Q: Why do my dogs insist on following me into the bathroom?
A: Having a dog means you never have to visit the bathroom alone again and, according to some dogs, it’s the perfect place for an intimate family meeting.
But why would dogs want to share such a private place with you anyway? Humour aside, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Dogs are social animals and see themselves as part of your family ‘pack’. As a member of your family, your dog enjoys spending time with you.
He has no concept of privacy and is hard-wired to live communally. Your dogs may even feel they are providing you with protection. In nature, going to the bathroom can be a dangerous business, as you could be exposed to potential attacks when in the most vulnerable of positions.
When they then smell that you have ‘marked’ in there, this just further confirms that they really need to be there to protect you.
Or, your dogs may simply just love to be with you whenever and wherever they can. Following you into the bathroom may be the perfect opportunity to have some time alone with you in an otherwise busy household.
Bathrooms are also filled with interesting smells. Besides the obvious – used towels, laundry baskets with smelly clothes and dustbins – there are all sorts of products, which all smell very interesting.
Allowing your dogs to join you in the bathroom is an entirely personal decision and, as long as there are no other behaviour concerns, it certainly does no harm.
Alyson Kingsley-Hall, behaviourist
