# Advice appreciated!(Sorry, long message!)



## lynnmcp (Dec 28, 2011)

Hi everyone,
I would be very grateful if you could give me your opinion on something that is worrying me a little bit. I have a gorgeous 6 month old cockapoo Dexter who is loved dearly by everyone. He's left alone for a maximum of two hours two or three times a week plus the occasional quick run out to collect various family members from the station, college etc. He's left in my hall and has never caused any damage. However when I'm at home he follows me EVERYWHERE! He cries outside the loo door when I'm in there and if I sit down he wants to sit on my lap or behind my feet. I want to get his first groom done soon but have envisioned him yelling the place down! Is this a sign of possible separation anxiety or just normal behaviour for a young cockapoo? A trainer at our puppy class took him to demonstrate walking to heel and he went bananas! Whining, crying and struggling to get back to me. Any advice or tips gratefully received!


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Don't worry if he is fine when left on his own he doesn't have separation anxiety. Lots od cockapoos follow their owners around the house, mine certainly does and he is 2 now. I have also been on plenty of Cockapoo walks that when we stop for a coffe and take it in turns to go inside to order drinks, who ever is left dog minder usually end up trying to shhh a whole gang of crying poos!!! 
They are an extremely sociable dog that bonds very strongly with their family. If your house is in one piece when you get home after being out then your dog is 100% normal


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

Hi Lynn. 

This certainly does seem to be in the Cockapoos nature although they are all different they do like to shadow their humans!

What is he like when you leave him to go out? Where does he sleep at night?

Daisy will follow me to the loo and round the house, I can leave her during the day for up to three hours (I wont do any longer than that and it is a rare occurence!) but she wont sleep in her crate at night.

I recently looked after Betty another Cockapoo on this forum. Whilst out walking Daisy ran off and I left my friend holding Betty's lead whilst I went to fetch my naughty dog! Betty whined like anything when I had gone (literally round a corner!) but she will happily sleep in her crate all night! 

I guess what I am saying is they are all different and will tolerate different levels of being left. I was really worried when I first left Daisy with the groomer as she does have separation issues but she was fine! Maybe Dexter was unhappy at puppy class because you were there but he couldn't get to you? I bet once you leave him at the groomers he would soon settle.

Explain your concerns to the groomer and maybe just have a back up plan incase he doesn't settle?


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

My Millie has always followed me around the house. I sometimes try and sneak out of a room when she's fast asleep and before you know it, she's right by my side as if by magic 

As she's got older, she may sometimes choose to go into another room so long as she knows where she's left me.

They are very socialable dogs and love their family


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## Mez-UK (May 4, 2011)

They are a very loyal pooch and when Harley was younger he would would howl and cry if I left him to go into a shop, (with someone with him) he has got better now but still comes to the loo and lays on the floor or if I'm in shower again lays on mat uuntil I'm out. Since getting yogi he is now better outside a shop. However he is obsessed with my friend, she wears a sports uniform foor work (teacher) and he will scour anyone who looks like her but the minute he sees her he will howl and heal goes out the window. When she leaves after a chat he cries and howls (the same when she has been to house and leaves) he just adores her! It is not unusual either if we are walking along and I am holding the lead he will walk a perfect heal....to her lol. So I don't know if it is slight separation anxiety or just in there nature reading this. They are very sociable dogs and I have yet to meet a bad tempered one or one who isn't people obsessed. It doesn't matter whether you leave them and hour or 5 mins the result is the same they treat you as if you've been gone days with the warmest welcome ever. Harley and Yogi come with me most places but I have now been making a real effort to leave them with different people to try and reduce the whimpering and since doing so as I said above they are better and accepting the fact that I will always return.


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## lynnmcp (Dec 28, 2011)

Thank you all for your reassuring replies. I appreciate your advice. He is fine when I go out - I always distract him with a Kong upon leaving. I know he settles because my daughter has been in bed upstairs on a few occasions unbeknown to Dexter! She's always found him curled up in his bed when she's come down. He sleeps in our room in his bed at night and is no bother at all. During the day he's in the hallway if he's alone. We gave up on the crate a while ago cos he absolutely hated it! In the end we just tried him in the hall and it was much better.
Thanks once again everyone.


