trying to break into the house with me. Even when I just have to run inside real quick. It's pretty funny, I'm NOT a runner. lol

She is pretty good with my husband, but at this age, if she had to chose, it's me all the way still. 

the other dog, he has to be attached to the hip when we're home alone. he's definitely an "under the foot" dog. However, the minute hubby is home, I'm chopped liver. ... er... I guess that's not a good metaphor for a dog. lol I'm a vegetable.


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

LOL.
My dog prefers indoors, so he'll do the same thing if I have to walk inside for a few minutes and he's outside. I'm actually out in Texas staying with some family right now and we would leave their dog and my dog outside all day while we're at work (doing an internship). Needless to say my dog learned very quickly that in the morning he went outside and stayed outside so he came up with a plan to stay upstairs in the morning and he thought that we would allow him to stay indoors during the day -- didn't work out too well for him. It was pretty hilarious to watch though...especially since he's normally always in the same room as I am.


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## we4elves (May 11, 2010)

We take her out a lot...I think Petsmart and TSC are getting sick of seeing me.....A crazy lady at Petsmart almost knocked someone over trying to get away from my "scary" shepherd ( 5 months old) yesterday,,,As she is sitting at my side while I am looking at something...Good gravy!!!


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

Since I expect Jax to be my shadow when we're outside, I have to accept that he's a velcro dog inside. 
Our lab was adopted when she was 3... She couldn't care less about me... I'm much more needy than that and enjoy Jax always being under foot. 
(Plus he keeps my feet warm while I do dishes )


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

after you read some of the other posts
you'll see i'm not the only one with a perfect/good dog.

did you read the other posts? you see other people have dogs that
behave just like mine. snarky on that!!!!!




Relayer said:


> I guess by now, it's pretty clear to all that you have a perfect dog.


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## Dolus (May 14, 2010)

What the other posters said - the focus is really important when you're starting the more "serious" training. That, in part, is why it's such a good idea to do focus training while socializing - this is especially easy with food-motivated dogs :-D


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## CaliBoy (Jun 22, 2010)

we4elves, you asked:


> What do you all think, is it normal for a puppy to pick out one person? Will this behavior, if not discouraged, prevent her from getting attached to the other family members?


I have seen the "velcro" phenomenon more with the females than the males. I think that in general, though, the GSD does tend to hook onto that one special person within the pack.

As far as whether such attachment is a good thing, I think it just depends on the owner. Some folks want a dog who is independent, while others like their dog to be really close and cuddly. As first, I was annoyed when my female was not only a velcro pup but totally ignored anyone and anything that was not me. As time went on it became an endearing quality in a weird way because she was so exaggerated about it. 

I mean she would go to the groomer or the vet and I would leave her. In my absence, people would shower her with affection and compliments and she would ignore them and sit there like a frigid ice queen, either showing no emotion or looking depressed (thank God, not an agressive or mean bone in her body). Eventually her sweetness would come out, but just in small doses.

Then I would walk in the door hours later to pick her up. She would start jumping up and down frantically and spin around like when people win the lottery. Then she would do this screech or scream that sounded like teenage girls when Justin Beiber walks in the room. People would roar in laughter because it was way beyond drama queen. And of course nothing I ever said or did worked to control her from attacking me with hugs and kisses that went on and on, while that hilarious screech/scream would get more frantic, "take me away, and never leave me again, ever, ever!"

So I went from being annoyed to just accepting the behavior to actually relishing that while she was alive, I was going to be worshipped and adored 24/7 by a creature who lived to be in my presence. As the years went by, the frantic and hysterical attachment became mutual, and now that she has passed, I miss her something fierce.

I think your pup is fine. The only danger in her behavior is that someday you will feel the attachment just as intensely and ask yourself how you can survive without her.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

Dharma is totally a velcro dog. She has, and I mean HAS to be in whatever room I am in. Fortunately, I have a open floor plan downstairs so she will Lay on the living room floor while I am in the kitchen. Although many times she will also lay on my kitchen floor while I cook, clean, etc. These times make sweeping/mopping my floor a challenge! 

