My Chow Chow follows me everywhere and won’t leave me alone! What should I do?
This is a question I have heard asked several times, and each time, the answer was a bit different.
Chow Chows are dogs that might seem a bit shy to those who don’t know them. Many owners get a Chow Chow and expect to get an aloof dog that won’t pay too much attention to anyone. Then, they are surprised when they realize their pooch has been following them like a shadow!
The truth is that Chow Chows can be very affectionate with their owners. They can create strong bonds with their human family, making them
1. You’re The Pack Leader
First and foremost, all canines are pack animals, no matter their temperaments.
This is called allelomimetic behavior, and it is a part of the canine survival instinct.
When your Chow Chow follows you everywhere, he is likely seeing you as a pack leader or at least an equal member of the pack. This is a normal social behavior that has been imprinted in his genes and would help him stay safe in nature.
By following you around, your dog will also learn from you, as copying other pack members’ behavior is how a dog acquires knowledge.
Finally, this is a way of creating bonds, and a dog will feel closer to you if he is around you all the time.
2. You Reward This Behavior
Another reason why your Chow Chow might be doing this is because you’re unconsciously encouraging him. I’ll explain.
Maybe you’ve figured out your Chow Chow leaves you alone when you give him a treat. Or you pet him because you find this behavior cute at times.
Even though Chows have a fairly independent nature, they’ll still want to please their owners. If you give them something they like, they’ll consider you’re happy with what they’ve done right before that. In other words, you’d be giving them positive reinforcement.
Pure attention can also be considered positive reinforcement, especially if your dog is a bit on the clingier side.
If you want your Chow to stop following you, fully ignore him when he does this. Don’t look at him, don’t give him treats, don’t yell at him to stop (although you shouldn’t do this either way), don’t do anything. Act as if he isn’t there.
This should give him a sign that you don’t find this behavior desirable.
On the other hand, if you want your silly Chow to continue doing this or if you’d like your pet to start following you, then do exactly what I’ve listed above. The more you support a behavior, the more likely your pooch is to behave that way.
3. He Loves You
Chow Chows aren’t Velcro dogs—quite the opposite. They have quite an independent streak and aren’t known to depend on their owners. If your Chow wants to become your constant companion, this means he truly loves you.
Dogs’ bodies produce oxytocin, the “love hormone”, when they interact with their favorite human. They will feel warm and fuzzy inside, and you’ll notice this happiness radiating from them.
Another reason why they might be invading your personal space is due to their protective nature . If they love you, they’ll want to keep you safe. How can they do this if they’re not right next to you every second of the day?
It’s important to keep in mind that you are your dog’s whole world. Everything they do revolves around you. It’s entirely normal they’ll want to be close to the human they adore the most.
4. He Is Bored
Chow Chow is an active dog breed. He always needs to do something, from playing around to going on walks.
If your Chow is following you all the time, chances are he is bored and looking for something to do.
Even if you don’t think you’re the funniest person a canine can be spending time with, your dog will still find great pleasure in following you and looking at what you’ve been up to rather than just sitting in one spot.
If you suspect boredom is the reason behind your pup behaving this way, try finding a way to help your pet get rid of all that excess energy.
Take him on regular walks, give him an extra grooming session, and play a long tug-of-war or a game of fetch. Buy him lots of interactive toys that will keep him busy for hours.
By providing him with plenty of mental and physical stimulation, you’re keeping him from becoming destructive. Not to mention, you might be ensuring some privacy for yourself!
5. He Is Curious
Chow Chows, just like many other canines, are extremely curious. This can be especially noticeable when they get new owners and try to meet them better.
Your Chow will be interested in what you are doing all day long! If you go to the living room and he hears what he perceives as a weird noise, he’ll come right away.
He might follow you to the bathroom, and he’ll likely even want to be next to you when you’re sleeping! Who knows what he might miss if he spends just an hour away from you!
6. He Wants To Tell You Something
If you notice your furry best friend is following you everywhere and barking or whining, maybe he wants to show you something.
Dogs cannot communicate with words, so they’ll try to inform you of everything that’s been going on with their behavior and body language.
