How to Bond with your Puppy

This post, How to Bond with your Puppy is sponsored by Babbleboxx on behalf of Amazon Prime Video

The other day I had a realization. While I love our new puppy Addison, I have not fully bonded with her. I was talking to a friend who is going through a divorce about who is going to get their dog and she mentioned she did not think her husband had a very strong bond with their dog because he was still mourning the loss of their last one. And it hit me I think I have the same problem.

My last puppy, McKenzie, was like my first child. I got her as a graduation present for myself when she was only 8 weeks old. I will never forget when my roommate and I drove to Canton, Georgia to pick her up. She was so tiny and so nervous. She was salivating all over my shoulder. When I got her, I was working part time and studying for the GRE, so I was home all the time. Since she was less than 10 lbs, I took her everywhere with me. Yes, I was that girl with a white fluffy dog in a purse. She traveled all over the country with me and was my buddy. When she passed away, I was devastated. I did not want to come home because everything in my house reminded me of her and how she was gone.

At first, I focused on all the benefits of not having a dog. We no longer had to rush home, we could travel with ease. There was no chance of an accident. The thought of B growing up without a dog was sad for us, so we started our search for the perfect family dog. We had already been talking about getting a Goldendoodle when Mac was still alive, so we knew that was the breed we wanted. We also wanted to adopt but figured it would be difficult to find one since they are such a popular breed.

I was in a Facebook group for Goldens of South Florida on Sunday night and there she was. A scared looking puppy in a blurry photo. I quickly messaged the contact and I was shocked when she called me the next morning to say, if we wanted to meet her, we would have to agree to foster her for at least a week. We did, and the rest is history.

I am ready for my next project with Addy. I really want to create a better bond with her. So, I am going to follow B’s lead and do the following things to create a better bond with our puppy.

Exercise is Key

The first week Addy was home with us she was an angel. Like the perfect dog, we could not understand why the other family could possibly give her up. And then week two started and she was a crazy dog. I realized she needed lots of exercise. For the first couple of months, we needed three walks a day. We are down to one to two walks a day now. It is incredible how exercise can transform a dog’s behavior. Every time we take her for a walk she acts like it is the first time she has ever been. She is so excited. Over the summer, my schedule was so been busy, and the heat has been a good excuse to skip our normal morning walks. I am committed to getting back to walking together.

Learn How Your Dog Communicates

It is amazing if you take a step back and realize that your dog is trying to communicate with you, then barking can become less annoying. We are quickly learning that Addy generally barks at us in the morning and at night when she wants to go for a walk or when she needs food or water. I have signed up for a group training class to help me continue to learn about her and to teach her some new skills.

Get Inspired By Others

Want to get inspired by the bond others have with their dogs? Amazon Prime Video is premiering a new show, The Pack on Friday, November 20th. And they have hosting a 3 day event, Packed Weekend, featuring deals and experiences for you and your pup to enjoy together.

The Amazon Original series The Pack

The Pack, is a new global unscripted series that celebrates the unrivaled bond between dogs and their owners. It is hosted by Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn and her canine co-host Lucy. During the series you will watch twelve teams of dogs and their humans who are on an epic adventure across multiple continents. They are all competing for a life-changing $750,000 for the winner and their charity, $500,000 to the winners plus an additional $250,000 prize amount for the animal charity of their choice.

The Pack will also donated $250,000 during filming to multiple charities and animal rescue organizations in each country. Their goal is to pay it forward to dogs and those who love them around the world. The teams will have to depend on their understanding of one another’s strengths and weaknesses and prove to have the strongest bond in the pack. In each location, the teams will face fun and exciting challenges. .

Play Together

Addy loves to play chase. We call it her happy hour because she will do laps around the pool. It has helped us bond more as she sees how much fun we can all have together. Try to do something you dog loves. It could be playing catch, getting on the floor with them, or snuggling.

Go on Adventures

A simple car ride can be a great way to bond. During the school year, I often bring Addy for pick up. When I say, “Do you want to pick B up?” she sprints to the garage and jumps in the car. During quarantine we have missed having these little adventures together. We also have lots of restaurants and shops that are dog friendly now that things are opening up again.

Back to Basics

Dogs know who they can depend on for the basics like food and water. Commit to be the one in your house to feed your dog. And feed your dog a premium dog food. Make sure they also have lots of clean water.

Give it Time

Strong bonds do not happen overnight. Give it time and know that it will happen if you make the commitment to it.