My dog is too attached to me. How can she bond with other family?

That has to be frustrating for you! Dogs have different personalities, and although most dogs are very bonded to their primary caretaker, some dogs seem to take that person for granted. Your dog might just assume that you will always be around. and these other people are more exciting. To increase the bond with Maximus, I recommend you spend quality time together alone. This may be walking, cuddling. or playing with toys. I also recommend working on training sessions. This will help teach him to pay attention to you. Here is a link that discusses teaching 5 basic commands. If Maximus is already great with these commands, look into adding more. Make sure there is positive reinforcement with the training in the form of affection and treats! http://www.akc.org/content/dog-training/articles/teach-your-puppy-these-5-basic-commands/ Training is a constant project, and can be a fun game for you and Maximus. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would ask the family of the child to not allow her to come play with Dane any more if you want to break that bond. You must do your part as well and keep Dane with you and not hurt the child's feelings by leaving Dane outdoors where she can see him without one of your family members present. Then you will have to make the time to play with Dane and build a relationship. Over time he will start to bond to your family. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best!

Hi! Since you and Blu-ray have an established positive relationship, you can help encourage positive interactions with other people in the house by having those other people take on certain roles in Blu-rays care. For example, other people in the family can be the ones to feed Blu-ray or spitz her with water if that’s something she enjoys. Additionally, if she has any favorite food items, then those items should be exclusively given to her by other family members. That way, she only ever received her favorite treats from the people you are hoping she will bond more with. I hope this was helpful. If you would like to discuss this in more detail, don’t hesitate to request a consult. Good luck!

In my opinion this is a reflection of Danny's personality - some dogs are 'one person' dogs who are very attached to one family member. If you adopted another dog it might prefer your wife, or might seem to like everyone equally. You might develop a stronger bond with a new dog if you spend more time training it, but i don't think there is any guarantee that your relationship with a new dog would be the same as it is with Danny.

The best way to ensure your puppy is bonded to you is to be the one who is the primary trainer/caregiver for her. If she isn't already signed up for a puppy class I would consider doing this with her. You can also start training at home. I highly recommend the books Perfect Puppy in 7 Days by Dr. Sophia Yin and The Puppy Primer by Patricia McConnell. If you are working with her every day training her and playing with her she should maintain a good bond with you.

Great question. Most dogs respond best to the family member who spends the most time doing things such as feeding, walking, bathing. It sounds like you are that person. I'm sure she loves you but your Mom may have a special bond of some kind that seems to attract you dog's attention. Continue to work on it and over time find the special things such as rubbing her ears, or massaging her back, that makes you the person she wants to be around most. Small treats can be a great motivator. She is still a young dog so plenty of time to develop that special bond between you and your dog. Best of luck. Thanks, Dr Steve Popish.

Monitor your dog’s behavior and note down when she is at her most clingy. It may be that the problem is worse just before you leave for work, just after you get home or only in the presence of other dogs. To help her be less clingy, expose her to separation anxiety triggers. For example, if she is clingiest before you leave the house, put on your coat and grab your keys, but don’t leave. This behavior shows the dog that those triggers aren’t necessarily a precursor to periods of separation. Ignore her when she is being clingy. Make being at your side boring and non-stimulating. If you’ve previously responded to needy, attention-seeking behavior with attention or fuss, you may have accidentally trained your dog to be clingy. By ignoring the dog, you show her that her clinginess doesn’t get a positive outcome. Reward the dog for voluntarily separating herself from you. Leave distractions such as toys and treats around the house and wait for your dog to spot them. This tells the dog that his environment is most stimulating when he leaves your side. Encourage isolation by leaving the crate door open and placing a treat and some toys inside. Allow her to investigate at her own pace and make the crate a place where she wants to be. Kong toyes are excellent for encouraging your dog to entertain herself. They're sturdy rubber and can be stuffed with peanut butter to encourage long periods of chewing and licking. Praise her verbally once inside the crate. Leave the door open and allow her to exit the crate when she wishes. Repeat exposure to the crate. Once your dog is comfortable in the crate or in the basket and has built a positive association with it, close the door for five minutes, but don’t leave. Shut the dog in the crate or room for five minutes every day for a week. Each time you shut her in, move further away from the crate, but remain in sight. Shut the dog in the crate and leave the area. Return after five minutes and allow your dog out, but don’t be overly fussy. This demonstrates that periods of isolation are normal and they always end up with her being reconnected with you.