One of the most exciting moments in a family's life is the acquisition of a new pet. It doesn't matter whether you've adopted a dog from a shelter or have a newly weaned puppy; a dog will bring you tons of joy and happiness. It is wise to keep in mind that while dogs love being with people, it can take them some time to form a bond with their new family. To make it a bit easier, here are some ways to speed up the bonding process.
Your dog cannot speak, but they can communicate in their own way. Look for clues from your dog as to whether they are scared or feeling stressed out. A dog that is cowering or has their tail tucked between their back legs is probably feeling afraid, but sometimes flattening their ears, pacing and destructiveness all can be signs of fear or distress. A dog in new surroundings can become scared easily, as they just don't know what to expect in this new environment. During the first days and weeks, use a very calm and soothing voice and give them opportunities to slowly warm up to you. Be sure to provide plenty of praise to your new friend. If you are patient and calm, you will find that your new dog probably will warm up to you fairly quickly.
In many ways, dogs are like children and they tend to feel content and secure when there is a set daily schedule. Creatures of routine, dogs memorize when it is time for a daily walk, when it's feeding time and when it is playtime. In the beginning, a simple schedule can increase your dog's level of comfort. While you probably cannot stick to a schedule 100 percent of the time, try to keep a schedule in place as much as possible. This also is a big help when it comes to housebreaking.
Dogs certainly can be destructive, but it is wrong to say that a dog that chews up items or scratches at the door or on furnishings is simply naughty. Dogs damage items typically because either they are worried, stressed or bored or simply don't know any better. Puppies often chew because they are teething and untrained. Providing a good amount of daily activity can curb this destructive behavior. If you have a breed with a lot of energy, be sure to provide as much exercise as possible with lots of walks and play time, although all breeds do need some exercise daily. These walks and moments of play also increase the bond between the two of you, which is another huge reason why you should play with your dog or walk them daily.
Surprisingly, obedience training offers a great opportunity for bonding. You might think your dog won't enjoy training, but for your dog, training means you are spending time together, and there is usually a lot of praise involved with training, which dogs adore. Your well-trained dog will be happy because he knows what type of behavior is expected and well-trained dogs rarely get scolded, so this alone makes it easier for you to forge that bond.
It is important to find a great training program that makes it easy for you to teach your dog basic skills. While it does take time to train and you definitely must be patient, a helpful set of dog training DVDs can take make it much easier for you to help your dog learn many important skills. The Dog's Way is a 12-lesson DVD program designed to help owners teach dogs all the basics, such as how to sit, stay, stay quiet, walk on a leash, understand boundaries and much more. After a few weeks of work with The Dog's Way, your pet not only will have a deeper bond with you, you will truly enjoy your time with this sweet, loyal and well-trained companion.
Your dog cannot speak, but they can communicate in their own way. Look for clues from your dog as to whether they are scared or feeling stressed out. A dog that is cowering or has their tail tucked between their back legs is probably feeling afraid, but sometimes flattening their ears, pacing and destructiveness all can be signs of fear or distress. A dog in new surroundings can become scared easily, as they just don't know what to expect in this new environment. During the first days and weeks, use a very calm and soothing voice and give them opportunities to slowly warm up to you. Be sure to provide plenty of praise to your new friend. If you are patient and calm, you will find that your new dog probably will warm up to you fairly quickly.
In many ways, dogs are like children and they tend to feel content and secure when there is a set daily schedule. Creatures of routine, dogs memorize when it is time for a daily walk, when it's feeding time and when it is playtime. In the beginning, a simple schedule can increase your dog's level of comfort. While you probably cannot stick to a schedule 100 percent of the time, try to keep a schedule in place as much as possible. This also is a big help when it comes to housebreaking.
Dogs certainly can be destructive, but it is wrong to say that a dog that chews up items or scratches at the door or on furnishings is simply naughty. Dogs damage items typically because either they are worried, stressed or bored or simply don't know any better. Puppies often chew because they are teething and untrained. Providing a good amount of daily activity can curb this destructive behavior. If you have a breed with a lot of energy, be sure to provide as much exercise as possible with lots of walks and play time, although all breeds do need some exercise daily. These walks and moments of play also increase the bond between the two of you, which is another huge reason why you should play with your dog or walk them daily.
Surprisingly, obedience training offers a great opportunity for bonding. You might think your dog won't enjoy training, but for your dog, training means you are spending time together, and there is usually a lot of praise involved with training, which dogs adore. Your well-trained dog will be happy because he knows what type of behavior is expected and well-trained dogs rarely get scolded, so this alone makes it easier for you to forge that bond.
It is important to find a great training program that makes it easy for you to teach your dog basic skills. While it does take time to train and you definitely must be patient, a helpful set of dog training DVDs can take make it much easier for you to help your dog learn many important skills. The Dog's Way is a 12-lesson DVD program designed to help owners teach dogs all the basics, such as how to sit, stay, stay quiet, walk on a leash, understand boundaries and much more. After a few weeks of work with The Dog's Way, your pet not only will have a deeper bond with you, you will truly enjoy your time with this sweet, loyal and well-trained companion.
About the Author:
Garrett McMahan enjoys watching dog show. For more information about how to train a dog on a leash, or to find dog training DVDs online, please go to the TheDogsWay.com website now.
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