If you're wondering how to bond with your dog after bringing them home to your family, these five tips will have everyone feeling comfortable and making memories in no time!
This February will be three years since we adopted our dog Chester. He has honestly been one of the best additions to our family. While I originally was pretty skeptical about the situation from the beginning, adopting him was one of the best things we've ever done, and I can't imagine our family without him.
Bonding with your pet is so important, and something that I make time for everyday whether it's cuddling on the couch, playing fetch, or playing with a toy, I find that this time is not only good for my own soul, but for our dog's emotional wellbeing too.
How to Bond with Your Dog in 5 Easy Steps:
1) Watching The Pack Amazon Prime Video:
We're so excited to watch The Amazon Original Series, The Pack, that premiers November 20th on Amazon Prime Video. Chester loves snuggling on the couch while we watch a show, and I love everything that The Pack has to offer. It's about 12 teams made of humans and their dogs who go on epic transcontinental journey. There is $750,000 up for grabs, and the winner is decided based off which team wins various challenges throughout the show, that look to identify which team has the strongest bond between pet and owner.
The Pack Prime Video Launches Novemeber 20th and I'm looking forward to some winter snuggles on the couch with our own little pup anxiously waiting to see who the winning team is going to be!
2) Training Your Dog:
This might sound so strange, but training our dog has helped us bond so much more. Chester was mostly house broken when we adopted him, but he didn't know any "tricks" like sit, stay, roll over, etc... During this time at home Derek started training him and it's so fun to not only go through that process to teach your dog something, but it's also so fun so see them do their tricks after the fact and give them treats and belly rubs for a reward.
3) Sleeping with Your Dog:
I always joke with the kids and tell them that Chester is my dog, but part of me actually means it. Chester always sleeps by my side every night and it's one of my favorite things. During the day he'll often come find me to sit next to me while I work as well (just like he is right now as I'm typing this). I love this time because honestly there is nothing better than having a furry friend cuddle you, and it's something I look forward to most evenings.
4) Relying on Your Pet for Emotional Support:
Some people might be dubious to the idea of an emotional support animal, but it's totally a real thing. After we adopted Chester in 2018 I went through some of the hardest times in my life. I had a lot of things going on with my dad, I was finishing my undergrad, growing my business, working part-time, and I had a lot of responsibility at church that I probably wasn't handling too gracefully. There were seriously days where I would just sit on the couch and cry while holding my dog, which I recognize sounds beyond pitiful, but it was also probably one of the most therapeutic experiences in my life. I'm actually convinced that's one of the things that solidified the love between Chester and I.
5) Playing with Your Dog:
The kids, Derek and I, all love playing with Chester outside in the evenings after dinner. We did this more when it didn't get dark so early, but it's one of our favorite things to do as a family. The kids will take turns throwing him his toys and playing catch or giving him a treat. Chester also loves chasing after the ball while Kyle and I play soccer. It's kind of like the puppy version of, "Monkey in the Middle".
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