BONDING WITH YOUR DOG

Here are some tips and strategies you can use to strengthen the relationship with your dog.

REGULAR FEEDING TIME will make your dog food drive focused and predictable. At the same time, you become more important when the food comes from you instead of the bowl in free feeding.

PHYSICAL EXERCISES are crucial, especially for high-energy dogs. If your dog is chewing on furniture and destroying your shoes, it shows how bored they are. While physical exercise and walks are important, adding in some mind-stimulating games will make your dog happy, tired, and content. An hour of training is worth a couple of hours playing a repetitive game of fetch.

LOOSE LEASH WALKING communicates to your dog that you are calm and have everything under control, so there’s no reason to be worried or tense. Everything you’re feeling runs right down your arm through the leash to your dog.

ROUTINE & CONSISTENCY Set a specific schedule for all things and have consistent rules – times to be fed, who walks and when, if they are allowed on which furniture, their crate area, etc. The more detail you can provide and the more consistency, the better. Inconsistency leaks trust away.

RESPECT your dog choices; if they don’t like something, don’t do it, teasing unravels trust faster than just about anything, and depending on the breed, the results can be disastrous. As part of building trust, don’t call them to punish them or make them do something they don’t want; it just erodes the “come” command, so it isn’t reliable when you most need it to be.

LEARN THEIR BODY LANGUAGE to understand the signs for when your dog is uncomfortable – Do they tense up, lean their head away from you, avoid even a hint of eye contact, lick their lips, keep their mouth closed, pull their ears back against their head? Learning some of the non-verbal cues that your dog gives you and understanding them goes a long way towards building that mutual respect for space.

9 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOUR DOG IS BONDED TO YOU

  • Keeping tabs on your location when they are off-leash

  • Frequently checking in to see where you’re at

  • Performing obedience happily without hesitation

  • Making a great effort to find you when you play hide-and-seek

  • A desire to be near you and a love for physical interaction

  • A high level of focus on you, evidenced by frequently looking at you

  • Strong ability to communicate needs, wants, and concerns. (Do you understand what your dog wants in almost any given situation?)

  • A willingness to protect or help you in a threatening situation. At the same time, know that a dog can easily slide into guarding, so protection by itself doesn’t necessarily equal love.

  • Once taught Come, the dog always responds, even when distracted - This one is tricky even for well-bonded dogs if you’ve got this down even in the most distracting of circumstances, congratulations!

Bonding with your dog is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy it, and know that every twist and turn add value to your relationship.

RECOMMENDATIONSKATARZYNA KASINSKAdog, dogs, dog activities, bonding, fun dog games