poodle follows me

Question
QUESTION: hello,
I bought a 4yr old apricot female breeder dog from a reputable breeder 2 mo ago.  Kiki follows me around EVERYWHERE.  If I stay in the room she will eat but if I get up she stops eating or drinking. I fall and trip over her because she is always underfoot.  what do I do to get her to stop following me.  I am finally getting her to potty outside but I have to stay out with her.  if I come back in she comes to the door even though she is about to pop.  she was going on the cement sidewalk until I realized she was not housebroke which the breeder did not tell me and I just assumed she was.  this caused great frustration.  she is sweet, just a few things to tweek.  thank you

ANSWER: Hello Donna,
Sounds like Kiki is pretty attached to you.  While this isn't a bad thing, like you said she can get underfoot and this can hurt you or her.  You need to break this now before she gets seperation anxiety whenever you leave.  

If you have a crate for her, try putting her in it for awhile while you are home.  Give her a favorite toy or chewie and let her see that its ok for her to be away from you when you are in the house.  You might also sleep in an old tee shirt for a couple of days to get your scent on it and put it in with her.  This gives her something to have that has your smell on it so she won't miss being around you.
If she whines while in the crate, don't go to her unless she is quiet.  Praise her when she is silent and when you are ready, let her out.  

As for housetraining, you will need to get her on a schedule of going out several times a day at or around the same time.  Feed her at the same time each morning and evening, (free feeding is not recommended because then you can't tell when she has eaten) and take her out about 15 minutes after she has eaten.  Take her to the same spot so she recongizes that she has gone there before.  Praise her when she goes.  
If she potties inside, clean it up with paper towels and place them where you want her to go.  This helps her with the scent.  
When you can't watch her in the house, put her in her crate.  

Give her some more time to get used to your household routine.  In a few months, you may see a more adapted Kiki running around.  

I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Kim,
I do see a change from when I first brought her home. Kiki doesn't potty inside the house anymore but she won't go outside unless I stay out with her. she does not cry anymore when I leave for work but when I am home she stays under my feet.  I did get her a crate but everytime I put her in there she pottied.  my vet said she evidentally she was trained by the breeder to do her job there so I got rid of the crate. the only issue is she will not let me out of her site when I am home. she only eats when I sit down in the room, if I move just a little she stops.  drinking also.  i realize she had a lot of trauma, i even changed her name but she instantly knows that now. she nipped my 12 yr old granddaughter one time over nothing but this has happened only once.  i was told that poodles are known for snapping. is this true. thank you

Answer
Hello again Donna,
You said that you got rid of your dog crate, but I would get another one (or at least borrow one from a friend for now) to use with Kiki for alittle while.  This way, you can use it to help teach her that she doesn't need to always be around you when you are home.  Put a mat down to help discourage her from pottying in the crate.  
I would just put her in it for a short time then let her out again.  
You might consider feeding her in her crate too, at least offer her food in there so that she sees the crate as a positive.  Also, provide her with toys and treats in the crate to help make it feel like her own special home.
I leave my crates open in my home and my dogs go in there when they want some "alone time".  They feel secure and know that the other dogs will leave them alone while they are in their crate.
Once Kiki feels comfortable in her crate, you can leave the door open for her so she can come and go as she pleases.  

Instead of using a wire crate, try getting a solid crate to keep her in.  This will give her the feeling of her own private "den" and will make her feel secure when she can't be around you (because right now, you ARE her security blanket).  
I would put her in there during times that you know that you are going to be moving around alot, and during her feeding times.  

If you feel bad about using a crate or if Kiki won't adapt to using a crate, try using a small laundry room or bathroom with a child gate across the opening.  Again, this can be her security area where you can feed her and give her some "Kiki time" where she can be by herself.

Toy Poodles are notorious for being a bit snappy sometimes.  From what I hear, alot of people are bitten by Poodles (or small dogs) but who wants to tell the Athorities that they were bitten by a Toy Poodle.
The reason Kiki bit your granddaughter is because she sees you as her property.  You belong to her and she saw your granddaughter as a threat to "her" property.  You probably got on to her for biting your granddaughter and she saw that she upset you, which is why she doesn't do it anymore, but thats all the more reason to try and break her from being around you ALL the time.

One other idea for getting her to stop following you around all the time is to have her befriend someone else besides just you.  
If you have another person living with you in the house (husband, friend, grandchild, etc) have them start taking over Kiki's care.  Let them feed her, take her out to potty, walk her, play toys with her.  Get them to encourage her so that she starts to bond with them as well as you.  
If you don't have another body in the house, think about letting her stay with someone (that you trust of course) for about 2 weeks.  She needs to learn that she can bond with someone else and that its ok to be away from them also.  
I know it sounds like alot, but you have to break this cycle of her tailing you everywhere you go.  

Well, give that a try and see how she reacts to that.  It will be a little stressful on her, but in the end it will help her become more social and a better dog in general.  

Talk to you later,
Kim