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## caro50 (Mar 15, 2012)

Hi Lynne

Have been reading this thread with interest as Biba, our 17 week old cockapoo, is driving me slightly mad by following me everywhere. I wouldn't mind if she would just sit quietly by my side when, for example, I am sorting out the laundry, but no, she picks a sock out of the basket and runs off with it. If I'm in a bedroom she gets a shoe out and runs off with that! If I am in the kitchen with her, she is happy to sit on the sofa or her bed but the moment I get up to leave the room, she is there, right by my side. IF I do mastermind a brief escape she howls!! This isn't helped by the fact that the housetraining is going badly. She's got very confused as to where she's meant to be peeing. I've tried putting her in her crate, but she doesn't like that at all! 

My other dog, a poodle, has never done this so it is new for me and I'm not sure how much of this is cockapoo tendencies or just Biba's individual nature. OUt on walks she is a very confident dog who loves meeting new people or other dogs. She doesn't behave with any other member of the family like this - it's just me that she needs to follow around. I love her to bits but it is driving me to distraction! It's been great to see that other cockapoo owners have experienced the same as me. ANy further advice to that given on this thread would be great.

Thanks. 

Let me know how you get on with


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## francesjl (Mar 24, 2011)

Scamp has always followed me everywhere, waits outside the loo, looks out of the window if I go in my car without him.
I know that he and Rascal are quiet when they are alone as often my teenage son has been asleep in bed ( does shifts ) .
They are not allowed up stairs and we have a gate at the top, hubby goes to work before I'm up and I always have 2 waggy poo's waiting on the stairs for me.

Caroline I think Biba is just playing and testing you out. 
Maybe you need to go back to basics and be very consistent with the house training.
I didn't crate mine so can't help with that but plenty of others on here swear by it so I'm sure you'll get some help.
Cockapoo's are definitely people dogs, mine always want to sit on visitors laps ( hilarious seeing Scamp try as he's the size of a labrador ), they always want a fuss and they are like mountain goats and climb up to see whats going on !


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Mine is the Betty Sarah is talking about....and what she describes has been absoultely true..I couldn't go anywhere or do anything without her wanting to follow me or whining if I would not let her....since bringing a puppy home last week she seems much better as has got something else to take her attention.


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## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

I think it's more common than not. Biscuit will sleep happily in his crate at night but will follow me around the house, although I've noticed he's just starting to go off into other rooms at times, especially to look out of the window when we're upstairs. We were out as a family this week and I stepped into a gallery without him and he went crazy! - even though he was with hubby and sons. The poor man in the gallery invited him as I don't think he could bear to listen to him! This has happened in other small shops too, so obviously a good tactic as he realises they will let him in! The only time I see him really independent is with other dogs, whom he'll happily run off with on walks. We planning to get a second poo so it will be interesting to see if he changes.


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## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

I haven't been on here for ages and have missed something HUGE....Betty has got a brother (I am presuming Ted is a boy here!). Wonderful. Hope it's all going well Colin. loving the !!! after the 2 on the number of 'poo's

Lynn - Archie is exactly the same. Bugs me no end some times, however I have come to realise it is just the way he is. He is 10 months now and he is better about following me around the house but often still jumps through the bannisters (we have a stair gate to stop run-away babies!) to follow me up the stairs! Once he's settled,or knackered he's better but if i leave with the rest of the family in the house he still sits by the door waiting for me to come home. Our baby sitters are starting to think he doesn't like them


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

My two follow me everywhere too. Even if they are fast asleep and I just get up to get something they are straight on their feet to follow me. It must be a cockapoo trait and it's my favorite thing about them!


