Understand the Bond Between Dogs and Humans
Dogs have a long evolutionary history as companions and collaborators with humans. As research shows, dogs evolved from wolves around 15,000 years ago and were the first domesticated animals. Over time, dogs developed traits and behaviors that enabled them to work together with humans as hunting partners, guardians, herders, and helpers.
The bond between dogs and humans is built on trust, affection, and consistency. Dogs have an innate desire to please humans thanks to thousands of years of selective breeding emphasizing traits like sociability, obedience, and reading human cues. When humans fulfill a dog’s needs for exercise, mental stimulation and loving care, it strengthens the bond between pet and owner.
Understanding this deep evolutionary connection helps explain the warmth, loyalty and feeling of purpose dogs often demonstrate in relationships with humans. Respecting this history and your dog’s needs is key to becoming your dog’s favorite person.
Spend Time Together
Spending quality time with your dog is one of the best ways to become their favorite person. Take your dog on walks, hikes, and car rides to explore new sights, sounds, and smells together. According to an article on NIH.gov, pets can decrease stress levels and improve heart health for their owners (1). Another benefit is that dogs require exercise and outdoor time, so they motivate you to get active and enjoy some fresh air too.
Make time for play sessions with games like fetch, tug of war, or hide and seek to mentally and physically stimulate your pup. An article on AgeBold.com explains that playtime releases endorphins, which can boost your mood as well (2). Grooming and petting sessions are also excellent bonding opportunities. Sensitive touch releases oxytocin in both dogs and humans, promoting affection and trust.
Simply being present with your dog and giving them focused attention helps build your connection. Take them to work, involve them in hobbies, or make them your movie watching buddy. Spending quality time together every day strengthens your friendship.
Sources:
(1) https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets
(2) https://agebold.com/blog/5-health-benefits-of-spending-time-with-pets/
Train Your Dog
One of the best ways to become your dog’s favorite person is to train them using positive reinforcement techniques. Positive reinforcement rewards your dog with treats, praise, or play when they demonstrate the behavior you want. This helps reinforce the association between the behavior and the reward.
Focus on teaching your dog basic commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “come” using positive reinforcement. Have tasty treats ready and give your dog immediate praise and a reward when they follow your command. Be patient and consistent with the training. Over time, your dog will be eager to obey commands in order to earn the reward.
You can also use positive reinforcement to teach good manners and socialization skills. For example, if your dog remains calm when a stranger approaches, reward that calm behavior. Or if your dog walks nicely on a leash without pulling, give praise and a treat. This positive training helps build the human-canine bond.
According to research from the Humane Society, positive reinforcement training works because dogs care about praise, food, and toys. It taps into your dog’s innate desires to strengthen the behaviors you want. With regular, patient training, your dog will associate you with fun rewards and seeing their favorite person.
Feed Your Dog Nutritious Meals on a Schedule
One of the best ways to become your dog’s favorite person is to be the one that feeds them. Dogs love food, so the person that provides their meals will naturally have a special place in their hearts. It’s important to feed your dog a nutritious diet on a consistent schedule. According to the veterinarians at VCA Hospitals, “Dogs should eat at least two meals each day, about 12 hours apart.” Feeding at the same times each day allows your dog to anticipate mealtimes and helps avoid digestive issues from irregular meals.
Make your dog’s meals fun and rewarding. The Primal Pet Foods experts recommend “incorporating games or training into mealtime” as this strengthens the human-dog bond. Give your dog praise and affection while serving their food and even hand-feeding portion. This positive association with mealtime will get your dog excited to eat. Over time, your dog will recognize you as their nutritious meal provider and favorite person.
Give Your Dog Affection
Dogs thrive on affection from their favorite humans. Giving your dog daily affection is one of the best ways to become their favorite person. Here are some tips for showing your dog affection:
Pet, cuddle, and brush your dog every day. Dogs love being touched by their owners. Set aside time each day to sit with your dog and pet them, scratch their belly or chin, massage their ears, or brush their coat. Your dog will look forward to this special bonding time with you.[1]
Use a calm, loving tone of voice when interacting with your dog. How you say something can be just as important as what you say. Speaking to your dog gently and warmly will make them feel cared for.
Give praise and treat rewards frequently. Verbal praise like “good dog!” or “what a good boy!” lets your dog know when they’ve done something to please you. Giving treats when they follow a command or behave well also strengthens your bond.
