Why Dogs Like to Follow You: It's All About Their Instinctual Herd Behavior
Dogs are derived from wolves, and their nature still retains traits of wolves, which is our common understanding. Wolves are herd animals, and all activities within the group, such as finding food, hunting, and evading danger, are led by the alpha wolf, and the entire group members will very consciously follow behind the alpha wolf without falling out. This is not the case for all herd animals in nature. Individual herd animals, when they independently act or leave the group, means the end of their lives.
Dogs transformed from wolves at the time they became dogs, they retained their group characteristics, and then followed the leader. But after living with humans, their group characteristics and following nature has already been ingrained in their blood, that is, their nature. This nature determines that every dog needs to enter a group, which is determined by its herd property, and the next leader is also a must, which is the master that it believes can determine everything for it.
Subsequently, a dog's emotions and trust depend on the owner. At this time, its consciousness only has two points, one is to obey the owner's instructions or understand the owner's intentions, all for the purpose of pleasing the owner, it is a kind of obedience to the leader's consciousness. Second is to follow the owner to enter and exit, as long as there is the owner, no matter how far they go, no matter how strange the place, the dog is willingly to accompany, because there is the owner, the owner is its anchor, its support. This is why dogs love to be with their owners while driving and enjoying the mountain and stream scenery.
Abandoned dogs have miserable fates, the main reason is loneliness and confusion, stemming from unknown dangers. At this time, the dog is like a walking corpse. The dog that leaves the group most wants to find an organization at once. This is the fundamental reason why dogs like to follow their owners.
Other reasons why dogs like to follow their owners are derived on this basis. For example, dogs are naturally curious and want to know what the owner is doing? What delicious food is the owner enjoying? What fun the owner is playing? These are all under a high level of trust in the owner, naturally generated behaviors.
When the owner is walking, the dog runs in front and behind, constantly using its nose to explore, but when the owner turns back home, it doesn't reluctantly want to turn around and follow the owner. It may be out of the desire to protect the owner, but the dog has not that kind of thinking.
In short, dogs are herd and social animals, and following the owner is their nature. When they are with the owner, they are most confident and secure, including guarding and hunting, and they need the owner to be present, otherwise they dare not 'use the strength of others.' The owner eats, watches TV, goes to the toilet, and sleeps, and the dog must be with the owner, a kind of dependence on security.
Another situation is that a strange dog follows a person. In fact, it is also because the dog is trying to join or find a group out of its spontaneous behavior. For example, you encounter a lone dog on the road, including stray dogs. Naturally lacking security, they are eager to find support and security, and loneliness and fear are closely linked. This is what all herd animals do not want to see.
A dog without an owner, due to its ability to observe and understand, it feels that the person is kind and trustworthy, it will also try to see if it can stay with you for a long time. Because the person's behavior gives it security and trust, it feels the person's kindness. This is why some smart stray dogs will show innocent and pitiful behavior to get help and support from humans, and many of them have become prosperous and were adopted by humans.
Therefore, in summary, dogs like to follow you, is the natural instinct of herd animals. Of course, you can also understand that it is out of loyalty to protect you; you can understand that it can help you at any time; you can understand that it's afraid you'll leave. But there's no denying that in its heart, you are its anchor, its main heart. Only you can give it security and confidence, and without you, its psychology will collapse. Wolves need leaders, and dogs need owners. This is the inheritance of natural laws, and will you abandon them out of kindness?