Maybe your Chow Chow wants to go for a walk. You know how big walkers these dogs are. Even if you’ve just returned from a walking session, he might feel as if this wasn’t enough. Or maybe you didn’t go for a walk for a long time, and he really needs to relieve himself.
Chances are he is hungry or just wants a treat. Maybe he lost a specific toy he loves, and he is asking you for help.
Occasionally, your Chow might be following you around because he wants to show you something big. Remember, these are protective guard dogs, and they’ll inform you if they notice anything is out of line.
If he is trying to take you somewhere, follow him. Dogs can sense many types of danger, such as the earliest signs of fire or flood. Some pieces of research point to the fact that dogs might be able to predict earthquakes.
Not to mention how they might be trying to tell you that there’s an intruder in your home.
Either way, it might be a good idea to check out whether there’s something wrong. Many people have saved themselves by following signs their pup was sending to them.
7. He’s Afraid
Even a lot of breeds that make the best guard dogs, such as Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, and Chow Chows, might need support from time to time.
They think that being close to their owners is a good place to be in case of a crisis. Your Chows see you as a protective figure and someone who will keep them safe.
Carefully look at your dog’s body language. If his tail is between his legs and his tears are pulled back, chances are he is afraid of something.
Dogs can be afraid of various things in your house. Sometimes, they might even be carrying some traumas from their previous home.
It’s important to acknowledge how your dog feels and to try to comfort him. Teaching him that there’s nothing scary about objects such as a Christmas tree or a vacuum cleaner can also help.
Even these strong independent dogs that usually enjoy spending time in their own company need some comfort from time to time, and you play the important role of being their protector in scary situations.
8. He’s Waiting For You
Chow Chows are amazing dogs that tend to love routine. This is especially the case with older dogs that are used to doing certain things at a specific time of day for years now.
Maybe it’s time for your dog to go for a walk, or it’s his lunchtime.
Either way, one of the reasons why your Chow Chow might be following you is because he is trying to let you know he’s waiting for a certain activity from you.
Similarly, dogs are rather intuitive, and they can read your body language. Maybe you’re packing to go on a trip, or something important needs to happen – and your Chow is just as excited as you are!
9. Separation Anxiety
Finally, another reason why your Chow Chow follows you everywhere might lie in something pathological, such as separation anxiety.
If your pooch whines whenever you are not around, even if you’ve just gone to the bathroom, and you feel as if this is getting out of hand, it’s more than likely that this mental issue is the problem.
Separation anxiety is when dogs get too distressed when they’re not close to their owners. This can result not only in clinginess when you’re around but in many bad behaviors when you do go away.
It’s hard to say why some Chow Chows might develop separation anxiety. No matter what the reason is, you need to help your dog overcome it. Otherwise, your dog is at risk of developing severe behavioral and health problems.
The best way to deal with separation anxiety is to contact a professional who might find out what’s causing it. They can also give you tips and tricks that will not just make your dog stop following you, but also treat the disorder altogether.
Final Words
So, if you were among those people wondering Why does my Chow Chow follow me everywhere?, now you know the answer.
The funniest part of being a dog owner is silly situations or pets put us in, and being followed to the bathroom is one of them. Still, not everyone will think this is a positive experience, especially if it happens all the time.
Luckily, having a dog following your every step usually isn’t a bad thing. Most of the time your Chow is simply being a dog, following his natural instincts. This can also be a huge compliment, as it means he loves you and trusts you.
Hopefully, this article helped you understand your dog more and maybe even taught you how to stop this behavior if you consider it unwanted.
Remember that each dog has his own individual personality. Just because your previous Chow was following you out of fear doesn’t mean the other one will do just that.
Also, there are some behavioral differences in male vs. female Chow Chows, so this is something you should consider, as well.
Vanja’s passion for writing started at an early age, which is why she pursued Journalism as her college degree. She can research any topic and find all the information before you bat an eye, which is a great thing for her job but a terrible one for her husband.
Even as a young child, she fell in love with everything fluffy – but dogs have a special place in her heart due to her childhood companion, a Corgie named Archie.
Motivated by her experiences and driven by a desire to give back to her four-legged companions, she spends her free time volunteering at a local dog shelter.