Pit bulls are dogs who love to draw people’s attention toward themselves. Although dogs are often said to be faithful toward their owners, pit bulls are especially the ones who walk in the shadow of their owners. Now all pit bull owners must be aware of the clingy nature of the dog, but the question is: what causes this clingy nature of a pit bull dog?
Pit bulls are there to be companion dogs, so they are a bit clingy. That is somewhat justifiable. But if the pit bull dog gets clingy more than needed, it may cause various problems.
You may also notice that pit bull dogs get angry if you don’t give them proper attention. Read this article to find out the reason for this mysterious nature of the pit bull dog and further details.
Why Are Pit Bulls so Clingy in Nature?
Pit bulls are very popular for their affectionate behavior toward their owners. Because these dogs are bred or raised to be good companions for their owners, their tendency to be clingy is justified. But if you leave these dogs alone, they may suffer from anxiety or panic as they may get scared.
Pit bulls are dogs that often require great attention, so if you have a busy schedule, you should reconsider your decision to have a pit bull. A Pitbull will always want someone beside it to give attention to. And pit bulls are super energetic dogs, so they spend most of their time moving from one place to another.
It will take time for the pit bull dog to come back from its puppy stage, so consider any other small-breed, independent dogs if you think you can’t handle the clingy nature of the pit bull dog. Below mentioned are some of the most common reasons that help you to know why your pit bull has a clingy nature suddenly.
1. Change in Your Behavior
You may not notice this, but your pet dog is the first to notice any change in your behavior. The pit bull is the one who gets to know about the shift in your nature quickly.
If you are upset or stressed out and cannot give time to your dog, it may depress your mood and the dog’s mood too, and the pit bull will be clingy with you.
You should know that Pit bulls are the most caring dogs simultaneously. Once you go out or come inside, your pit bull dog will be the first one to rush to you.
2. Due to a Strange Unknown Person
If there is any stranger or guest in your house and you give your attention to them, the pit bull will start behaving more clingy. They may get insecure and emotional in such conditions, causing the dog to be near the owner all the time.
It is not just about pit bulls, but it is concerned about all the other animals. All animals require proper care, proper time, and love from their owners. So, if you believe you will be unable to devote time to the pit bull dog for various reasons, then only go for purchasing a pit bull.
3. Insecurity
We all know that dogs are habituated to their routine and love to maintain one. Therefore, any slight change in the routine with the dog may cause trouble.
The same is the case with a pit bull dog’s routine. When the pit bull dog notices a slight change in its routine, it becomes insecure and gets more clingy. To handle a clingy pit bull may be a tough task, but it is important at the same time to try to make the dog feel secure.
4. Mental problems
It is critical for all pets to have proper mental development, not just pit bulls. Focusing on your dog’s physical health, you must make them mentally strong. To make the dog mentally strong, you can play many brain-teasing games with your dog that help your dog’s mental health be good.
If you notice that your pet dog, like a pit bull, is acting more clingy or behaving weirdly, you need to bring the dog to the vet to get further tests done that the vet will handle.
5. Changes in the Health of the Dog
If the dog suffers from a health problem or is injured, it is natural for your dog to become clingy and demand more attention.
As a pet parent, you should be very careful about your pet’s health, taking it as your first responsibility. Keep an environment in your house that makes the dog feel safe and is healthy for it.
If you notice sudden clinginess in your pit bull dog, the main reason could be a change in the dog’s health. Therefore, it would be best to be extra careful of the dog’s diet and environment, and other surroundings. Besides this, the dog may even get more clingy if they face problems with hearing or seeing.
6. Environmental Changes
If you change the environment or surroundings of your pit bull dog, the dog is more likely to be clingy.
A dog gets comfortable with you in your previous home or the previous environment. Still, a sudden change in surroundings or environment may cause trouble for your dog, resulting in its clingy nature.
7. Aggression
If your pitbull has been very clingy recently, it may be due to your dog suffering from anger issues or aggression.
If you relocate and bring your dog with you, or if you recently purchased the dog from a pet store, the dog may be clingy. The more clingy nature of the dog can be due to any noise or other activity that irritates dogs, causing the dog to be more aggressive.
