Building a great relationship with your pet is important since you will be sharing the same space for many years to come. This is especially if you have children who may be harmed if your pet becomes distressed. To turn your pet into a furry friend, here are some of the top ways that you can form a long-lasting connection with your new family member.
Start Training Them Young
One of the best ways that you can build a great relationship with your pet is to train them from a young age. Not only will this enable you to spend some quality bonding time together, it can also help your pet start listening to your instructions. This can make living with your pet much easier. Training your pet can help to eradicate any difficult behavioral issues or character traits before they become too much of a problem. To train your pet, you could attend classes or hire a trainer to help you to teach them in the right way. If you want to find a way to train them from home, you should consider the benefits of training videos, such as the instructional horse training videos that are offered by Down Under Horsemanship.
Set Boundaries
Although you might associate setting boundaries with children rather than animals, it is important that you are able to set boundaries with your pet. For instance, you may want them to stop jumping up at you, escaping from your home, or playing aggressively. To do this, you need to ensure that your rules are consistent, that your pet is able to follow commands, and that you are able to correct unwanted behaviors. You should also make sure that you reward them on a regular basis, such as giving them food treats, thus ensuring that they associate you with positive emotions. The way into your pet’s heart really is through their stomach.
Spend Time Together
The most important step that you can take toward building a better relationship is spending time together, even if this is as simple as spending time in a room that your pet frequents. One of the best ways to bond with your pet is to play with them, and you can do this by investing in toys that you can enjoy together, such as balls and soft toys for dogs and cats. If you own a dog, you should also make sure that you take them on frequent walks. This can help you to build affection for each other and help you to get to know your pup, while also embedding healthy habits.
Listen to Your Pet
Although you should take the lead when it comes to training, your pet should also take the lead at times when you are building a relationship — you should always be reactive to your animal’s response. For instance, if they flinch away from you or run away, you should wait until they come to you before giving them attention. Allowing them to take their time to get to know you is a great way to build up trust between you.
