Needy Dog

"Mac is a needy dog." That is what the owner of the doggie day care that I use put down in Mac's evaluation after his first stay. I wasn't sure exactly what she meant but I think am beginning to understand.

Please let me know if this is typical and if not what to do about it.

Mac is 7 1/2 months old. He's a pretty mellow puppy. We haven't had too much trouble with outrageous energy all the time or anything like that. The problem we seem to be having is that he can't stand being out of eyesight of me or my wife. If my wife gets up to take a shower and I am still in bed, he barks, whines, barks, whines until she gets out. Same thing if I shower first... Currently he has a cone on due to his recent neuter so I've been keeping him on the main level of our house until bedtime. If I have to walk upstairs for a moment or down to the basement, same thing bark, whine, bark whine. I've tried ignoring his behavior. I've tried consoling him "it's ok"... I've also tried giving him peanut butter kongs to pacify him but once he realizes that I am gone he comes looking and barking. I just went upstairs to put something away and he starting whining and barking like he was getting a poker in the eye.

Is normal at this age or ever? Any advice on how to build up his trust so I don't have to be right next to him all the time?