Bonding with a dog is referred by some as an ART. Truth be told, it is nothing more than establishing a lasting relationship similar to that you’ve already established with your family and close friends (only much more forgiving, and, I mean that…).
Dogs are very forgiving creatures, primarily because they look up to us as if we are all there is…. and to them, we are!
Let’s get into their heads for just a moment… What great HUNTERS we must be, we bring home bags and bags of groceries every week and a huge bag of dogfood. ….And how SHARING we are, since we share our hunt with them every day. We also love on them, give them treats and then we play games. Wow, we are all that!
Are you getting the picture?
Sorry folks, if you fail to bond with your dog, you are just not trying very hard.
Since you’ve put up with my commentary this far, here are some important bonding tips to cement that bond with Fido.
- TRAIN. Take the time to educate your dog daily. Even if it’s the same command. I do recommend that you stretch his brain capacity to additional commands eventually. Remember that a well-trained dog often wins more freedom, which is what canines need. Training your dog will also let you spend quality time together, which is immeasurable on the bond-scale. Training also lowers frustration, as your dog and YOU should now understand each other much better. After every training session, follow with play, so that he looks forward to training with you. Always make training a fun activity. Repeat these steps to watch the BOND grow.
- DO NOT LOSE YOUR PATIENCE. If you find yourself losing your patience, you have failed to communicate properly. Lack of communication with your dog is based on poor training, so, refer to number 1 above, and watch the BOND grow. A common mistake when we lose our patience is to over-correct or over-interrupt. Stop all training activities until you have cooled off and have figured out why things are not working.
- LOVE & PRAISE. The universal, undeniable learning algorithm for dogs is based on praise and reward. This does not mean that you should praise your dog constantly, it simply means that you should never lose the opportunity to reward a GOOD behavior, as this will cement that behavior (and the bond). By the same token, when you praise an unwanted behavior, don’t be shocked when the dog repeats it. Praise and reward are best delivered when you practice a QUIET praise technique. This is when you slowly and carefully caress your dog following a welcomed action. There is strong scientific evidence that physical contact lowers stress in dogs, as measured by reductions in both heart rate and the stress hormone cortisol, as well as by an increase in the anti stress hormone oxytocin. This has led scientists to conclude that physical contact plays a role in enhancing the bond between dogs and people. Praise words should also be spoken softly and in full control to watch the BOND grow.
- UNDERSTAND THEIR DISLIKES. Be understanding if your dog dislikes certain foods, noises, smells, actions, or even certain loud friends. Being aware of these facts, and keeping your dog in the HAPPY ZONE will likely yield a dog that is happy with your leadership qualities (which is huge, as they are the experts in identifying solid leadership), therefore the BOND will grow.
- ….and last, TRAIN your dog. Oh yeah, we’ve already covered that subject:)
Happy BONDING, it’s really not that hard !!!
