How To Bond With A Dog
You love your dog and your dog loves you, right? Are you a bonded pair? Let’s discover and dig a bit deeper in How to Bond with a dog.
Loving your dog and bonding with your dog might look like the same thing but are distinct parts of the human-pet relationship. The love between dog and owner develops naturally.
When getting home at the end of the day, love is what makes your dog to cheerfully leap on you and every night embrace you on the couch while watching television.
However, a bond takes a step further; a dog-human relationship bond is a type that engrossed in equal parts of respect and mutual trust. The glue of your relationship is essentially creating that strong bond.
This is why he listens when you ask him to do something. The bond promotes respect, partnership, good manners, and attentiveness.
It is not enough to say that the relationship between dogs and humans are symbiotic, dogs herd and hunt for us and we keep them warm and fed in return, with bonding, this relationship grows even stronger and much deeper.
WHY IS BONDING WITH A DOG IMPORTANT?
There are varieties of benefits associated with bonding or having a close relationship with your dog. Dog ownership can derive many benefits, including an improved mood and lower blood pressure.
There is growing evidence of the physical, health and other benefits associated with people that have a close relationship with their dog.
There is also a better understanding and proper documentation of therapeutic effects of canine-human interactions.
Some benefits of bonding with your dog are: Lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, lower the risk of a heart attack, improve mood, reduce depression, reduce and prevent stress, prevention of diseases, motivate and encourage exercise.
Other benefits are: It provides a source of social support, boosting of the immune system, lessen loneliness, encourage socialization, increase self-esteem and sense of personal competence, and also act as a health warning.
Here are some great reasons to continue or begin to build a stronger relationship with your dog.
Good bonding with your dog can improve your emotional and psychological state of being.
Building a strong relationship with your dog can help you to adapt during difficult times. Handling your dog as your best companion can be a great help while passing through emotional times or when feeling lonely. Your best friend can perform an important role for you during the time of stress and offer you friendship without judgment.
Research shows that anyone living with a dog is less likely to report feeling lonely and depressed.
- Bonding with your dog promotes good health
Having a good relationship and spending more time with your dog makes you get healthier at the same time. The study had suggested that a relationship with a dog can reduce the risk of asthma and allergies in young children.
- Bonding with your dog makes a better behaved dog
Having a good relationship with your dog will make him crave your attention, they will be easier to be trained and through training you will find that the dog-human bond grows stronger.
- Bonding with the dog is for kids
The report by the kids has stated that relationship with their pets help them in making friends and enhances their relationships with other family members.
- Bonding with dogs helps in weight reduction and improve your mood
Associate with your dog by treating them to a play session outside is a wonderful way to show love and you will see motivation from your dog to get moving.
Most of these play session will provide you with aerobic exercise. Hiking or walking with your dog is a great treat and will expose you to new people and places. This also serves as a great mood- promoter after a stressful day.
DIFFERENT WAYS TO BOND WITH A DOG
There are many different ways to bond with your dog and your are probably already doing many of these without realizing it.
Learning to train your dog and communicate with him will have a giant impact on how well you and your dog bond.
Making sure you are spending quality time together in different activities is the easiest and most rewarding way to create that bond that will last a lifetime.
• Communicate together
One of the best ways to form a strong bond with a dog is to have good communication. That means you must be consistent with your training signals. Sharing greater understanding together will form a good bond.
• Compete together
If you are a type that possesses a competitive spirit, permit your dog to be the part of it by competing with him. You will bond together by sharing your struggles and triumphs.
• Feed him
Feeding your pet yourself will form a strong relationship between you, rather than dropping the kibble inside the bowl and walking away, use his meal for training.
Bonding with your dog will definitely be strengthened if you’re the one directly giving him every meal.
• Train your dog every day
Dog training from home is important for bonding. Dogs adore having a job and also aspire mental stimulation. Make a deliberate effort to get the best out of every moment since your pet always watching and learning from you.
Ensure some form of training and positive reinforcement occurred every single day.
• Known your dog’s body language
Listening on both sides is one of the requirements of a great relationship. Studying up your dog on how he uses his body to communicate will make you listen to what is trying to tell you.
The direction of his ears, the position of his tail and so on. However, be listening because every part of your dog’s body is an indication of what he is thinking and feeling.
• Spend some moments together
Take your dog along with you on a little adventure even if you are just running out to do tasks. Your dog appreciates every small moment he finds to share with you.
The more time you spend with your dog the stronger the dog-human bond will become.
• Give him respect
Most times we forget our dog is also a living being which has likes and dislikes. If your dog is the type that cherishes ear scratches and hates to have his belly rubbed, respect that.
He will develop more trust in you if he knows you will not force him to do something he doesn’t like, unless you can persuade him by showing him it is ok, and he does it on his own, normally positive reinforcement helps with this and will make your bond much stronger than trying to force them.
• Turn every experience positive
What you need to do sometimes may be what your dog hates. If the need arises to do something your dog dislikes, like taking a bath, try and turn it into a positive experience.
The event will become more enjoyable by the use of toys, treats, and a gradual introduction. Turning something into a trick or playing a game may also help.
• Generate trust together
It will be impossible to have a strong bond without trust. Allow your dog to trust you by being calm and avoid adverse training methods.
