Do you ever wonder if you and your dog are a little too attached? We’re talking about a true, old-fashioned “mama’s dog” — or daddy’s dog, as the case may be.
Read on for nine surefire signs you’ve got a total mama’s boy (or girl) on your hands!
1. You never use the bathroom alone
Mama’s dogs don’t want to be apart for a moment, even your most, ahem, private moments. You can try to close the door, but you’ll hear sniffling and scratching on the other side.
It can be annoying, but when you think about it, it’s only fair. After all, you watch them potty all the time.
2. Your car’s backseat is the dog’s domain
Whenever I give friends a ride, I have to move doggy blankets and chew toys out of the way. And there’s no cure for all that backseat dog hair!
If the backseat is a designated dog zone, and human passengers are an afterthought, you might have a mama’s dog.
3. They always stop for a check-in with Mom
You know you’ve got a mama’s dog if they come running back to you in the midst of a party! My dog Ralph is social with other people and dogs, but she always makes a point of making eye contact with me or stopping by for a quick check-in in the midst of all the fun.
Mama’s dogs aren’t always clingy, but they are focused on their favourite person.
4. You’re their favourite attraction at the park
Tell me if this sounds familiar: you take your dog to the park, enter the dog exercise area, and unclip their lead…only to have them stick by your side like glue. Some mama’s dogs only have eyes for you.
5. They have their own side of the bed
Mama’s dogs aren’t just allowed to sleep in the bed, they demand it. I can’t count the number of times I’ve woken up balanced at the very edge of the mattress while the dogs sprawl out on prime bed best real estate.
But despite doggy morning breath and more frequent laundry, it’s worth it to wake up next to the one you love.
6. They love riding in your arms (or on you in some way)
The K9 Sport Sack is a handy way to carry your dog around. $69.94 on Amazon.
Sure, they’ll walk on a lead, but they’d prefer to be in your arms (or on your front or back). This is a whole lot easier for small dogs, but don’t put it past a big dog who’s determined for a snuggle!
7. They get the zoomies when you get home
When you come home from work, does your dog take a speedy lap around the house? It’s as if they can’t contain their excitement to see you! A happy, noisy, tail-waggy greeting is a sure sign of a mama’s dog.
8. Your shoe is their favourite toy
Dogs who are attached to their owners are also very attached to their scent and may snuggle up with their belongings—particularly extra-stinky ones like shoes.
My dog Radar loves to carry one of my garden clogs around in his mouth. I often come home to find him curled up around it, dreaming, no doubt, of shoes.
9. You’re never more than arm’s length apart
Another name for mama’s dogs: Velcro dogs. If they can’t reach out and lick you, you’re too far away.
Even if you have a whole house full of soft surfaces for them to sleep on, they’ll always crowd you on the couch. Sometimes, mama’s dogs can make you feel claustrophobic. But isn’t it flattering that they want to be close to you at all times?
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Featured image: Staff Sgt. Christa Quam holds her puppy at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Griffin)
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