How to make your dog love you in 12 steps
If your dog seems to be afraid and hesitant when he is near you, perhaps you need to improve your relationship with him, and the question now is: How to make your dog love you ?
Make sure to provide a safe environment for the dog, by providing a safe and comfortable housing for him in your home. Add order to his life by training him and offering him positive rewards. Once your dog feels cared for, he will bond with you easily. Take him for a walk, play with him, and simply let him be your buddy. Over time, your dog love your interactions with him and will initiate on his own to approach you and woo you.Contents
Provide a healthy environment
1- Create a comfortable space for the dog.
Most dogs like to sleep in bed with their owners, Decide if you want to let your dog sleep with you in the bed, or if you want him to have a comfortable space of his own. To create a space your dog love, line a dog bed with blankets and chew toys in a corner of the living room. This area will provide your dog the opportunity to have his own space, without being isolated from the house but still part of it and close to what is going on around him.
Advice: Make sure that other pets or children don’t bother the dog when he’s in his space. The dog should feel that he can relax safely in this place.
2- Keep the dog clean and feed it.
Many dogs naturally love to be fed and cared for. Give your dog nutritious meals every day and use the mealtime to interact with him. You can hand-feed your dog occasionally or hide the food in a puzzle. When the dog solves it, it finds its treat waiting for it as a reward. You should also be in the habit of grooming your dog and checking its fur for any symptoms of health problems so that they are quickly remedied if there are any.
If your dog shows any discomfort, look for skin irritation. For example, if you find fleas, talk to your vet about the best fast-acting anti-itch remedies.
3- Practice positive reinforcement exercises.
Your relationship will improve if the dog knows how to respond to basic commands (eg sit, stay, come and walk with you). Consider training your dog to click to reinforce good behaviors through positive associations (such as a clicking sound). Give your dog a treat or verbally praise him when he obeys your commands.
For example, give your dog nutritious dog food that the dog love when he obeys you for a stop, or say, “Good dog!” If he comes back to you when you call him by his name at the park.
4- Avoid punishing the dog if it misbehaves.
If you have a positive training regimen, you don’t need to punish the dog when it misbehaves, you just need to redirect it and reward it when it does the right thing. Do not correct, hit, or frighten the dog. An angry reaction will make the dog fear you and can harm your relationship with him.
Be patient with the dog. Some dogs take longer to respond to exercise than others.
Expert advice : Helping your dog feel secure and confident makes him feel loved. Love requires that there be a sensory connection between the two parties, and that you stop playing the role of a difficult leader all the time; In other words, your dog needs to feel safe first in order to let your dog love you. Gain that confidence by giving him the opportunity to come to you on his own, just as much, if not more, as you go. Working with animals is like running a marathon, not running short distances, so be patient and don’t rush your dog to feel safe with you right now.
5- Encourage your dog to socialize.
It is easy to lose sight of your dog’s other social relationships, with other dogs or with other people, because you are preoccupied with developing the relationship between you and him. Keep in mind that your dog will be much happier and more fulfilled if he is in contact with other dogs or people. Try to get him to communicate with others in a calm and orderly environment rather than in messy places where dogs get confused.
For example, instead of letting your dog run around a dog park, you could visit a friend who has a quiet dog. Give dogs a chance to interact on their own, but don’t force them to.
6- Keep your dog healthy.
It’s hard for a pet to feel loved if their basic health needs are not met. Take the dog for regular check-ups at the vet and give him the required vaccinations as soon as possible. If your dog injures himself or becomes ill, get him medical care and proper treatment.
Strengthen your relationship with your dog
7- Know what your dog likes to do.
You can meet your dog’s needs more efficiently if you succeed in knowing the motives that move him, which will make him love you more, in addition to letting the dog do what he enjoys will raise his confidence and self-esteem.
For example, if your dog loves fetching or digging, play with him by throwing a ball around him every day or create an area that you agree to dig in (eg a dog sandbox).
8- Give the dog toys.
You should be accustomed to playing with the dog regularly. If you are tired of the usual game of fetch, buy fun new toys. Always choose an appropriate size toys. If the toys are very small or have small parts that can come off, they may choke the dog if they are swallowed. If the toys are too large, it will be difficult for the dog to play with them.
Check toys regularly for rips, loose parts, or kinks, as these can cause your dog to suffocate.
9- Show affection for your dog.
You don’t need to set aside a specific time to play or bond with each day. Instead, get in the habit of patting, stroking, or petting the areas of his body that he likes to touch gently throughout the day. Regular physical contact will let your dog know that you love and care for him.
In most cases, you will be able to notice whether or not your dog likes these small interactions. For example, if your dog is happy because you rubbed his ears, he will stick his tongue out or look at you affectionately.
Note: Dogs hate being patted on the face or head. You should also avoid hugging a dog in the same way as hugging a child, as this makes them feel uncomfortable.
10- More than taking the dog for a walk.
Dogs enjoy being able to stretch their legs, explore their environment, and generally be with you. Take your dog for walks two to three times a day to strengthen your bond with him and make the walk a great exercise. If your dog really enjoys walking, consider extending the walk or taking longer walks with him as a special treat. Give your dog the opportunity to move around and explore places while walking.
If your dog prefers playing in a dog park or jogging around, you can walk to the dog park and let him play instead of walking him yourself.
11- Allow the dog to approach you.
Dogs love to spend time near their owners, so take your dog as a companion wherever you go. Give your dog your attention throughout the day and let him follow you as you move. Having him around you will make him feel safe and satisfied.
If dogs don’t get enough attention or companionship, they may start feeling lonely and misbehaving.
12- Take your dog with you on trips.
Part of making your dog your companion means taking it with you when you travel. Take your dog to experience new places, people, or other dogs. Choose dog-friendly places such as: beaches, lakes, dog parks, woods, or dog shows. Your dog will love seeing new things with you.
Consider laying a sheet over your car seat to make it comfortable for your dog while keeping it clean.
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