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If you’ve noticed recently that your schnauzer has become a four-legged shadow following you everywhere you might wonder why. Especially if it’s new behavior.
Is it normal for schnauzers to follow you everywhere or is something wrong?
Why Do Schnauzers Follow You Everywhere:
Many people unintentionally reinforce their schnauzer’s following behavior by eventually giving them attention, treats or playing with them if they follow you around long enough. Schnauzers are also known to follow you around more often because of their working background so they can help if needed.
In this post you’ll discover:
- 9 real reasons why your schnauzer follows you everywhere
- When your schnauzers following behavior is something to worry about
- 4 tips to help stop your schnauzer from following you everywhere (Tip #1 is the most effective!)
- And much more
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
Top 9 Reasons Why Schnauzers Follow You Everywhere
1) It’s Been Reinforced
One of the biggest reasons why your schnauzer follows you around everywhere is because it’s unintentionally been reinforced.
Ever since your pup has lived with you, at some point when they’ve followed you it’s resulted in attention, treats or being played with.
Which has taught them that following you around is ‘good’ behavior.
Or at the very least behavior they want to do often because they like the result they get from following you.
2) You’re The Pack Leader
When your dog views you as the pack leader, they’ll naturally want to follow you around.
While it might seem flattering that your schnauzer chooses to follow you everywhere over other family members, it makes total sense from their perspective.
If your pup chooses to follow you and no one else, it’s likely because all good things happen in their life when around you.
You’re the one that takes them for a walk, feeds them, plays with them, lets them outside (most of the time), and interacts with them.
So they follow you around because as their leader, you give them access to all the things they love in this world.
Related Reading: Do Schnauzers Make Good Guard Dogs? What To Expect
3) It’s a Schnauzer Thing
It’s no secret that schnauzers are working dogs.
Which is why they often get more attached to their owner than other breeds of dogs might.
Since they were bred to work closely with humans, it’s only natural that they’d want to stick close by your side as much as possible.
In fact, many owners even say that their schnauzers seem to have a sixth sense about when they’re needed and will follow them around until they’re no longer needed.
So if your schnauzer follows you around constantly, it could just be in their nature to do so.
It feels natural and ‘right’ for them to be by your side as much as possible incase you need them for something.
4) Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety affects many dogs and could be the reason your schnauzer follows you everywhere you go.
There’s a subtle by key differentiation between a dog with separation anxiety and a velcro dog that wants to be by your side at all times.
Which is, velcro dogs prefer to be by their owners side, whereas dogs with separation anxiety can’t bear to be away from their owner.
So the clear sign that your schnauzer is following you around because of separation anxiety is anxiety itself.
Which means you’ll likely notice other excessive behavior in addition to them following you everywhere.
Things like excessive licking, pacing, drooling, whining, barking, shaking, etc.
They may also be destructive when you’re not home.
Related Reading: 11 Reasons Why Schnauzers Shake, Shiver & Tremble So Much
5) They Need Something
Dogs are pretty good at communicating their needs to their owners.
So if your schnauzer is following you around constantly, it could be that they need something from you.
Which could be that they’re hungry and want you to feed them, or they need to go outside to use the bathroom.
If you find that your schnauzer is following you around more than usual, take a moment to see if they need something from you.
Chances are they’re trying to tell you something and once you figure it out they’ll stop following you around as much.
6) They Want Something
In addition to needing something, your schnauzer may also be following you around simply because they want something.
Which is usually attention or to play with you.
Dogs are very good at reading their owner’s body language and can tell when you’re busy or not in the mood to play.
So if they see that you’re free and they want your attention, they’ll follow you around until they get it.
The best way to combat this is to give your schnauzer attention on your terms instead of theirs.
So make sure to set aside time each day to play with them or just sit with them and pet them.
Doing this will let them know that they can only get your attention when you’re ready and not when they’re following you around.