If there are fireworks or other sounds nearby, the pit bull may get angrier. The dog may also get angry when it meets a new person or some stranger, which causes the dog trouble or when the dog may feel extremely nervous.
8. Noise
Your dog may hate noise and gets distracted or nervous by noises around him, causing the dog to be clingy.
Even in the middle of storms, the dog gets disturbed and prefers to stay away from the place in a safe place with individuals the dog can trust.
In such situations, mostly, the pitbull searches for a family member who can give the pitbull support and take care of it. Thus, it would be best if you did not get annoyed or obsessed by your dog’s behavior, as it may indicate your dog’s bad health. But if you are worried about the reason behind this or want to confirm if the pit bull is healthy, you can visit the veterinarian.
9. Age Factor
The pit bull’s brain condition starts deteriorating with age. However, you will observe that you provide more protection and love to your dog in old age than when the dog was younger.
Normally, this is not the case with most Pitbulls, but if your pitbull is clingy to you and in poor health, the dog may crave your attention more. In such a case, you can consider taking the dog to the veterinarian and ask him about the changes you observed in your dog and how to cure and fulfill the demands of pitbull dogs at this stage.
10. Health Risk
Clinginess is also a common reason for the dog’s health condition deterioration, and the dog thus gets to be more clingy. You may always notice that if pit bulls are in poor health, they prefer to be clingy.
You should not ignore your dog in these health risks, but if you witness any sudden behavior change in the dog, the advice is to visit the veterinarian fast.
11. Lack of Mental Stimulation
Pit bulls often get bored easily. They get easily bored if they don’t get to exercise or do other tasks they actually like.
This bored behavior of your dog makes him yelp loudly or search for something in the environment that beholds the dog’s interest. Since the closest thing to your dog will be you, no doubt, thus it’s your responsibility.
If the dog or pitbull is overexcited and follows the owner everywhere, the clear indication is that the dog is getting bored and needs to be confined.
12. Breed’s Nature
Besides all the above reasons, one of the main reasons is the dog’s nature. As per studies, it is the nature of a few dog breeds to be attention-seekers and clings to the owner.
This behavior is not limited to pit bulls; other dogs such as German shepherds and Akitas are frequently observed being clingy to one person.
Do Pitbull’s Need a Lot of Attention?
Due to their clingy nature, Pitbulls are maniacal dogs and require attention. If you separate from the dog at some point, it may suffer from separation anxiety. Due to the clingy nature of your dog, it will be tough for you to do numerous works of art. Due to its clingy nature, even if you leave your dog for a short time, the dog will start yelling and will panic easily.
Here are the things you may have to avoid doing due to the clingy nature of your pitbull dog:
- You may not be able to leave the house.
- Cuddling with your partner or kid will become tough as the pitbull might not allow you to do so.
- You will normally notice that it will be tough to shut the pitbull in a room when the doorbell goes.
- It will be tough to work a 9 to 5 job without day care help if you have a pit bull.
When you run into a store, you will not be able to leave the car, even for a few minutes, because of Pitbulls dogs. It will not be possible for you to use the washroom without having the dog barking at the door.
If you have a juggling job and can’t give proper time to your dog, don’t consider having a pit bull dog. Or you may have many pitbull dogs, as it’s observed that the pit bull dogs in the group behave much better.
Is it Possible That a Pit Bull Gets Attached to One Person?
Yes, Pitbulls incline one person, especially the owner. If, by chance, the pit bull notices another dog getting the attention of their favorite person, they may get aggressive.
Usually, dogs get attached to the owner or a particular person. But as compared to other dog breeds, it’s observed that Pitbulls are more attached to their owners.
When Does the Clingy Nature of the Pitbull Become Worrisome?
When your dog’s clingy nature turns into separation anxiety, it becomes tough for you and your dog. If you think your dog is suffering from anxiety, seek professional help at any point, without delay.
There can be many reasons for the weird or clingy behavior of your dog. However, it would be best if you were careful about your dog’s behavior, the way he spends his time, and others.
Try to find out the reason behind your dog’s anxious behavior, and if it is, by any chance, boredom, then it will be tough to deal with as getting something new for your dog every day will be a problem. Seeking professional help in any matter will always benefit you and your pet.
