When you get sick, you might see your dog acting a little differently.
Maybe your normally very independent dog starts wanting to be close to you all the time.
So why does your dog get so clingy whenever you get sick? Here’s what you should know.
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Why is my dog so clingy when I’m sick?
Everyone gets sick once in a while. But being sick is never any fun. Your body probably feels pretty bad, it might be tough to think clearly, and you can’t do many of the things you want or need to do.
When you’re sick, your behavior is going to change while you recover. But something unusual you may have noticed is that your dog’s behavior may have changed too.
Is your dog acting differently since you’ve become sick? Is he refusing to leave your side and seems like he’s trying to Velcro himself to you?
You might be wondering why exactly your dog is acting so differently. Before we get into the answers for a few common questions about dogs and illness, check out these related articles:
- Why Is My Dog So Clingy?
- 9 Reasons Why Your Dog Is So Clingy All of a Sudden
- My Dog Is Obsessed with Me! Is It Normal?
What it comes down to is that your dog is very sensitive to changes in your smell. Illnesses influence our hormone balance, which changes our body scent. Your dog can certainly pick up on this. He might also notice slightly different behavior, like if you seem a little more tired than usual.
Is my dog worried about me?
If your dog is normally relatively independent but becomes super clingy when you get sick, you might be asking this question.
Is the reason your dog suddenly won’t leave your side because he’s feeling worried about you?
Dogs are highly intuitive animals. You may not even realize it, but dogs can pick up on subtle changes in your behavior.
Dogs are also routine-based animals. So any changes that affects your dog’s routine, like changes in your behaviour, could be pretty concerning to him.
Your dog probably doesn’t know the precise reason why things are different with you. But he can probably tell that there is something going on!
Can dogs sense illness or death?
You might have heard stories about dogs in hospitals seeming to sense when someone is about to die.
You might have also heard that dogs can tell when their owner is sick or injured. Some stories involve dogs putting their heads on body parts where cancer is growing, or sniffing a particular body part incessantly.
But is there any truth to these stories?
It might seem crazy, but many of these stories are probably true! So how exactly can dogs tell when a person is sick?
Dogs have an incredibly strong sense of smell. In fact, it’s probably your dog’s strongest sense. It’s so powerful that your dog can pick up on subtle changes in your hormones.
When you get sick, your hormonal levels start to change. Your dog may notice this, and become more interested in the way you smell.
Dogs can also sniff out other changes in your body. For example, many dogs have been shown to detect by smell when there is something wrong in their owners’ bodies like diabetes or different types of cancer.
Lots of dogs even receive special training to try and find illnesses and injuries in patients.
How do dogs act when they smell illness?
When we get sick, we often aren’t aware of it until we start showing symptoms. But there are changes that happen in our bodies even before symptoms show up.
Your dog’s sense of smell is so powerful that he can smell these changes happening. Since he can sense illness long before you notice it, it might be helpful to know how your dog might behave.
This could help you catch your illness sooner and address it right away.
It’s impossible to say how each individual dog will act to a person’s illness. All dogs are different, after all. Lots of dogs won’t really react to these changes at all. On the other hand, many other dogs will start trying to comfort their owners.
Dogs don’t just sense when their owners are feeling sick and unhappy. They can also sense when their owners are feeling comfortable and happy.
When we feel good, our brains release hormones like oxytocin and serotonin. Your dog is able to smell these hormones, and they make him feel good too! He might try to snuggle up with you when you’re sick to help both of you feel a little better.
This could be the reason why your dog seems to be acting so clingy.
You may also find that some dogs tend to become very protective of their owners when they get sick.
You can learn more about dogs and guarding by checking out these articles:
Is my dog trying to tell me I’m sick?
If your dog is suddenly acting strangely, you might be wondering if he’s trying to tell you something.
Many dogs do change their behavior when their humans get sick. Your dog might start acting clingier that he used to. He may also be trying to snuggle up with you more.
But your dog may not be behaving this way because he’s trying to tell you that you’re sick, necessarily. Most likely, your dog is just reacting to the changes in smell in your body.
Those smells could be pretty worrying to him, which is why he’s acting so different!
You can use these signals from your dog to determine if you might be getting sick, and catch it as early as possible.
If you notice that your dog is acting strange around you and there’s nothing wrong with him, it might be worth a trip to the doctor.
Your dog could be acting this way because he can smell something going on in your body that you just haven’t noticed yet!
