When a Poodle Acts Clingy

We must remember that to a 'new' Poodle, he or her entire world has suddenly changed. Gone are the dam and the littermates and the only home that the pup knew. In the blink of an eye, the puppy is now in a new environment and needs time to adjust. Usually, one of two things will happen with a young Poodle… either he will appear to be distant and distracted, not immediately bonding with his new humans or he will act skittish, nervous and cling like a shadow. 

It will be your job to teach your Poodle puppy about the world and that world will be as small or as large as you allow it to be. Until the Poodle has had all of his puppy shots, he should be kept out of public places. However, one way to help a puppy stop clinging is to teach him all about the house, the various places that are available to him and also the safe, outdoor area that he is brought to.

Pups should have their own gated off area and inside of this should be a quality canine bed and a fun toy collection. The entrance to this area can be kept open when you are home to watch the puppy and closed when he is home by himself and at night. In this way, he can become accustomed to his special spot and does not only associate it with a negative event such as being home alone.

Not only should a clingy puppy be encouraged to learn about his area, he should also be led to all other areas of the house that he will be allowed to visit. Young puppies often need reminding about where their food and water is… and having a second toy collection in the family room (or other room where humans gather) can be helpful.

Each day, do a tour of the house and also a tour of the yard. Once the bathroom area is visited and a dog has urinated or eliminated in the appropriate spot, he can be lead around the perimeter of the home. Several weeks of both indoor and outdoor exploring will give a Poodle a better sense of what he should consider to be his territory and once he is house trained, he will feel more secure leaving his owners side and freely moving from room to room. 

Once all puppy vaccinations are given, a Poodle can start to learn about other aspects of the world. As a Poodle matures and learns of his expanded environment, becomes attached to favorite toys, has a full day with walks, exercise, being taken places (parks, stores, outdoor markets, to visit friends), and feels at peace in his home, he will usually outgrow clinginess and act more self-assured. 

3) Evaluate how much time you actually spend interacting with your Poodle. This breed bonds quickly with his owners and is not typically a dog that is happy just 'being'. If a Poodle is essentially ignored due to owners being busy, this feeling can build up until it really affects the dog's behavior. 

Setting aside time for two daily walks plus even just 10 minutes twice per day for one-on-one interaction such as playing fetch can make a dog feel satisfied with his 'social life' and be more at peace when he is left to his own devices. Even just speaking out loud to your Poodle can make a big difference. 

In cases like this, you will want to start to include other family members in the daily activities related to the Poodle, even if the dog ignores the others at first. Humans should take turns feeding a Poodle and this should be done in a way that teaches hierarchy. For anyone who does this task, the dog should be given the 'Sit' command before the dish is placed down.

When a dog truly learns that his meals depend on all people in the house, he will be often begin to see them in a different light, having a more balanced bonding, not clinging to just one person.

Having been startled- If a dog has had a scare or has otherwise been emotionally jarred, he will often then stay very close to his owner, cling to their side and may act scared long after the event is over. What scares a dog into acting this way can vary, though with many dogs this will be either a very loud noise (including thunderstorms) or an encounter with an aggressive dog.

Most Poodles will cling for a while; however will gradually return to normal behavior anywhere from minutes to several hours. 

Teasing/bullying - If a Poodle is consistently bothered, this may cause him to be clingy whenever he is free from that situation. Common cases include a young child that may be handling the Poodle incorrectly (pulling his tail, picking him up improperly, swinging the dog, etc.) or another pet in the house that is harassing the Poodle.

If this appears to possibly be the case, steps should be taken to stop this sort of treatment. Children must be taught proper care techniques and if another pet is bothering a Poodle, intervention will be needed including possible separation until they can learn to get along. 

Illness/ Injury - When a dog is not feeling well, he often does one of two things: He may become very clingy, always wanting to stay by his owner's side and not be alone or he may retreat. If a Poodle that is normally very self-sufficient and happy is suddenly overly clingy, a health issue should always be considered. 

Older, senior Poodles may start to become clingier as age-related issues begin to develop. This includes health issues and also includes both decreased hearing and vision. A Poodle may be feeling vulnerable and depend on his owners more as he grows older. With both hearing and vision, simple things such as approaching from the side and flickering lights before entering a room can help.  

Senior dogs are also very set in their ways and any changes to the environment can cause a state of unrest; a Poodle may react to new people, a new pet or even a change in furniture placement by acting clingy. 

If at all possible, limit changes in the household. You will want to reassess an older Poodle's sleeping area, toy collection and diet to make age-appropriate modifications. 

Never assume that any notable changes in behavior are normal and simply a part of 'old age'. Sudden mood swings including clinginess may be related to health issues that can be resolved or controlled with proper treatment. 

You will first want to evaluate things to see if any triggers can be removed that may be causing the behavior. If there are no obvious reasons and all health issues are ruled out, the best method to deal with clinginess is to offer your companionship without being overly soothing. 

Dogs in general are very smart and the Poodle is one of the most intelligent breeds in the world; this means that acting clingy can be inadvertently reinforced and for some, it can become a game of sorts.  

If a clingy Poodle is coddled and overly soothed, this can 'teach' him that he is correct in seeking out comfort and that his need for constant reassurance is warranted. However, you certainly do not want to ignore your dog or make him feel that he cannot go to you. It is best to speak in a matter-of-fact manner, pet him for a bit and then offer a distraction.  

When you move his focus and in doing so, he receives some sort of reward, this can build self-confidence. You can lead your Poodle to an interactive toy (a maze puzzle that has treats works very well for this) and teach him how it works… as he learns how to push the levers with his nose, he will begin to focus on the reward. 

Each day, lead him to this, however help less and less, allowing the Poodle to take over more… within just a week or so, a Poodle may enjoy this so much that he goes to his new favorite toy instead of clinging to your side.