7) Comfort
Another reason your schnauzer may be following you around constantly is because they’re seeking comfort from you.
Dogs often follow their owners around in order to feel safe when they’re afraid of something.
This could be anything from a loud noise like a thunderstorm or sirens to another animal or person.
If your pup follows you everywhere, take a moment to look around and see what they might be afraid of.
Most schnauzers will feel better after getting some love and attention from their owner during these scary times.
8) Nothing Better To Do
For some schnauzers, following their owner around is simply something to do when they’re bored.
If your schnauzer isn’t getting enough exercise or stimulation throughout the day, they may start following you around as a way to entertain themselves.
This is especially true for puppies who are full of energy and just want to play all the time.
The best way to combat this is to make sure your schnauzer gets plenty of exercise and playtime.
The better you are at making sure they aren’t bored too often the less likely you’ll find them following you around everywhere.
Related Reading: 10 Best Toys To Entertain Your Dog | Boredom Buster Toys
9) Possible Underlying Health Issue
Finally, if your schnauzer has suddenly started following you around constantly and none of the above explanations seem to fit, it’s possible that they have an underlying health issue.
Dogs who are unwell will often act out in strange ways and one of those ways could be following you around constantly.
If this is the case, you’ll want to take your pup to the vet to get them checked out.
Bonus: If Female Schnauzer – In Heat
If you have a female schnauzer and she’s in heat, this could be behind why she’s following you around everywhere recently.
During this time, female dogs will often seek out their owners more for comfort and attention.
One way to deal with this is to have your schnauzer spayed.
This will help to avoid any unexpected litters and hopefully calm her down a bit so she’s not following you around everywhere all the time.
4 Tips To Help Stop Your Schnauzer From Following You Around Everywhere
1) Do Your Best Not To Reward It
If your schnauzer is following you around and they’re doing it in a way that’s bothering you, the best thing to do is not reward them for it.
This means not giving them attention, petting them, or feeding them when they follow you around.
Your pup is very smart and will quickly learn that if they follow you around they’ll get what they want.
So if you don’t want your schnauzer following you around all the time, do your best to ignore them when they do it.
Over time, if you’re consistent with not giving them attention, they’ll learn that following you around doesn’t get them what they want.
2) More Exercise
If your schnauzer is following you around because they have too much pent up energy, one way to combat this is to make sure they get more exercise and playtime.
This means going on longer walks, playing fetch or tug-of-war more often, and taking them to doggy daycare or dog parks.
The more active they are, the less likely they’ll be to follow you around constantly.
Instead, they’ll be more interested in getting their rest because they’re tired and want to be ready for the next adventure.
It’s also helpful to give them more mental stimulation in addition to more exercise.
Things like puzzle toys or more training can help challenge them and tire them out mentally.
Which gives you a similar result of them wanting to rest and relax as opposed to following you everywhere.
3) Change How They Feel About Being Alone
If your schnauzer is following you around constantly because they’re scared or anxious when left alone, there are a few things you can do to help change this.
One thing is to gradually increase the amount of time they spend alone.
So if right now they’re only spending 30 minutes a day by themselves, start with 60 minutes and then work your way up.
This will help them get used to being alone for longer periods of time and make them less anxious.
You can also change how they feel about being alone by doing what’s called counter conditioning.
How you can do this is by getting their most favorite treat, one they only get on special occasions, and giving it to them before you leave.
This will help change how they feel about you leaving.
As opposed to it being this terrible event, it will become something they look forward to because they know they’re getting their favorite treat.
4) Consult With a Professional
Whenever your schnauzer is behaving differently suddenly it’s always a good idea to consult with a professional.
This could be your vet, a dog behaviorist, or even just a qualified dog trainer.
They’ll be able to help you figure out why your schnauzer is following you around and give you specific tips on how to change this behavior.
Other posts you might find interesting:
9 Reasons Why Schnauzers Get So Hyper + How To Reduce It
