How Jelly Became a Velcro Dog in Her Old Age

Hi, I’m Allison! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my three mixed-breed dogs from Thailand, Jelly, Lorraina, and Manic.

Are Velcro dogs born with the uncontrollable desire to be with their owners every waking moment, or is it something they grow into? I thought a Velcro dog was something they inherently are based on their breed. Chihuahuas and Golden Retrievers come to mind when I think about a Velcro dog breed.

But do dogs grow into being Velcro dogs? I guess some do. Jelly turned into a Velcro dog after our move from Thailand to the USA.

My Mellow Jelly

Jelly has always been a fairly mellow dog. She was never a super high-energy puppy, which I greatly appreciated! She was perfectly happy to sit and watch a movie instead of going on epically long hikes. In fact, when we take her on walks now, she always gets a second wind when she realizes we are headed back home. She will race ahead of Manic and Lorraina as if to say, “We made it, guys! We are at the homestretch! C’mon! The air-conditioning and our comfy beds are calling our names!”

Jelly’s mellow personality is a welcome balance between Manic’s drive for chaos and Lorraina’s desire to start fights.

However, she has become a Velcro dog.

Click, Click, Click, Click… 

I have the pleasure of working at home. This is really beneficial because the trio do not have to remain cooped up inside for most of the day. If the day is warm, Manic will probably spend close to 10 hours outside. He entertains himself within our fenced-in 2.5-acre property by digging holes, chasing squirrels, tracking rabbits, watching birds, or napping in the sun. Lorraina will spend about half the time outside but greatly enjoys coming inside for her naps on her orthopedic bed.

But not Jelly. It could be a perfect spring day, and if I am not outside, she will not go. Instead, Jelly prefers to be always roughly three feet away from me. If I am at my desk, she is curled up in the spare dog bed I keep in my office. If I am going to take a quick power nap, she needs to be lying right next to me. If I want to watch TV in the living room, she is on the couch next to me. Jelly liked being my shadow. And I did not mind it…most of the time.

The times when it got a bit hard to deal with was when I would leave my desk for minor things. For example, I would get up to go to the bathroom. One minute later, I would hear click, click, click, click. That was the sound of Jelly’s nails clicking on the floor as she went to see where I was. I opened the bathroom door, and there she was, staring at me. Her eyes seemed to ask me why I thought I had the audacity to leave the room.

“Jelly, I was gone for two minutes,” I would say, walking back to my desk. Jelly would settle back into her bed and fall asleep.

If I would get up to get some water from the fridge, the same situation would happen.

Click, click, click, click.

I would turn around, and there she would be, giving me that stare again.

If I went to the laundry room to wash clothes, click, click, click, click. If I went to get a cup of coffee, click, click, click, click. No matter where I went, in less than a minute, I would hear click, click, click, click. 

Oh, Jelly. I am not going to leave you.

But, in her mind, I had left her once.

How Did It Begin?

When we brought Jelly to the USA from Thailand, she seemed to grow into a Velcro dog. I think the entire journey caused her some serious stress. She did not know what was going on or where she was going. Being crated to go on a boat, van, and then a plane must have been so overwhelming for her. And then having to adjust to a whole new world. Wow.

I suppose I do understand why she keeps her eye on me. If I were in her position, I would not entirely trust me, either. Maybe one day, she will trust me to go to the bathroom or get a snack from the kitchen without thinking she will never see me again.