Also Read: How Much Should A Pitbull Weigh?
What Changes Are There in Pitbull’s During the Separation Anxiety Phase?
The clingy nature of the dog is mostly due to the separation anxiety that it faces. You should not leave the pitbull alone for hours as they will not be able to cope with the stress and will be clingy because of its inherent nature. And if your pitbull is facing separation anxiety, you can look for the following symptoms in your dog:
- The dog will bark and howl more than usual.
- Pitbull will try to escape the house, yard, etc.
- You can observe your dog pacing, panting heavily, and drooling excessively.
- The dog will find a new place to urinate or defecate, and it’s not appreciative.
- The dog will behave destructively, digging the garden, chewing stuff, etc.
You can take the following steps to reduce the separation anxiety in your dog while leaving the house.
- Stay calm and put your dog at ease before leaving.
- Employ a dog walker to care for your pitbull dog while away.
- At first, leave the house for a short period only.
- Positive reinforcement in the case of pit bulls works wonders.
- Build your dog a safe and comfortable place to rest and sleep till you return.
- Consider going to a veterinarian for professional advice regarding your pitbull’s behavior.
Eradicate all the things from the surroundings that keep your dog unhappy and problematic, and whenever you leave the house, don’t make a big thing out of it.
How to Stop the Clingy Nature of Your Pitbull?
It is not easy to handle the clingy nature of dogs, but when it comes to Pitbulls, it becomes more difficult as these dogs are very sensitive.
Having a pet who is not ready to leave you and be with you all the time makes the owner feel anxious sometimes. However, if you observe your pitbull dog, you may learn several ways and tricks to handle your dog and make your dog self-sufficient.
Teaching your dog, especially a pit bull, to be self-sufficient is difficult, and overcoming the dog’s fear of being left alone may take some time, but you can make an effort and help your dog. These are some ways that may help you and your dog.
1. Spend Time With Your Dog
The best thing you can do to help your dog to be less clingy and happy is to spend time with him. You can teach your dog to be calm and composed even when you are not near them.
Besides this, you can teach your dog some mind games and other games that they can play in your absence. You can also take your pitbull to a nearby park or ground to play with it to change the environment around them.
2. Instruct the Dog to go to its Corner
There should be a safe place where your dog can relax and sleep during its resting and sleeping time. If your dog goes and sits on your bed and loves to enter your room, it’s your responsibility to teach your dog to respect your space.
Use a mat or bed to make the dog comfortable in its area. You can also use positive reinforcement to teach your pitbull and make him follow your instructions.
3. Make Your Dog Learn to Follow Commands
There may be situations where you don’t want to take your dog. For example, suppose you are going to the washroom or cooking in the kitchen and don’t want your pet to accompany you. For such a situation, you should learn to train your dog.
Your dog needs to learn the commands and follow them. You can use positive reinforcement for your dog to learn them, but you must learn to command your dog so that it follows what you have to say.
4. Learn to Stop Your Dog
If your dog moves behind you everywhere, you must stop your dog. You can train your pitbull dog only when you teach them not to be extra clingy. This training will take time, but for that reason, the dog owner should learn to say no.
When the dog gets bored, it is common to see the dog be extra clingy and start teasing you. It’s better to handle such situations by giving your dog toys or chewy things to play with.
Final Words
Pitbulls are famous for their clingy nature, so if you want a dog who is not troublesome or doesn’t follow you everywhere, then a pitbull is not for you. But if you want a dog as a companion who lives with you and supports you till the end, then a pitbull is a perfect choice.
There are many reasons for a pit bull’s clingy nature, and you can alter these. As a lot of these reasons are listed above, so is the way to solve the issues. Consider these things carefully before you go out and buy a Pitbull for yourself.
Meet John Patterson, an accomplished Dog Trainer and a dedicated advocate for building strong human-canine relationships.With years of experience as a Professional Dog Trainer, John firmly believes that well-trained dogs are a reflection of patient guidance and unwavering care. Beyond his training skills, he finds solace in grooming and playing with dogs, nurturing their physical and emotional well-being.