A bond is a relationship, and like human relationships, they take time and require patience. Getting a pet is exciting but can be overwhelming sometimes. You are now tasked with the responsibility to create, strengthen, and maintain the bond between you. The good news is, unlike human relationships, this is a little less complicated, so you can rest easy. The tips that follow will aid you to improve your relationship with your dog.
Engage in playtime with your dog
Playing is fun. And this is a perfect opportunity to bond with your dog. Some interactive play like frisbee, chase, and tug of war might get him excited. You may notice at first that he is not active and doesn’t seem to want to play. He may still be trying to get used to his new environment. Give him some time and try later again. Dogs love toys too, so easily incorporate toys in his play while playing with him.
Train your Dog
Training your dog is essential. It is better done while he is still a pup. As a young pup, teach them basic tricks like sit, stay, lie down, shake. Training is a great way to create that bond between you and your dog but keep in mind that their attention span is limited, so limit exercise to a couple of minutes a day. The advantage of good training to the dogs is that it allows them more freedom, and he will love and trust you more when you award him freedom. I mean, who doesn’t like freedom?
Try some hand feeding
If your dog is shy or fearful, try hand feeding. This is feeding your dog directly out of your hand, and it’s an exercise that builds trust between you two and further strengthens the bond. Hand-feeding is an excellent tactic to help train your dog and let him know that you are the provider of good things so he can trust you. If you’re not keen on hand-feeding, you can train them to sit while you feed them.
Touch your Dog
Physical contact is warmly inviting and encourages trust. Touching your dog involves petting and grooming him, and this is known to reduce stress levels by increasing the release of oxytocin and reducing cortisol levels. Oxytocin, also is known as love or cuddle hormone, enhances the feeling of trust among you and your dog.
Your relationship with your dog is one of the essential aspects when living with your canine friend. The advantages of a strong relationship between you two are immense, from detecting health issues early to strengthening dog loyalty. But bigger and better than all these is how having dogs in our lives improve the quality of our lives significantly.