Pugs anxiety and owners guilt

Question
Hiya,
I am the proud owner of a seven month old Pug who can be a delight when she feels like it. We love her to bits and I usually work from home, which when she was new to the house was very helpful as it allowed her to settle in quickly. She is the only dog I have and although I very much want to get a little brother for her now she is spayed that won't be for a couple of years until I get a bigger house.
I always feel so so guilty about leaving her, because sometimes when I have to go to meetings early in the morning I come into the living room where she sleeps and give her a pet, feed her, let her out and back in then I have to go and she always cries and runs to the door to stop me from going, or tries to get out past me.
Many of my friends who own dogs tell me she's been spoilt as their dogs daily have their owners out of the house for six hours or more during the day. But I suppose she just isn't used to it. When I'm working at home she follows me round and very often I have to go into my office and she cries and whines at the door and scratches it. Sometimes I feel like I'm kind of trapped by this behavior as I feel its impossible to go out without feeling bad about leaving her. I have bought her Kong toys but she gets bored of them once the obvious treats are gone.
I feel like such a bad owner, even though I know I give her all the love and attention she could want.
Please help, can she grow out of it?

Answer
Dogs aren't loners by nature.  Many of the social aspects of the wolf pack remains.  If they can't have the company of their own kind, they love the company of people.  Your dog is fortunate to have as much time with you as it does.  The only problem I see is her efforts to control you.  You need to be in charge.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm

So enjoy the time you can spend with her, without feeling guilty about the time you must leave her.