How to Make Your Dog Love You

Take him out more often

Dogs are one of the most active domesticated animals in the world. His mood will be low if you keep him locked inside with no room to run, play and enjoy nature. His favorite moment of the day is when you take him out for a walk. You might have noticed the happiness in his eyes as he’s jumping and wagging his tail when you arrive home. Whether you live in a flat or in a house, if you make an extra effort to take him out more often, you will see an improvement in his mood and sleeping pattern. He will arrive home with his energy spent, his social and potty needs fulfilled and ready for a new day of being a dog. If you fear that he will get in a fight with or catch fleas from other dogs, use a flea collar and a leash to keep fleas and aggressive dogs at a distance.

Tamed dogs are happier

Dogs need to be mentally stimulated to be happy and taming is a great way to do that. Taming works for dogs of all shapes and sizes, but the ones that really need it are the big breeds. Bigger breeds can be dangerous to other people, so knowing how to respond to “Stop!” is necessary. Dogs with a higher than average IQ can be taught more complex things, which is why they are used by the authorities and rescue teams. Try teaching your dog a new trick once a week. You can start with simple commands like “Sit!” or “Fetch!”. Your bond with him will get stronger and he will be happier and more loyal.

Reward him when he does something good

Professional dog trainers know that the best method to encourage an animal to behave in a certain way is to give him a small reward each time he behaves accordingly, properly executes a trick that you taught him, or correctly listens to your commands.  Thus, your four-legged friend will learn to associate that action with receiving a reward. Choose some tasty snacks that are rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, and take great care when you give him food that isn’t destined for dogs. Some substances, such as theobromine which is found in chocolate, can be toxic for dogs and could even cause death.

Allow him to sleep with you from time to time

An animal that has become attached to you wants to spend all day around you, so he will suffer if you try to isolate him in a different room at night. On the other hand, if you don’t want it to become a habit, you can choose to let him sleep near you only from time to time.

Don’t ever be violent with him

As any other pet, dogs are sensitive creatures and they can easily get sad when being treated negatively. If you often punish him by screaming, or worse, hitting him, not only will you fail in training him to behave, he might also become sick because of the negative energy you give him. An anxious animal is a lot more predisposed to heart disease and other anxiety-related health issues. Of course, it’s OK to scold him from time to time when he’s done something wrong. Just do it in a non-abusive way.