There isn’t a relationship around that can survive without trust. Often, time’s when pets don’t obey they put themselves in harm’s way by running in the street or chewing something hazardous. Building a bond with your pet is an important part of being a good pet parent.
Ways to Increase Trust
Working with a trainer to help you and your pet form a deeper bond based on trust can be a very worthwhile experience. They will tell you there are some other things you need to do beyond the daily walks to earn that trust. For example, taking your dog with you on errands or playing fetch, which will help them feel connected to you. It’s important to work hard to take the extra time to be with your dog and do things with your dog to help progress and strengthen your bond.
Consistency & Rewards
Consistency is very important for animals, so reinforcing all of these activities is key to building your bond. You want your dog to know that they can always expect their walks and dinner at the same time. Some trainer’s approach to behaviour and attention-seeking is that: dogs seek attention and if they don’t get enough good attention, they will seek bad attention. So you want to set up your pet to seek good attention and want them to try hard for the praise.
Make Your Pet Feel Special
Another way to help your pet feel special is to make their food more enjoyable. Our pets learn by playing, just like children, so playing games with your dog will help to engage both their brain and body. Playing games like hide and seek with treats can be very successful. We found some games for dogs that could be fun. Also here are some fun games for cats, because they need just as much playtime as dogs!
Enjoy the Bond
Making the extra effort to bond with your pet will be rewarded with a lot of benefits. Studies now show that beyond the obvious cure for loneliness, having the companionship of a pet has proven medically beneficial. For elderly owners that own pets, there are fewer doctor visits and less depression. People that are chronically ill find that caring for pets is a motivator to continue to be engaged in life. People that have heart attacks are more likely to survive that important first year if they have a pet. Finally, pets help smooth the effects of the life-related setbacks that happen to everyone. But all of this is depending on you and your pet having a strong bond!