Our furry friends at home are the best at giving love, but we might not be able to reciprocate in the same manner. Due to our jam-packed schedules, we often undermine our dogs unintentionally.
Neglecting dogs can be detrimental as it negatively impacts the overall physical and mental health of these loving creatures. All you need to do is make subtle changes in your everyday life to ensure you do not neglect your dog.
Tips to Show Affection to Your Dog:
There are some easy ways for you to keep a check on your dogs and prevent yourself from neglecting them. You can use the following steps to show affection to your dogs in the simplest ways possible:
1. Allot Time for Walks
Dog walking is one of the most common activities associated with dogs but due to our fast-paced lives, sometimes it doesn’t seem easy to spare some time for it. However, this is not as hard as we think it is.
These walks don’t necessarily have to be very long or at a particular.
It is more than enough for you to take your dog out for a twenty-minute walk during your day or even at night. Simultaneously, you don’t need to be too particular about the location of these walks. Some days you can just walk around the block, and on other days you can take your pup out in the dog park for a special walk.
2. Make Room to Train Them
Training your dogs is essential for their well-being but is also considered a form of affection. Spending time with your dogs during training makes them feel loved due to the special attention being given to them.
This is also an amazing way for you to make it easier for them to adjust in your home, but there are certain things that you must keep in mind while training your dog. For example, you have to make sure not to get too harsh with your pups while training them because this can be a frustrating task.
Alongside this, all dog breeds have different requirements, so you have to train them accordingly; for example, a Long Haired Dalmatian needs to be trained according to its personality traits. You can find out details about your dog from their breeder as well to help you plan out the training process.
Cuddle Time is a Must
Physical touch is the main mechanism for dogs to show their love to their owners. This is why, whenever they get a chance, they will cuddle up with you, or sit close to you regardless of where you are sitting. You do not need to make any special arrangements for this affection and you should never force your dog to cuddle you.
All you must do is pay a little extra attention to your dogs and let them cuddle with you in whatever way is comfortable for them. Whether that’s lying by your feet, or cuddling up next to you. This includes the times that you are lying around, watching television, or even when you are sleeping. Dogs are the best cuddling partners, which will be as enjoyable for you as it is for your dog.
Make Arrangements When You Leave
Not working is an option that most of us do not have, so it is natural that there will be a time when your dog will be home alone. You can make some arrangements for your pups to make sure they are all right in your absence.
Keep their trays filled to make sure they are fed and hydrated. There are also several toys you can leave behind to keep the dogs entertained and happy. Making these arrangements also helps reduce the separation anxiety dogs have when their owners leave the house.
Give Them Special Attention
Dogs are some of the most perceptive animals, and they can immediately sense the mood of their owners, be they happy or sad. They alter their behavior in line with the mood of their owners and act accordingly.
This is why giving them special attention goes a long way because they know exactly when you are showing special affection towards them. For this, all you need to do is take out just five minutes of your time to sit with your dogs and pet them.
This can get even better if you maintain eye contact with your dogs and talk to them directly because you will see that they will get chirpier and more excited while you pet them. Just performing this little act can make your dog feel loved.
Treat Your Pups
Make it a habit to treat your dogs once in a while. You can do this according to your liking and your dog’s habits. When you train your dog, you can feed him a treat whenever he performs the activities correctly. Or you can even feed them treats while playing with them.
Some dogs are more accustomed to having schedules, so you can assign one time of the day to give them a small treat every day. This can be when you leave for work in the morning or return home at night.
There are also many different types of treats, some that you can feed your dogs every day and others that you can give to them once in a while. For instance, there are several gourmet dog treats that you can buy for your dogs on special occasions.
Let Them Hang Around
It can get frustrating when your dog is waddling around the house while you complete your work or even when you’re relaxing. However, you need to understand that dogs do this to spend some extra time with you.
Most of us spend most of the day outside our homes, so it is very natural for your dogs not to leave your side once you get back. Allowing your dogs to hang out with you at home is one of the easiest ways for you to show them affection.
All you need to do is not get irritated and let them do their thing while you spend your time at home. Plus, pet dogs usually know what not to do when their owners are around, so they don’t cause much trouble.
How Do You Show Your Dog Affection?
All in all, these simple steps can help you show affection to your dog regardless of how busy your schedule is. You can just incorporate these methods into your everyday life and easily avoid neglecting your dog. How do you share affection with your dog? Let us know in the comments below.
It might be commonly believed that pets can do without the special attention of their owners but this is entirely false. Your dogs need to be treated with love and affection to maintain their good health which is why it is imperative that you make an effort in improving your habits to provide them with the care that they need.