Physical affection, a soothing voice, and positive reinforcement are some of the best ways to show your dog how much you care. Prioritizing these things every day will help make you your dog’s favorite person.
Be Consistent
Dogs thrive on consistency and predictability in their daily routines. Following a regular schedule for activities like feeding, walking, training, and playtime helps them understand what to expect each day. This provides comfort and reduces stress for dogs.
When it comes to training, it’s important to use the same verbal cues and hand signals every time you ask for a behavior. For example, say “sit” and use a hand motion to signal sit each time. Being consistent establishes a clear association for dogs between the cue and action.
Using different training techniques can confuse dogs and slow their learning. Sticking to the same methods and rewarding good behavior consistently is key. As the American Kennel Club notes, “Dogs do not generalize well, so training must be precise and consistent.”
Overall, a predictable routine and consistent training style helps dogs feel secure. They know what to expect and what’s expected of them. This leads to better behavior and a stronger bond.
Fulfill Your Dog’s Needs
It’s important to fulfill your dog’s basic needs to help them live a happy, healthy life. Two key needs are providing enough physical exercise and mental stimulation. According to A Home 4 Spot, regular exercise and playtime provides stimulation and prevents boredom, which can lead to undesirable behaviors.
Make sure to walk or play with your dog daily based on their age, breed, and energy level. Interactive toys such as treat balls and puzzles are great for mental stimulation when you can’t directly engage with them. Rotate different types of toys to keep it interesting and refreshing.
Lastly, dogs are den animals that need to feel safe and secure. Heads Up For Tails notes providing a comfortable bed, crate, or space just for your dog helps fulfill this basic need for security and comfort.
Respect Your Dog’s Signals
One of the most important ways to become your dog’s favorite person is to respect their body language and signals. Dogs have an intricate and nuanced body language that allows them to communicate their emotional state. It’s important for owners to become fluent in “reading” their dog’s body language in order to understand what they are trying to express.
According to the AKC, some clear signs of fear, anxiety or aggression in dogs include a stiff body, tense facial expressions, licking lips, yawning, growling, showing teeth, and pinning ears back (source). Other signals like turning away, hiding, or crouching down are signs your dog is uncomfortable with a situation.
As a dog owner, it’s important not to punish your dog for exhibiting warning signs like growling. Growling is your dog’s way of establishing boundaries and trying to communicate discomfort before resorting to biting. Punishing growling will only teach your dog not to warn before biting. Instead, respect the underlying emotion behind the growl by giving your dog space and working to make them more comfortable in the situation.
By tuning into your dog’s body language, you can better understand their needs and emotions. Meeting those needs and respecting when your dog is uncomfortable or anxious is key to building a strong bond and becoming their favorite person.
Be Patient
Bonding with a new dog takes time and consistent effort from the human. It’s important to have realistic expectations and not get frustrated if your new dog doesn’t immediately see you as their favorite person. Studies show that on average, it takes about 3 months for a dog to fully acclimate and bond with a new owner and home environment (https://www.thefarmersdog.com/digest/how-to-bond-with-your-dog/).
When bonding with your dog, it’s essential to use only positive reinforcement methods, not punishment. Punishment can actually damage the bonding process and lead to fear or mistrust. Consistency is also key – set up a routine with regular feeding times, walks, training sessions, and affection so your dog learns to rely on you. Be patient if progress seems slow and avoid getting frustrated. With time and persistence, you can build an unbreakable bond.
Understand Your Dog’s Personality
A dog’s personality is influenced by both its breed characteristics and individual temperament. While breeds often exhibit common traits, each dog has a unique personality. Taking the time to understand your dog’s motivations, likes, and dislikes is key to strengthening your bond.
Certain breeds tend to display predictable traits – Labradors are friendly, Border Collies are intelligent and energetic. However, individuals within a breed can vary dramatically. One Lab might be excitable and playful, another mellow and gentle.
Pay attention to what motivates your dog. Some respond strongly to food rewards, others crave toys and play. Many dogs love praise and affection. Discover the most effective motivators to engage your dog during training and in day-to-day life.
Get to know your dog’s unique personality quirks – the toys or activities they love, foods they go crazy for, and things that make them anxious or upset. Cater to their preferences as much as possible to help them feel comfortable and content. The more effort you put into understanding your dog as an individual, the deeper your bond will become.
For more on understanding dog personality types and temperaments see: Bella and Duke article, FL K9 article, and Yours Droolly article.
