Building a strong bond with your puppy is vital if you want to be able to enjoy spending time together and having a dog in your home—which you’ll have for many years. It’s well worth putting in the hard work now to ensure you have a fantastic bond so you can enjoy the love, companionship, and joy that a dog can bring.
However, it’s not always easy to know exactly how to make this happen. With this in mind, keep reading for some useful tips on how to build a strong bond with your puppy.
Choose the right puppy
Having a strong bond with your puppy starts at the very beginning, meaning it starts before you even bring them home, which is why it’s essential to pick the right puppy, or the right breed of dog, from the very start.
What you should look for is a puppy that’s going to match your lifestyle and preferences, so you’ll need to think about size, energy levels, grooming needs, temperament, and so on. If you’re at home a lot (or all the time), you might choose a different dog than if you need to leave them with dogsitters some of the time or perhaps on their own, for example. If you have small children in the house, you might not pick the same puppy as you would if it’s just adults. You’ll need to take a lot into consideration so that you choose the right puppy, and the right puppy makes bonding a lot easier.
Socialize
Proper socialization is crucial if you want your puppy to grow up to be a well-adjusted and confident dog, so it’s wise to start this part of their training as soon as possible. It’s really as simple as introducing your puppy to all kinds of different people, animals, and environments right away, as it helps them adapt better to different situations, and they’ll learn that there’s nothing to be afraid of because they’ll have trust in you (so your bond is stronger).
One thing to bear in mind is that if you’re taking your puppy to lots of different places so they can experience new things, animals, and people, you’ll need to consider puppy insurance plans. It’s unlikely that anything will go wrong, but there’s always the chance of injury or sickness, and having insurance means that you won’t have to worry if your dog needs some medical assistance.
Be patient and consistent
Patience is a big part of properly bonding with your puppy because your new dog is going to need some time to adjust to its new surroundings, especially if it has just left its mother for the first time.
Try to establish a daily routine so your dog starts to feel more comfortable. Make sure you have mealtimes at the same time each day, for example, and add some playtime, training, and rest times into the mix as well. Consistency with this routine will help make your puppy feel safe and secure, and in that way, the trust and bond will grow.