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You know how it is – the second that you sit down that cute furry little pooch is on your lap, or lying as close as possible…or even wrapping himself around your neck! As dog owners, we delight in cuddles from our four legged friends. Patterdale terriers are particular good cuddlers – they are a very loyal and affectionate breed. In fact, they are the most cuddly dogs I have ever come across. But why are Patterdales like this? And can a dog be too cuddly?
Why are Patterdale Terriers the Most Cuddly Dogs?
I’ve literally never met a Patterdale terrier that doesn’t cuddle up to their owner. Every time I sit on the bed or sofa, Blake looks at me and cries because he wants to come up (we train him to wait to be invited!) Then as soon as he is invited up he wants to be as CLOSE as possible! Quite often he will lie right across my legs while I’m working on my laptop, until I get a dead leg!
You might think that they are a bit aggressive, but actually Patterdales are very affectionate and loyal to their owners (Read are Patterdales aggressive?) Their aggression may be aimed at rats or badgers if they are working dogs, but at home they are still delightful pets. Patterdale terriers love company and they love human contact. They like to please their humans and so they are also quite trainable for tricks!
Can you Cuddle your dog too much?
Of course cuddles with your pooch are great for your own and your dogs mental health and are very rewarding. But – and I know this is hard to believe – you CAN cuddle your dog TOO MUCH!
Reasons why you CAN cuddle your dog too much!
There are two main reasons why too much cuddling is bad for your Patterdale. Firstly, they stop taking authority from you if they think that you are a pushover! Secondly, Patterdales who are cuddled and ‘babied’ too much can develop separation anxiety when you leave them alone.
Always be in Charge!
One thing to remember is to always be in charge. So your patterdale gets to cuddle you when YOU invite him, not anytime that he wants. Use an assertive voice of authority over him in the house every now and again, such as ‘get in your bed’ so that he knows you are the boss. This will keep him in his place in the pack and make training easier when you are outside.
Don’t let your Patterdale get too Attached
Cuddling your patterdale all of the time can mean he/she could get a bit too attached. The problem with this is that it can result in separation anxiety and potentially extreme stress when you have to go away or on holiday. This means that even if you work from home you should still insist on time away from your Patterdale. Don’t always let him/her be in the same room as you. Sometimes you can shut your Patt in a different room but with a licky mat or dog treat ball to focus them on something else.
It’s a bad habit to be in the house with your Patterdale 100% of the time and so if you work from home take short outings without your dog on a daily basis if possible. This could just be to the corner shop, post office or even a short walk around the block. This gets him used to the idea that it’s ok to be apart from you.
What are your thoughts? Are Patterdales the most cuddly dogs? Or maybe you know of another really cuddly dog breed? Do comment below!
