My dog is suddenly clingy, panting, and whining. What's wrong?

Question

My 6 yr old siberian husky recently started following me around everywhere (even pushing open doors to get to where I am) and pants A LOT. He eats, drinks, pees, and poops the same as he always has. Nothing has changed in our home life. He whines like he wants something but then doesnt take anything you give him. He's neutered, UTD on shots, and protected with flea/tick treatment as prescribed. He seems to just want to be everywhere you are even if it means laying on top of you and hes 100 lbs!

Anna M., DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Your description sounds most suspicious of generalized anxiety. There may have been something that spooked your dog recently to cause the behavior change, making him want to be near you all the time and causing him to seek reassurance. However, given his breed, it's also possible that he's just got too much pent-up energy - many high energy breeds can develop either anxiety or boredom if they aren't given an outlet for their energy and a way to tire themselves out. I recommend making sure your dog has a way to RUN his energy off daily. (with his breed and age, a walk probably won't cut it). You can take him running, or if he's ball motivated, throwing a ball is a great option to get him running. Fenced in dog parks are good options too. If tiring him out doesn't help reduce his clingy behaviors, I recommend consulting your vet and having them do a physical exam and likely some screening bloodwork. Sometimes panting, whining, and being generally clingy are the dog's way of telling us that something's not right, which can be the first sign of a disease or health problem. I hope this helps!

My dog is suddenly clingy, panting, and whining. What's wrong?

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