So most of you know Cookie is a shelter dog, about 2, we got in May. She's an amazing pet and delightful and so sweet it'll make your teeth hurt. She's great on the leash (we'll still working on heavy distractions, but she improves every day!), sits on command (usually), plays like a puppy and cuddles when we're not.
Here's the problem: we got her for my son (12) who'd been begging for a dog for 3 years. But Cookie is CRAZY attached to me. She follows me around like there's an invisible tractor beam. She's under my desk right now, but if I got up and walked 10 feet to get some water, she'd be right with me.
My son is sad that she won't glom onto him like she does with me. I don't give her any particularly special attention; I'm home during the day (mostly), but I don't play with her every second, in fact, hardly at all - I'm busy! I have him feed her, refill her water bowl, encourage him to play a lot when he's home, walk her when he can.
I don't know what else to do to "make her like him better" except maybe rub bacon all over him. He told me to ask the collective wisdom here.
I don't think she's insecure, necessarily - she does fine when I leave her alone to go out, she's been find when she's been boarded when we've left town.
Can a dog get overly attached to her person? I'm thinking about obedience training - letting him be the main person doing that, and going on to agility training - I think she'd be great; she jumps like a bunny, runs fast, and learns quickly (I taught her "up" just once with food - dancing on her hind legs - and she does it every time now). Do they let kids work with the agility, too?
Here's the problem: we got her for my son (12) who'd been begging for a dog for 3 years. But Cookie is CRAZY attached to me. She follows me around like there's an invisible tractor beam. She's under my desk right now, but if I got up and walked 10 feet to get some water, she'd be right with me.
My son is sad that she won't glom onto him like she does with me. I don't give her any particularly special attention; I'm home during the day (mostly), but I don't play with her every second, in fact, hardly at all - I'm busy! I have him feed her, refill her water bowl, encourage him to play a lot when he's home, walk her when he can.
I don't know what else to do to "make her like him better" except maybe rub bacon all over him. He told me to ask the collective wisdom here.
I don't think she's insecure, necessarily - she does fine when I leave her alone to go out, she's been find when she's been boarded when we've left town.
Can a dog get overly attached to her person? I'm thinking about obedience training - letting him be the main person doing that, and going on to agility training - I think she'd be great; she jumps like a bunny, runs fast, and learns quickly (I taught her "up" just once with food - dancing on her hind legs - and she does it every time now). Do they let kids work with the agility, too?