For instance, don’t call your dog to come to you for punishment. He may not obey next time. Better yet give your dog a treat when you catch them behaving, this works wonders.
• Always show how much you love him
The dog has his own little ways of showing how much he loves. Ensure you let him know that you love him as he loves you. This may be a bunch of puppy kisses; a sturdy morning run or a nightly belly rub.
• Rules to live by
Dogs like rules and determining clear rules that your dog understands and obey will make him happy and creates a stronger bond between you.
Don’t punish him unnecessarily without a clear rules, determine the rules both of you can live with and keep to them, consistency with your dog is golden.
• Use more of visual signals
Keep in mind that your dog pays more attention to what you do instead of what you say. Don’t forget to make every moment an opportunity for training since your dog is always keen on your actions.
Something to keep in mind is, you might tell your dog to do something verbally, but visually your dog may understand something different.
HOW TO KNOW YOUR DOG IS BONDED TO YOU
Starting from the eye contact to greeting, the following ways will show if your dog is bonded to you.
• They readily keep eye contact
This is basically the first things to learn in obedience classes because it makes dogs focus. Realistically in the world, eye contact can be seen as a challenge for your dog; however, in a bonded relationship it is a signal for trust and love. Eye contact is a way to create and improve the bond.
Research shows that dogs who stare at their owners show increased levels of oxytocin and the owners as well experience the same. Gazing at each other thereby begins a feedback cycle of love and attachment.
• They are happy to see you
Does your dog get excited and show a little dance as you come home?
A happy, noisy and tail-wagging greeting is one of the greatest signs that your dog is really bonded with you.
When you dog is left at home, they anticipate your your return and show you they are happy when you get back.
• They have a calm body language and relaxed in your presence.
A bonded dog is also a relaxed dog. Following the initial excitement of your dog at your arrival, it probably settles down.
Some common types of relaxed body language in a dog are soft, relaxed facial expression, tail wagging side to side, a slightly open mouth, with a relaxed lolling tongue and blinking eyes.
• They listen and respond to you
Responsiveness is one of the greatest signs that there is a strong bond between you and your dog.
To show that your dog is strongly bonded with you, it will listen to you when you speak as well as obeys the command you give, coming or recall when called.
This is one of the most essential things to teach you dog. A dog that responds to recall can keep them safe in possibly dangerous situations and also enhances the bond between you.
My Thoughts on How To Bond With A Dog
Absolutely the greatest way to enhance and created a dog-human bond is by spending time with your dog, treat him like the amazing lovable and unique best friend he is.
I hope now you understand how to bond with a dog and realize the benefits and importance a strong bond can have between you and your best canine friend.
There is bonding naturally between dogs and the people who treat them well, train and respect them. Take good care of your dog, and he will reward you with an everlasting love and a strong bond.
Do you have any questions about bonding with your dog? I would love to hear how you bond with your dog. Please drop a comment or question below.
I really enjoyed this post. It was well written and informative. There are increasing studies that show Pet therapy, especially dogs, can help people lessen anxiety and maintain good health. Though interesting and important reading these studies are limited by having only the human’s perspective. What’s nice about your post is that it shows bonding from the perspective of both human and their dog. For example, let’s take the simple act of walking your dog. It’s essential for any dog’s well-being because it’s not about the exercise, it’s about the bonding.
On the other hand, dogs are excellent at motivating people to exercise. For example, Agility is a dog sport in which the handler guides the dog through a series of obstacles. It’s timed, so the fastest dog wins! Well, you need to keep up with your dog to succeed. So, you not only bond with your dog, because of the collaboration, you also get some good exercise. In all, a great read that informs and entertains your reader.
Thanks Thabo, for leaving a comment and I really appreciate the compliment. Many people are using dogs for therapy with great success. Just petting a dog is very soothing to both you and the dog, and in doing so also help to create a bond. I feel this is why the idea of therapy dogs really work, this type of relationship signifies how important bonds are in life for your well-being.
Dogs do keep you motivated, I know, I love spending time outdoors with the dogs and enjoying their company, so for myself I get plenty of exercise and fresh air. My dogs are not trained in agility, but I do have to agree that is a great way to exercise for both the human and the dog. Our Treeing Walker Coonhounds are high energy dogs so they can really keep us on our toes.
I love all the benefits of bonding with our doggy friend! Every benefit is really so good for us. And as such, I totally agree that it is a good thing to bond with our pet friends.
And I read your signs that can tell if we have bonded well with them. I must have done it right because when my Perdita was alive, she showed all the signs. She was always happy to see me. She kept eye contact whenever possible. She listened and responded to me. And the best part that I like is that she was always relaxed in my presence and always calm. I had thought that it was because I meditate a lot and she enjoys those sessions so much. haha
Thank you for this article. This is encouraging to me. So encouraging that I am looking forward to have another fur friend. 🙂
Thanks Timotheus for leaving a comment. The Bond between dogs and humans can be very strong, and can be obtained with spending good quality time your furry friend. It does sound like you and your dog were very bonded and the benefits of being bonded to your dog is priceless. The best thing about having a bonded companion is they do listen to you and they are always there when you need them without judgement. Hopefully soon you are able to bring another dog in your life and be able to reap those benefits again.