Breaking a Dog's Neediness

Because dogs are social animals, it is normal for them to form strong attachments with their owners. Giving into a dog's excess neediness, however, may cause a dog to develop a dysfunctionally strong attachment with his owners which may pave the path to anxiety and excessive neediness. It is important to encourage independence and help needy dogs adapt to daily separation from their owners.

  1. Evaluating Needy Behaviors

    • It is important to carefully evaluate a dog's neediness to rule out any physical problems. Some dogs tend to become more clingy as they age. It is important to assess any declining eyesight and hearing and rule out any medical conditions. Geriatric separation anxiety may cause some elderly dogs to become anxious as nighttime approaches, demanding attention by pacing, panting and pawing, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Many dogs also become needy when they are lacking sufficient exercise or mental stimulation.

    Ignoring Needy Behaviors

    • Neediness often stems from a dog owner giving too much attention. If a dog nudges the owner to be petted and the owner complies, the dog will feel rewarded for it. This will cause the nudging behaviors to increase in frequency. To break this cycle, ignore the nudging and give attention only when the dog is not asking for it. Scolding may often not work since in the eyes of attention-seeking dogs negative attention may be better than no attention at all. The same theory applies to other needy behaviors such as pawing, barking and jumping.

    Reducing Needy Behaviors

    • An effective way to ignore needy behaviors is to create a "bridging stimulus" that signals withdrawal of attention. Sound a noisemaker the moment the dog engages in the unwanted needy behavior. Withdraw attention immediately following the noise for it to work. Attention-seeking behaviors end more rapidly if you use a bridging stimulus compared to attention withdrawal on its own, explains famous veterinary behaviorist Nicholas Dodman in an article for Pet Place.

    Managing Needy Behaviors

    • Many dogs get into the habit of following their owners from one room to another. Discourage this excessive clinginess by managing the dog's environment. A dog must learn that some time apart is a good thing. Providing the puppy or dog with an inviting lounging space may encourage an alternative to clingy tendencies. A stuffed Kong kept in the area will further enforce the idea that great things happen when the dog chooses to remain in the area rather than trailing the owner.

    Extinguishing Needy Behaviors

    • It is important to realize that ignoring needy behaviors will cause those behaviors to temporarily intensify. A dog that has received attention by engaging in needy behaviors will not suddenly stop when the owner starts ignoring such needy behaviors. Rather, the dog will increase the needy behavior and try harder to get the attention. This phenomenon is known as an "extinction burst." It's almost as if the dog was thinking, "Oddly this used to work! Perhaps I should try harder to make it work again," explains Nicholas Dodman. However, if the owner is consistent in ignoring the behavior, it will reduce in frequency and ultimately extinguish.