If you have a dog, you know how annoying it can be when it follows you everywhere, even into your bedroom. Why do dogs go to the bathroom with you? No one can tell you for sure, but there are a few likely reasons you can look into. You can find out from experts why your puppy loves that activity and why it won’t give it up for the rest of its life. But it’s unlikely that you’ll ever be able to get rid of your four-legged shadow. Your pet doesn’t feel close to you when you’re in the shower or on the toilet. Let’s try to figure out why! Why Do Dogs Follow Us to the Bathroom?
1. Traits of a breed
Some dog breeds are known as “Velcro dogs” because they tend to follow their owners around. So, if you have a shepherd, border collie, or cattle dog, you can expect it to follow you everywhere, even to the bathroom. On the other hand, working dogs like boxers and Doberman pinschers tend to stay close to you to keep you safe. There’s also a third possibility. You should get used to the idea that your pointer or Labrador retriever will follow you just for fun.
2. Dogs tend to make friends
If you get a puppy, it will probably follow you around. Basically, the dog starts doing that when it is young and keeps doing it for the rest of its life. From the first day you lived together, your social pet saw you as the whole world. Because of this, it wants to be close to you all the time. Strangely, your dog will act the same way no matter how old it was when you got it or how old it was when you got it. Once this amazing animal starts to trust you, it will follow you wherever you go. It also wants to be with you in the bathroom, which is bad. If you don’t let your dog in, it will probably just lay by the door and whine until you leave.
3. Dogs think like a pack
Dogs always live in groups when they are free. When you get a new pet, you become part of its pack, and it won’t want to be by itself for long. To keep you from feeling lonely and helpless, your dog will follow you everywhere, even into the bathroom.
4. Dogs don’t know what privacy is
The idea of a dog’s pack means that there is no such thing as privacy. You know that dogs like to sniff each other, even after they go to the bathroom. As for your dog, it is true that it thinks you can’t do anything private in the bathroom without it. Since you are a loved and respected family member, you should tell your baby everything. Also, spending time together should be fun, and your dog won’t understand why you’re putting up limits.
5. Dogs don’t like to be alone
Your dog doesn’t like to be alone, and it can’t understand why anyone would want to do something without a best friend. So, you can count on this cute animal to follow you everywhere, even to the bathroom. It’s its way of making you feel like you’re with a friend and the best company it can think of.
6. Dogs are guardians
Your dog thinks that any room would be a good place for a predator to hide. So, it is his job to keep you safe because you are his best friend and the person he loves the most. Also, like any other room, the bathroom can be dangerous. Since you put yourself in danger by going into that unsafe area, your dog needs to keep you safe while you do the dangerous things you need to do there. What doesn’t make sense to you?
7. Dogs are keen
You can expect that your dog will be interested in all the times you go to the bathroom. So, it might think that something exciting is going on there and want to join in. Also, some dogs will be wary of a place their owners go to a lot. They can be persuaded that something goes on there that needs to be watched.
8. Dogs like attention
Since your dog likes to have all of your attention, it won’t be happy if you go somewhere strange, like the bathroom, without it. Most dog owners make a mistake when their dogs are young and hug or feed them before going to the bathroom. So, the dog associates that room with happiness and care and wants to go there with its owner. If this is the case, you should teach it to do something else while you are busy. If you praise it when it changes, you will eventually be able to enjoy your privacy.
9. Dogs are helpful
Since your dog wants to help, it may think that being in the bathroom with you while you use it is a good way to do so. I know it sounds strange, but from the point of view of your dog, your toilet is definitely a place where something is wrong, since you use it every day. Well, you can’t solve that problem without the help of a reliable friend, that much is clear.
10. Dogs show how much they care
Usually, when you go to the bathroom, your dog follows you with a toy in its mouth, picks up a towel from the floor, and hands you the toilet paper. This is how it shows it cares and loves it no matter what. How to fight back?
11. Dogs want to learn more about their people
Dogs get to know each other by sniffing their rear ends. Since you are part of its pack, when you sit on the toilet your pet will try to smell you. So, it will think of your time there as a great chance to get to know you better.
12. Dogs love it when their owners are around
In the modern world, the rat race will take up most of your time. Since you are gone all day, your dog will need to spend some time with you when you get home. The bathroom is a great, quiet place to hang out with friends.
13. Dogs like to just sit and look at their owners
Most dog owners can’t figure out why their pet does something so annoying and hard to understand. Most of the time, all your dog needs to feel safe and loved is eye contact. So, it will confirm an emotional connection, even if the attention is awkward and you don’t want it while you’re on the toilet.
14. Dogs want a snack
Sometimes, your dog wants to go to the bathroom with you for silly reasons that don’t hurt anyone. It probably thinks you keep treats in that secret spot. Why else would you be so mysterious and spend time in the room when it wasn’t there?
15. Dogs love smells
Sometimes the easiest way to explain something is the best way. The dogs love the smell of their people, and a bathroom has a lot of smells. There, you keep some soaps, shampoos, and perfumes that smell good and make your dog think of you. Since you and your pet are different, you might not understand why your pet likes to sniff around in the trash or on dirty towels. However, this is how your pet learns about the world. Get over it!
16. Dogs don’t feel safe
In some situations, the dog can be very scared. That could be why they keep following you around and want to spend every moment with you. Be aware that this is not a healthy behavior for dogs, so you should act quickly to stop problems like anxiety from getting worse. The term for this behavior in dogs is “resource guarding.” This is when the dog thinks that violence is the only way to protect something or someone it cares about. Because it could be dangerous, you should respond right away in the right way.
17. Dogs can get anxiety when left alone
Anxiety is not a simple problem. So, if you see that your dog has it, you should take him or her to a vet. Usually, your dog wants to spend as much time as possible with you, but you should worry if it can’t stand to be away from you for even a minute. In some cases, the dog may act very stressed out as soon as you go into the bathroom and close the door.
At first, you can bring the dog with you, but in the long run, this is not a good idea. You should get advice from a trainer or vet who has a lot of experience. When the dog sits in front of the door and waits for you, that shows love. On the other hand, whining all the time is a sign that something is wrong. If you get a dog, you should be prepared for it to follow you everywhere, even into the bathroom. It’s just the way it is, and you can’t change it. If that really bothers you, you can teach your dog not to come into this room. But being alone won’t make it happy, that’s for sure.