Does your short-legged little pal love to follow you around?
It’s not uncommon for Corgis to follow their owners everywhere, and when I say everywhere I mean EVERYWHERE….. to the bathroom, to the shower, to the kitchen, and to the front door to mourn the lack of your presence when you have to leave. If you have ever wondered why, and if you should be concerned about it, then you are in the right place.
Corgis who have a strong bond with their owners will often follow them because of the attention and love they receive. Playing, cuddling, giving treats or other forms of affection reinforce this following behavior. Extreme following behavior may be a sign of separation anxiety.
For the most part, it’s quite endearing to have your loyal friend following you around everywhere, as a kid I loved it, but there are times that it can go too far and turn into a problem such as separation anxiety.
If it seems that your Corgi needs to follow you everywhere this can be a sign of underlying anxiety or a lack of confidence. Let’s explore more about the reasons why your dog is following you everywhere.
Reasons Why your Corgi Follows You Everywhere!
1. Reinforced Bond
Puppies are very impressionable they are learning and growing from the moment they take their first breath. In their early weeks of life, they look to their mothers for protection and care.
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It’s important that Corgi puppies don’t leave their mothers before 8 weeks old and it’s often much better if they stay with them even longer. Bringing them home around 12 weeks is ideal.
This way it has time to learn everything it needs to from its mother and siblings.
It’s likely that if you brought your puppy home before 12 weeks old she most likely imprinted on you, seeing you as a mother figure.
Puppies who imprint on you will follow you everywhere in order to learn and grow from you and because you offer protection and guidance in new situations.
You most likely trained your puppy to look at you, sit, stay, lay down, and all the other commands that you want your dog to learn. This reinforces that bond even more. Partly because you are giving them praise and rewards which they like a lot, and partly because you are helping to teach them and instill confidence in them that they can learn new things and understand and communicate with you.
2. They Want Attention and Companionship
Corgis are bred to please and help their owners and boy are they good at it! Not only are dogs instinctively pack animals, but their genes and characteristics have also been bred to be the great companions they are today! They thrive on and desire companionship, whether that be from you or another dog they will follow you to get it.
Why Does My Corgi Stare At Me Like That? – Paws and Learn
3. Instinct
Speaking of breeding and evolution, through hundreds of years of history, dogs have always had the instinct to follow a pack leader. This natural instinct helps them seek protection and safety from large predators.
Now that they are domesticated. You and your family are their packs and so it is often instinctual for them to want to follow you everywhere.
4. Sleeping in your Bed
If you have made it a habit to let your Corgi sleep in your bed with you there then you may have an even deeper and more reinforced bond than most.
To be honest who can resist cuddling at night and in the morning with our adorable little pups. Most Corgi owners I talk to openly admit that their pooch sleeps with them.
How Much Do Corgi’s Sleep? (Inside Info From Owners) – Paws and Learn
There are scientific studies, and research that show when you spend time snuggling and cuddling with your dog you receive a whole list of benefits most notable is the release of the love hormone Oxytocin (link goes to medical news article). This contributes to a lowering of stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and a feeling of happiness.
It’s also very effective in helping to create a trusting bond between you and your Corgi.
17 Reasons Corgi Love is the Best Kind of Love! – Paws and Learn
Your Corgi has an instinctual desire to sleep in a ‘den’ a place where they feel the safest and most relaxed. If they’ve made that den next to you in your bed, then they may crave those feelings of closeness and safety throughout the day.
This can be a huge contributing factor in why they follow you everywhere.
5. Boredom
What else is a dog to do?
Being bored can be a big contributing factor in why your Corgi follows you. Honestly though what else do they have to do all day?
After all their main purpose in life is to be helpful. They have the instinct to herd and move cattle and if they don’t have something else to challenge those instincts they may try to herd and move us.
Boredom can also lead to other unwanted behaviors such as eating strange things like grass, poop, sticks, or dirt.
Or other interesting behaviors like hiding and burying their food or treats.
If their attention isn’t directed towards anything else, then they may follow you around, and if you are like a lot of owners you wouldn’t have it any other way!
Some owners may think that getting another Corgi or another dog as a companion for their dog could be a good solution to this problem. I agree that for some it could work great, but be sure to know all the pros and cons of this decision first.
When Should You Get Your Corgi a Friend? (A Guide to Corgi Pairs) – Paws and Learn
5. They are Nervous or Afraid
Corgis are usually playful and obedient, but they can be a bit bossy and assertive. Many Corgis are not afraid to tell you how it is and let you know who they think is boss, but if you run into a Corgi that is less confident, it may not always be the case.
Some Corgis can be timid and shy. It really depends on your dog’s history and personality. Those first few months and years of life can have a huge impact on their behavior and the development of their personality.
Genes and characteristics passed down from their parents can also have an impact on your dog’s personality.
Depending on your pup’s personality they could also just naturally be more shy and timid and follow you for reassurance and safety.
If your Corgi is a rescue and comes from a background of abuse or neglect it may have an even stronger attachment to you than most. Their trust may be hard to gain, but once you do they are yours forever.
They may still be very sure of the world around them and follow you for guidance and protection.
Some dogs who are nervous will lick a lot. Licking releases endorphins that help to calm them.
If your dog is nursing or licking a bad leg check out this article Why Is My Corgi Limping?
Why Does My Corgi Lick Everything? – Paws and Learn
6. Daily Routine
When you bring a new puppy into your life one of the best things you can do is create a routine. This helps with house training, feeding schedules, behavior training, and so much more.
Puppies require a lot of time and attention and often can’t be left alone for very long periods of time. After getting into a set routine your dog will expect more of the same. If you haven’t slowly worked in some time for your Corgi to play, sleep, or rest on their own then they will not be used to that. They will want to stick to the routine of being with you all the time.
7. Trying to Tell You Something / Unmet Needs
Is your Corgi following you around while also giving you the puppy dog eyes perhaps with a whimper or two? If that is the case then they are trying to communicate with you or tell you that they need or want something.
They may need to go out for a bathroom break. Maybe they want to play or are asking you to feed them.
They may be begging you to share your food or snack with them.
Sometimes it just takes figuring out what they are trying to tell you, so you can fulfill their needs, and then they will calm down and rest without bothering you any further.
Should I Be Worried About My Corgi Following Me Everywhere?
Most owners tend to find it quite endearing when their dog follows them around all day. It can bring us great comfort and peace knowing that we have the unconditional love of this beautiful animal.
For people who live alone, have depression or anxiety, having a Corgi as a companion can truly be comforting and can even help to improve their health conditions.
Having your Corgi follow you around all day only becomes a problem when it interferes with you, or your dog’s quality of life.
If your dog cries excessively, barks, shakes, paces, or destroys things whenever they are not with you, or if you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious about your dog following your every move then you should work towards lessening the behavior.
It’s not uncommon for dogs to attach to one person in the household and might be only following that 1 person around. If this has happened to you and your Corgi goes as far as even growling at others when they come close to you, it could be that your Corgi is showing signs of jealousy.
Separation anxiety can also be a concern when your Corgi is following you around relentlessly. If when you leave your Corgi is physically distraught and showing signs like howling, barking, panting, pacing, urinating, defecating, or excessive chewing and destroying things and takes more than 5-10 minutes to calm down then your dog probably does have separation anxiety.
If this is the case, you can try the steps below, but may also need professional assistance.
For a deeper dive into separation anxiety check out this article. Are Corgis Prone to Separation Anxiety? (What to Do) – Paws and Learn