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## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

My Poppy is the same as this, although doesn't cry outside the toilet ad things like that, but if she gets left in the kitchen or something she barks and barks...
Dad dropper her at the groomers for her first groom last week and he said she was barking the place down when he left, but when we went back she'd been fine ad well behaved, i'm sure things will be okay


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

Hattie still follows me but it is getting less intense! Hope with the arrival of Minton (end of June) she will focus on him a bit more. She will stay at home in her crate without problems and also in the car, over the last few weeks she does not shout if I disappear out of sight so I guess we are getting there both Poodles and Spaniels are very people orientated which is why we love them it can be trying but they do 'man up' (oh how I hate that phrase!) so persevere and don't worry.


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## caro50 (Mar 15, 2012)

Hi Everyone

Thank you all for your encouraging advice. It would seem that following me around the house is definitely a cockapoo trait! I do secretly quite like the adoration - it's only when I am trying to do something that it can get a little trying! My daughter says that when I leave the house, Biba whines for a minute but then settles down. My husband and I were at a wedding this weekend and Biba took to following my daughter around instead! 

With the housetraining, I've had a slightly more successful weekend. I've removed the puppy pads and have been taking Biba out to the garden regularly. Most of the time, she looks at me as though I am mad but on the odd occasions when she's peed, I've lavished her with praise. WE've only had one small accident in the past two days so that is progress. This wretched rain isn't helping as her walks have been rather short and boring - there aren't so many dogs around on the common when it's wet. Let' s hope the weather improves!!

Caro x


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Glad toilet training going well, My Dudley is a follower too, it is sweet but can be too much, especially when he barks, cries and scratches at the door when I leave the room even when hubby and son are there, I have thought we could try training with them having high value treats and giving them to him if he is quiet for a few seconds, only tried once and he wasn't quiet long enough!! maybe worth another go though. He is fine in his crate luckily.


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## Ali79 (Mar 30, 2011)

Beau is also a velcro dog and does everything everyone else has said about their Poos but it is just part of their nature and they do love everything and everyone


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

As others have said i wouldnt worry that he wants to follow you everywhere as he gets older this may change.
Id be more concerned that he wouldnt go with the trainer? prehaps discuss with him/her and she may offer some advice.

Are you the only one that walks him or does he go to others?
Is he ok with strangers?

I would find a groomer your happy with and just take him for a shampoo first and see how they get on,also top tip i got them to leave the clippers on in the back ground to get Buddy used to the noise as he hated it at first.

Prehaps it maybe like children when your around they can be clingy etc but once you've left the room they are fine with others?


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## janee (Mar 25, 2012)

Teddy sits on my knee when I sit down, he whinnes at the bottom of the stairs if I'm upstairs, he whinnes if I'm in another room, he follows my round the house but my daughter says when I leave for work in the morning he's quiet and just waits for my return without any fuss. Hes so pleased to see my when I get home more than can be said for my teenage daughters, its nice to have a compainion that wants to spend time with me.


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## Scarlett (Dec 15, 2011)

My puppy is almost 8 months old now and she is this way too. She is like my little shadow when we are at home, and she cries for a minute if I leave her, but she is fine if she is left on her own for a bit. I took her for her first professional groom at about 6 months of age, and she was absolutely fine. They have some windows where you can watch from, and so I watched for a bit, and while she was a little bit scared (new experience, shears, and all) she did great. When I picked her up she was getting lots of cuddles from the staff and loving it! She was still very excited to see mom though!


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## Kate.E.P (Aug 9, 2011)

I think its funny - my little Dex does this and when he is sleepy I quietly sneak out and he still follows - then crashes down - its cute because when he is tired he moans about following me about as every time he gets comfy I move again - it's nice that he wants to be with me though


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## mum2bobs (Jun 23, 2010)

Bobs is nearly 2 1/2 now. he sleeps in his playpen at night without a murmur, can be left for a few hours during the day, sits quietly in the car if I have to nip into the shop.

In the house he follows me if I go into the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, garden... you name it, if I go there my little black shadow will be there, usually lying in the doorway just to make moving round that much harder!


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