My Puppy Is So Clingy: Is This Normal Puppy Behavior?

Alright, let's talk about clingy puppies. Man, I remember when I first got Max. Little ball of fluff, cute as anything. But wow, was he attached to my hip from day one. Seriously, everywhere I went, he was right there, like a furry little shadow.

At first, I thought it was kinda sweet. You know, "Aw, he loves me!" But it got intense real quick. Couldn't even go to the bathroom alone without him whining and scratching at the door. If I sat on the couch, he had to be touching me, preferably curled up right on my lap. Leaving the house? Forget about it. He'd howl like I was abandoning him forever, even if I just stepped out to get the mail.

Figuring Things Out

I started thinking, okay, what's going on here? Is this normal puppy stuff, or something else? I watched him like a hawk. Noticed a few things:

• He got way worse when I was getting ready to leave. Keys jingling? Instant panic mode.
• If I was busy and not paying attention to him, the nudging and whining would start.
• He wasn't super interested in toys unless I was playing with him.

I realized I might've accidentally made it worse in the beginning. He was so tiny and cute, every little yelp had me rushing over. Probably taught him pretty fast that making noise got him attention, huh?

Trying Different Stuff

So, I decided I needed to actually do something. I wasn't aiming to make him totally independent – I like that he's affectionate – but the constant neediness wasn't healthy for him or me.

First, I tried crate training again, making it super comfy, like his own little den. Put an old t-shirt of mine in there. Started with short periods, gave him a special treat only when he went in. It took time, lots of patience. Some whining happened, not gonna lie. I had to learn to ignore the demand whining but check on him if it sounded like real distress.

I also made sure he got plenty of exercise. A tired dog is usually a less anxious dog, right? We went on longer walks, played fetch until he flopped down. Gave him puzzle toys to keep his brain busy when I needed to do stuff around the house.

The biggest thing, maybe, was changing how I reacted. I started practicing short departures. Just stepping outside for 10 seconds, then coming back in before he freaked out. Gradually made it longer. Importantly, I made coming and going really boring. No big emotional goodbyes or hellos. Just calm in, calm out.

I also started rewarding him when he was calm and settled on his own. If he was just chilling on his bed while I worked, I'd quietly praise him or drop a small treat nearby. Showed him that being relaxed and independent was a good thing.

Where We Are Now

Look, Max is still a pretty clingy dog compared to some others I've known. It's just part of his personality, I think. He still follows me around the house sometimes, still loves a good cuddle on the sofa.

But, it's way better. He can handle me being in another room now without melting down. He sleeps soundly in his crate. I can leave the house for a few hours without worrying the neighbors will complain about the howling. He learned to settle himself down, which was the main goal.

So yeah, if your puppy's super clingy, it takes some work. You gotta figure out your dog, be consistent, and have a ton of patience. It's not usually just one thing causing it, and it won't change overnight. But sticking with it made a huge difference for us.