The dog, it's commonly said, is a human's best friend. There's a remarkable capacity for both to form deep connections with one another. But for our four-legged friends, it's not just about an emotional exchange - it's about a more profound level of communication. Read on to discover how you can build and strengthen your bond with your dog.
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Some bonds between humans and dogs are so strong that you can see and feel them.
When sentient beings like humans and dogs come together, something special can develop. This something happens on a subtle, emotional level.
It’s about being seen for your wants and needs. Ideally, this relationship fosters deep trust and understanding.
Dogs, animals that crave hierarchy, seek leadership and safety. They yearn to be guided, to behave correctly, and to be loved and recognised for it.
When a dog feels its loyalty is acknowledged, it becomes the most devoted ally imaginable. Some might call this unconditional love – something that deeply benefits humans too.
The bond between dog and owner is critical for the canine’s development. A well-bonded dog usually knows when it has not acted according to the wishes of its owner. This awareness is crucial for learning new behaviours.
At the level of connection, dogs want to learn to please. Forcing behaviours from the outside, or punishing through hitting or shouting, doesn’t aid the dog. Such actions only damage and weaken its relationship and connection with you.
The connection is what grants you special access to your dog. Without a bond, the dog is less likely to participate in the learning process. They might comply with demands, but only out of fear of punishment or the prospect of a treat used incorrectly. Good dog training is founded on bonding.
Trust Over Fear Employ positive reinforcement when teaching your dog. It’s the quickest way to your goal and simultaneously strengthens your connection.
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Connection is subtle and elusive by nature. It’s not as if poorly bonded dogs won’t follow commands or become unmanageable. No, they mostly function, but something crucial is missing.
One best understands the potential of a strong bond when experiencing it firsthand. The difference is astonishing, especially for you:
So, it comes down to the emotional level, where deep, unifying trust takes hold.
Successful recall indicates a good bond. If it hesitates or passes you by, that’s a sign of a lacking bond. Your dog may not feel entirely secure with you or may have had negative experiences.
Dogs naturally tend to flee in fearful situations, signalling their need for safety. If in fear, it runs straight to you and takes refuge between your legs, that’s a sure sign of a strong bond.
The dog has complete trust in you, placing itself in your hands and showing that you can provide the necessary safety. In your relationship history, you’ve repeatedly proven yourself to be a pack leader who keeps promises, is strong, and allows the dog to be vulnerable. You maintain control for the benefit of your pet.
Tip: Support your dog in a frightening situation by using your body as a shield. Being protected provides them with the safety and trust needed to cope well with their fear.
The foundation of a connection is time spent together with intent to genuinely understand the dog’s nature. Dogs perceive this and respond with closeness.
Good to Know: Bonding naturally develops if you interact with your dog in a species-appropriate manner and engage with it.
Building a bond through play.
Playing and sharing adventures are certainly the most effective ways to connect with your dog. Ideally, you’ll get down to your dog’s level. Sit on the floor to interact with it.
You learn during play what it enjoys and what it doesn’t, where it excels, and what its limits are. These areas can be specifically improved through training to create shared achievements.
Strengthening the bond through physical contact.
Many dogs value physical contact, while some do not. You need to learn about your pet. If the dog wants to cuddle, allow it. Rejection, particularly early in the relationship, can create deep rifts.
Should your dog be quite distant, it may have had poor experiences in the past. Rescued dogs, for instance, may initially appear wary. Give your dog the chance to open up at its own pace. Generally, all dogs appreciate some level of physical contact.
Building a better bond through patience.
Patience is a virtue, especially in dealing with dogs. They aim to please and to do things right, making their owner proud. If they err, it’s usually due to misunderstanding or because they haven’t been taught.
Invest time and approach shared everyday activities and successive lessons with calmness and patience, repeating them in different ways if immediate success is not achieved. Your dog will reward your patience with affection, and the trust between you will flourish.
When your dog does something new well, a treat can affirm its action. Food is used as a reinforcer within existing bonds.
Never use food as a form of bribery or manipulation. Don’t try to coax your dog with treats into doing something it currently does not want or cannot do.
This puts the dog in conflict: it wants the treat but dislikes the lesson. The desire for food will win, leading to inner turmoil, which is antithetical to a good bond.
Similarly, you should never use the denial of food as punishment. Your responsibility to feed is fundamental; and the dog knows it. Manipulating with food would fundamentally and sustainably shake its trust in you.
Your position as pack leader could be questioned, and your relationship might suffer serious damage.
Important: There are boundaries that mustn’t be crossed. Withholding food as a disciplinary measure is one of them.
In dog schools, not only is basic behaviour trained, but good trainers also help you discover and develop your bond.
Once you’ve formed the early stages of a connection with guidance, you can continue working on it independently. Trainers provide you with the tools needed to grow closer to your dog as an owner.
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Having a connection means acting in the dog’s best interests. As an owner, your duty is to train your dog, but the basis for this is not coercion; it’s motivation.
Dogs with a deep bond can far better realize their potential. They learn quicker, achieve more, and exhibit fewer behavioural issues.
Bonding isn’t just about emotional sentimentality; it’s the key to a true partnership where both dog and human can exceed their own limits.
At the Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen I was extensively trained as a veterinarian and was able to gain experience in various fields such as small animal, large animal and exotic animal medicine as well as pharmacology, pathology and food hygiene. Since then, I have been working not only as a veterinary author, but also on my scientifically driven dissertation. My goal is to better protect animals from pathogenic bacterial organisms in the future. Besides my veterinary knowledge, I also share my own experiences as a happy dog owner and can thus understand and enlighten fears and problems as well as other important questions about animal health.
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