Mary Allen
A strong bond with the dog is not only something wonderful, it also makes it much easier to get along with one another and promotes the obedience of the four-legged friend. Here you can find out how you can strengthen mutual understanding and friendship with your animal partner.
If the relationship with the four-legged friend is characterized by trust and affection, communication works more easily and the bond with the dog becomes stronger. This is not only a nice feeling, but it also helps with dog training. Because: A pet that trusts its owner one hundred percent takes part in the training with more joy in learning and motivation and listens more willingly to its owner. It is therefore worth building a good bond with the dog.
Improving the Bond Between Dog & Owner: With Obedience Training
The bond with the dog promotes communication on the one hand, but can also be strengthened through mutual understanding on the other. You can practice this interplay together with your animal best friend during obedience training.
“Obedience training,” but it’s not about your dog just following commands. Rather, you and your pet will learn to trust each other and understand each other’s language.
Your dog understands what you expect from him when you utter certain commands and show special body language. You can get to know your four-legged friend better bit by bit, interpret his signals, put yourself in his shoes – and formulate your commands in such a way that your four-legged partner understands them: clearly, unambiguously, and consistently.
Other dog sports and leisure activities also strengthen the bond with the dog: Dog dancing, for example, lunging or hiking together brings you closer to each other.
How to Strengthen the Bond With the Dog? Games & Exercises Help
Dogs have been bred to work closely with humans throughout their long history of domestication. Therefore, they need tasks that they can cope with together with their mistress or master. Which tasks depend on the dog breed and the personality of the four-legged friend. Whether hunting dog, hound, or lap dog – every four-legged friend appreciates appropriate games and exercises. The more stubborn, independent, and intelligent a dog is, the more important it is to have hours of play together that encourage its talents without overtaxing it.
If your four-legged friend has the impression that he can have more fun without you and pursue his interests better, he will probably listen to you less well and will rather get his own way. He doesn’t do this to annoy you, but because the disobedient behavior is more rewarding and comfortable for him.
By playing games together that do him justice, you can show him that he has more fun with you than alone. Feel free to try out which activity motivates your four-legged friend the most. Games and exercises that you both enjoy are best. So you can teach some dogs tricks, others love retrieving or nose work.
Creating Trust Through Fixed Rules & Consistency
While dogs are smart animals, they can only understand human language to a certain extent. The tone of voice, body language, and signal of command must always remain the same and fit together so that a four-legged friend can read what you expect from him. Otherwise, you will confuse your dog and unsettle him. Especially when you get impatient and angry because he doesn’t follow your command. Trust cannot be built that way.
If you want to strengthen the bond with your dog, you have to be as predictable as possible with your four-legged friend. You achieve this through consistency, clarity, and unambiguity in rules and rituals.
Establish firm rules for mealtimes, walks, playtime, rest periods, and grooming that you stick to whenever possible. This routine is not boring for your dog but gives him a structure that he can use for orientation and on which he can rely. This way he feels safe and knows that he is in good hands with you.
Respect the Dog & Its Needs
Respect and esteem should be mutual in human-dog friendship. Learn to correctly interpret body language and dog behavior and to recognize the needs of your four-legged friend. In this way, you can adjust the training and the hours of play to the form of your animal partner on the day and find the right balance between under- and over-demanding more easily.
If your four-legged best friend seems stressed or scared, stay calm and be your rock solid. Then think about what is bothering your dog and how you can resolve the situation.