Other behaviors your dog might show when you’re sick
Lots of dogs will change their behavior when their owners get sick. You may find that your normally more aloof and independent dog gets much more snuggly with you.
It’s a good idea to pay attention if your dog is suddenly acting different. Scheduling an appointment with your doctor might be in order.
But these aren’t the only changes you might notice in your dog. You could see some other changes in his behavior too.
Here’s a little more information on the signs your dog might show you when something is going on.
I’m sick and my dog is acting weird
Dogs that are usually pretty independent and happy doing their own thing might start acting pretty different when their owners get sick.
You may find that your dog suddenly never wants to leave your side. It might seem like he’s even trying to surgically attach himself to your hip!
But this isn’t the only thing that a dog might do when their humans get sick.
Some dogs get extra protective of their owners when they get sick. Your dog senses something is wrong with your body, and he’s worried about you. He doesn’t want anything to happen to you, so he might try to protect you—even from things that don’t pose any danger!
You may also find that your dog is less demanding than he normally is. Is your dog usually constantly asking to go for walks or have playtime?
If you’re feeling under the weather, he might notice that. He may also know that you’re not quite up for the vigorous activity you both usually like. Instead, he might be calm and relaxed. He may spend more time snuggling up with you rather than begging for some fun.
It’s also possible that you’ll see some changes in your dog’s body language. For instance, you might see him doing the “whale eye.” This is when dogs show the whites of their eyes, and they usually do it when they are nervous or uncertain.
Another change in body language you may notice is your dog wagging his wail. This can be confusing—isn’t a wagging tail the sign of a happy dog?
A dog’s tail can display a lot of different emotions. One thing that he might be indicating when he’s wagging his tail is that he’s worried about something. Your dog might be wagging his tail because he’s trying to figure out why you smell so different!
I’m sick and my dog is licking me
Dogs like to lick things for a lot of reasons. For one thing, dogs are mouth-based creatures. Their strong senses of smell are connected to their mouths. That means that they use their mouths to explore a lot of the world!
If you’re interested in learning more about dogs and licking, make sure you check out these related articles:
If your dog is licking you a lot while you’re sick, there are lots of reasons why.
Because your dog’s sense of smell is so connected to his mouth, he might lick you to try and investigate you further. If you smell different because you’re sick, your dog might start licking you to try and figure out what exactly is going on.
If you have been injured, your dog might be focusing on that area. Dogs will often try to lick wounds as a way of keeping them clean. In fact, there’s even some evidence that this can help get rid of any bad bacteria around a wound.
However, you should avoid letting your dog lick your wounds. Dogs’ mouths have other bacteria that could actually infect your injury. If your dog is licking your wound incessantly, that could also prevent the wound from ever healing properly.
Finally, another reason why your dog might be licking you is because he’s trying to comfort you. Dogs lick each other as a way of showing affection. Your dog’s mom licked him to clean him up and let him know he was loved when he was just a puppy.
Your dog can probably sense something is going on with you. He can probably tell that you might need more snuggles until you start feeling better! Licking you is his way of telling you that he loves you and that you’ll feel better soon.
Clingy dog when you’re sick FAQ
Do you still have some questions about why your dog is so clingy when you get sick? Here are a few answers.
How do dogs act when they smell cancer?
A dog’s incredibly strong sense of smell can detect illnesses in a person’s body.
This includes things like colds, flus, and even illnesses like cancer.
Some hospitals bring dogs in that can help detect cancer before it becomes too serious. But most of these dogs get special training in labs using blood samples to be able to detect cancer.
Trainers use positive reinforcement dog training to do this. When dogs correctly identify a blood sample with cancer, they receive a reward.
It’s possible that some dogs may be able to detect cancer without receiving this training. For instance, your dog might be focused on sniffing one specific body part.
If you notice other signs, especially if you have a family history of cancer, it might be a good idea to get a cancer screening.
Can dogs sense depression and anxiety?
Your hormones don’t just change when you have physical illnesses. If you struggle with things like depression and anxiety, your hormonal levels will change too.
Your dog will probably be able to smell the changes in your hormones, just like he would if you had a physical illness. He might start acting clingier with you, or more worried because of these changes.
Conclusion
Being sick is not fun. Dogs can often tell when their humans are sick, and your dog might start acting different if he notices that you’re sick.
Pay attention to your dog if he starts acting weird around you to try and catch illnesses before they get too serious! And spend some time with your dog while you recover. Doing this is good for both of you!
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