It is to the point that if I work back to back night shifts you goes to daycare during the day. She will lay on my bedroom floor and play with her toys and bones while I'm sleeping. Hearing "squeak, squeak, crunch, crunch" can make sleeping very difficult. When I come home after a 12 hour night shift she is soooo excited to me she can't control herself and sit like she is supposed to when I come in the house, she knows that is what she is supposed to do but can't control herself on these mornings.

She also has to check when I feed her that I am staying downstairs. She will watch to make sure that I go and sit on the sofa after fixing her food. 

I love that she is so attached to me. It can be annoying at times when she gets upset if I run upstairs for a sec and she whines at the baby gate. But over all I love it. Of course, it is just me and her, there is no hubby or kids for her to lavish attention on either.


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## Dawn (Jun 23, 2010)

sounds just like Raven...big time velcro dog...but I love it!!!!...lol


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

I've got three dogs that are following me around the house and I love it! I bet you, if they could hold drinks and food they'd serve us. Wished I could train my hubby to do that LOL


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## Minnieski (Jan 27, 2009)

Tanner is my velco/snuggler boy - if I leave the room, even if DH is playing with him, he'll quit playing and run off after me. He like to sit/lay on my foot, and I like having him there. Minnie is more reserved about it; she'll lay in the same room as me and watch me but not have to lay right on top of me - except in the morning when I'm trying to do yoga - then she stretches and lays down on my mat next to me. I keep telling her that there aren't any dogs in the videos, but she doesn't care . At first it bugged me - I wanted to have my space to do yoga, but now I look forward to our morning snuggle because that's the only time she wants to cuddle. It will really tear me up when these guys go.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Karlo has one eye open all the time, I can't do anything without him observing. He also anticipates my next move and is right on often!
I think with maturity he is less in need of constantly being beside me. 
Onyx and Kacie are not as bad as him, but all three are where ever I am....they could care less about the rest of the family. Though, when DH goes out to feed the chickens, they have to be with him!

*One thing with the young pups, they need to be alone now and then so separation anxiety doesn't set in.*


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

Minna pretty much follows me around (at three months old); but there are times I will leave her stuck in the living room and sprint upstairs or to the kitchen and I come back and she's sitting in the same spot staring, as it waiting for me to return. lol. I think she won't have bad separation anxiety because anytime I leave she'll have Sobacca here with her.


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## kidkhmer (Jul 14, 2010)

Denman said:


> Welcome to owning a GSD... They are big time velcro dogs... Since you do all the feeding, training, walking, your pup knows it depends on you, which is what you want... I would not discourage the behavior, if your family wants a closer relationship, they need to start helping with the feeding, walking, and training...


I am glad i read this because Karma is definitely ..ahem.....my dog. Week 2 and the wife is already calling it YOUR DOG and last night I got the whole " why don't you spend as much time teaching your 2 year old daughter as you do training YOUR DOG ?"  She sleeps next to me on the floor, follows me into the shower and lies down and watches :blush:, follows me outside etc. I am the one who feeds her most of the time and I am the one training her everyday with treats so i guess it natural she looks to me as the boss. Still....she is not a total velcro dog and will happily lie down under my wife's feet or curl up with our 2 year old. I think I better spend some more time with my kid though HAAHHAHAHAHHA :help:


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

Zoe's my dog too though she cheated on me when I was in Florida for a week,lol She loved all over my DH and was his shadow after 4 days of ignoring him and staying in her open crate. She relented and actually has been more affectionate with him since I've been home though she's right back to following me everywhere


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

I thought our girl Uschi would be 'my' dog but she prefers my husband, which is funny because he thinks she's such a PITA! Stosh, our male, bonded to me instantly and just adores me. So what everyone's trying to point out is that you have a completely normal gsd. If you're taking the pup to classes maybe your family could participate too. Rest assured that the whole family will be the pack, but hey, maybe you're the most lovable!!


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## Jelpy (Nov 8, 2009)

I'm such an insecure type that I love the velcro dog type. It validates my existance. .

Jelpy


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## KMSlemons (Jun 30, 2010)

I have two of those! lol My Rat Terrier mix - KoKo and my white GSD Mgelika both velcro me. I'm the only one feeding, training, etc, though.


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