You can always count on your canine companion to be by your side, sometimes when you don’t want them to be. This is a partly instinctive and partly environmental behavior that is intriguing and comforting to your dog.
Discover the numerous reasons why your dog follows you to the bathroom and what they hope to achieve by doing so. From pack mentality to protection, this behavior indicates a deep love and trust in you.
Dogs Are Pack Animals and Want Closeness
It may be a little off-putting to have your dog sitting by your side as you try and take a moment of privacy; still, these animals are less concerned with your personal space and more concerned with your safety.
Your dog loves you for everything you give to them: love, attention, a comfortable home, good food, and stimulating playtime. In return, they want to keep you safe. For this reason, they like to know where you are, so they can monitor you, even if you’re going to the bathroom.
This behavior can be instinctive for dogs who are natural pack animals and work to protect each other from potential threats.
In addition, following you to the bathroom may be a dog’s way of satisfying their curiosity. Several human behaviors intrigue dogs, and they learn more about us through observation. If your dog follows you to the bathroom, it signifies that they love you and want to be by your side.
Some Breeds More Likely to Be “Velcro Dogs”
Some dog breeds termed “Velcro dogs” love to be beside their owners and may feel anxious or frightened when you leave them alone. Because of this, the following breeds are more likely to follow you to the bathroom:
- Border Collies
- Australian Cattle Dogs
- Vizslas
- Labrador Retrievers
- Maltese
- Boxers
- German Shepherds
- Golden Retrievers
However, it’s not only the breed that can determine a dog’s need to be by your side. Some dogs could experience separation anxiety, especially if they lacked a stable home environment in their formative years. These dogs can get worried if you leave them alone, even for short periods.
If this is the case, it may help to talk to your vet. Providing your dog with plenty of love and attention is integral to their wellbeing. Still, excessive clinginess is unhealthy and could lead to increased anxiety when you have to leave them alone. Consulting with your vet can help your pup deal with their anxiety and feel confident in your absence.
Both Nature and Nurture Drive a Dog’s Behavior
Your dog follows you to the bathroom because of social, environmental, and genetic factors.
If you adopt a puppy, they will quickly form the habit of following you, which will stay with them throughout life. Interestingly, this behavior also develops in middle-aged and older dogs who are adopted into new families. This behavior is a sign that you have earned the trust of your canine companion.
And don’t forget, while you have family, friends, hobbies, and activities outside your home, your dog’s exposure to the outside world is limited. To them, you are the center of their world, so it’s not surprising that they want to be in your company as often as possible.
In addition, dogs are pack animals, so they have a genetic tendency to hang out with company rather than by themselves. In the wild, the members of a dog pack look out for and protect one another while providing companionship and hunting partners.
Once your dog becomes a part of the family, it will start to see you as its “pack” and want to be around you all the time. This is their way of protecting themselves and you.
Dogs Are Curious and Lack Boundaries
Curiosity is part of a dog’s nature; it’s a part of all our natures. Why are you reading this article right now? Because you want to learn something new, you want to understand your dog’s motivations. It’s the same for them; they want to learn about you and understand how humans work.
But here’s the thing, dogs don’t read articles. The primary way for dogs to learn is through smell, so they learn by exploring and getting close to everything.
And the bathroom is the perfect playground for them to explore. This room is full of scents from shampoos and soaps to used towels and toothbrushes. Your dog will be so intrigued by the story your bathroom can tell that there’s no way they’ll want to be shut out.
What do they do when they meet a new dog? They go up and sniff its butt! When a dog follows you to the bathroom, it’s not disrespecting your boundary; they just don’t understand there is a boundary.
