Won't stop following us around

[Andrew Robert]

This a good thing and very normal!!

You could always work on the down stays if he's getting in your way. I understand that part but this is a companion dog that wants to follow. Teach him to go before or after your son does.

Maybe you could have him follow you around the house but go to certain points once you reach the room. Have fun with it and teach him some new things.

I think having a loyal GSD at your side everywhere you go is the best part.

[RowdyDogs]

Originally Posted by jang

The problem with Sib..AGAIN those bad house manners..is that she goes first..if she starts as a follow she will push ahead and go first...I know I know this is a dominance thing..but how to break her...that I don't know..She will wait at the door to go out or come in, but must be reminded most times...i believe the fact that my dad, who is with her every day I work, does not enforce ANY rules on her..."Jusy let her be a dog, FCOL"..Gotta love em

If your dad is letting her go out the door ahead of him, it's likely that you'll always have to remind her that she has to wait for you. It's hard on them when the rules aren't consistent like that.

FWIW, I don't believe that the order you go through the door has anything to do with dominance. Of my now 5 dogs, the two most submissive ones are always the first of the pack out the door, and none of the other dogs care, including the one who is a stickler for rules and social etiquette and has no problem policing the other dogs if I let him (and in fact likes to boss the GSD around, so I think that if he saw it as the GSD being dominant over him, he'd absolutely react). That alone makes me not believe it, but I also actually want my dogs to go out the door ahead of me (makes it easier to close the door on our way out) so have always encouraged my dogs to do so, and never had any issues with it. It can be a behavioral issue (say, if the dog is charging out any time you open the door), but that's different from a dominance display.

[mebully21]

both my pitx and gsd follow me everywhere, if i go in the bathroom they both follow me and wait for me to be done, no matter where i go they are both behind me.

[zivagirl]

I gave up going anywhere alone since the birth of my first child.

[KZoppa]

Originally Posted by JeepHound

I guess I should have been a little wiser in my choice of words. I don't mean I never want him to follow me, but when I need to go to the bathroom or take a shower, I don't need him trying to follow me into the bathroom.

Guess I would like him to watch me a bit more without having to shadow me all the time.

In the meantime, guess well be using the wait command a bit more lol

Thanks everyone for the reassurance


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This cracks me up. There's one of those fun sayings going around here.

"Having a German Shepherd means never going to the bathroom alone ever again"

Yup. welcome to the GSD world. Try having four of them all trying to squeeze into the bathroom with you!

[apenn0006]

My 4-year old daughter gives me more privacy than my dog. Although I have figured out the secret to keeping him out of the bathroom....if I call him in a high pitch coercing voice to come into the bathroom he runs the other way and will stay away for the next hour. He really does like baths...he just hasn't figured that out yet, though.

[RowdyDogs]

Originally Posted by apenn0006

My 4-year old daughter gives me more privacy than my dog. Although I have figured out the secret to keeping him out of the bathroom....if I call him in a high pitch coercing voice to come into the bathroom he runs the other way and will stay away for the next hour. He really does like baths...he just hasn't figured that out yet, though.

Ooh, that's a good idea! My GSD absolutely hates baths--he tolerates them, but sits there and whines the whole time. LOL

[apenn0006]

Originally Posted by RowdyDogs

Ooh, that's a good idea! My GSD absolutely hates baths--he tolerates them, but sits there and whines the whole time. LOL

That's what mine does. If he knows hes trapped in the bathroom he will go ahead and jump in the tub. And he's fine to come into the bathroom on his own, it's just when I try to call him to come into it that he gets suspicious

[JeepHound]

I've taken the advice to just use the opportunity to train the stay and wait command. He has been doing well with that, but then again he just got neutered and has other things on his mind lol


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[myshepharley]

Harley will soon be six and he still is my constant shadow. He even helps me vacuum, he literally is right next to me every turn and move. Now if i could teach him to use it!!! If he isnt there, i am the one who goes looking for him!!!! One of the reasons why i love him so dearly.