I can never be alone.
I hear from many of my clients that their Wirehaired Pointing Griffon follows them from room to room. If the owner is headed to the bathroom they are followed closely by their ever inquisitive Griffon. I hear lots of chuckles about never being alone, and about how much their Griffon loves them.
Physical Following
Physical following is when your Griffon considers you a resource and a follower. In this case the dog is acting as the Leader of the pack, following his resource around to keep tabs on his stuff. The Griffon may be bored, unstimulated and under exercised, and decides he will keep track of this wandering human, even whining at the closed bathroom door, or yipping at a door that is closed on him.
Psychological Following
This is the Griffon that is reacting to his pack leader, the owner. He is following his leader in case the leader is going to direct him to do something. In this case the leader can tell the dog, “go lay down”, and consequently the obedient follower does as he is told, rarely complaining or whining. In the same household the wife, or husband may not be a leader to this dog and may be followed everywhere unless directed from the leader to lay down.
Be the Pack Leader
Griffons do better when as a rule when they have a clear pack leader. Simply put they are crap leaders, bad things tend to happen when they are making the decisions… You know eating the loaf of bread on the counter, scratching at the bedroom door, and going through the trash. Asking your Griffon to separate from you, gives him skills to cope without you, stay calm when you give direction. and be better adjusted.
