🥰Cheat Sheet: How to Build a Better Bond with Your Dog?

🐶Welcome back pristine pawrent, Let’s go, with upping your dog parent smarts to protect their wellbeing & for sharing the best life together, with a special cheat sheet for building a better bond, heaps of great stay-at-home dog enrichment ideas & an important look at submissive behavior. Plus more…

Enjoy!

🧐FACT or FLUFF??

‘Dogs can sniff & breathe at the same time’

Dig down the page to find out…

THIS WEEK’S WOOF WISDOM

• 🥰Cheat Sheet: How to Build a Better Bond with Your Dog?

• 🎲Great Stay-At-Home Dog Enrichment Ideas.

• 🙇🏼‍♂️Submissive Dog Behavior - the Signs & How to React

• Happy Husky Redefines the “Roll”😀 

• 🧐More to Chew On…

😏OK..NOW WHAT? (your Q & A)
Cheat Sheet: How to Build a Better Bond with Your Dog?

Building a better bond with your dog is all about the little things that make them snuggle or wag their tail like crazy.💗 

Here’s your cheat sheet to a deeper connection with your pup.

1. Cherish Together Moments: Focus on meaningful play or walks that make your dog’s day.

2. Communicate Consistently: Stick to consistent commands so your dog doesn’t look at you with that “huh?” face.

3. Reward Good Behavior: Treats & praise for good behavior? It’s like giving them a gold star.

4. Train & Bond: Training isn’t just for obedience, it’s a fun way to bond & give their brain a workout, they love learning new things.

5. Pamper with Care: Turn grooming into a spa day. It’s bonding time with benefits.

6. Seek New Adventures: New smells, new sights, every outing is an adventure waiting to happen.

7. Challenge Their Mind: Puzzle toys or hide-&-seek are great for keeping their mind sharp & spirits high (read our great enrichment ideas article below for more) .

8. Decode Their Signals: Get fluent in body language & dog-speak by learning what their moves, wag or whimper means.

9. Establish a Routine: Routines are comforting for dogs, like knowing when dinner’s coming.

10. Provide Reassurance: Be there for your dog during stressful times to strengthen their trust in you.

11. Learn Their Likes: Pay attention to what your dog enjoys & tailor activities to their likes even if sometimes it’s not one of yours.

12. Prioritize Their Favorites: Whether it’s fetch or belly rubs, indulge them in what makes them happiest.

13. Snuggle Up Often: Snuggling up not only shows affection but also reinforces your bond.

14. Offer Gentle Touches: Regular petting can comfort & reassure your dog, enhancing your connection.

15. Enhance Meal Experiences: Add variety or special treats to their diet as a sign of care & love.

16. Engage in Playfulness: Engage in playful activities to keep your relationship fun & lively, it also strengthens it, just as it does in human relationships.

17. Stay Calm & Patient: Staying patient & composed helps maintain a positive atmosphere around your dog as they can feed off your emotions.

18. Know Their Preferences: Understanding what makes your dog happy or uncomfortable builds trust between you.

These simple tweaks can turn your everyday routine into a bonding bonanza, making life with your pup even more rewarding & full of wagging tails & happy barks (just not too many barks😏).

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🧠🌿WOOF WELLBEING
Great Stay-At-Home Dog Enrichment Ideas.

Stuck indoors & wondering how to keep your dog from bouncing off the walls? No worries, I’ve got some great ideas to keep your pup’s brain buzzing & tail wagging without needing to step out the front door.

Let’s dive into some fun enrichment activities you can try at home.

Mental Stimulation

• Puzzle Toys: These toys are like brain teasers for dogs, challenging them to think & work for their treats.

• Hide & Seek: Hide treats around the house & let your dog use their sniffer to find them, it's like a treasure hunt!

• Training Sessions: Brush up on old tricks or teach new ones, it’s a great way to bond & keep their mind sharp. Keep the sessions short.

Physical Exercise

• Indoor Fetch: Clear a safe space & toss a ball or toy to get your pup moving.

• Obstacle Courses: Use household items to set up a mini agility course for your pup to navigate.

• Tug-of-War: A simple ever-loved game that gives your pup a good workout & both of you some serious fun.

Sensory Enrichment

• Scent Work: Use different scents to create scent trails or games that engage your dog’s powerful nose.

• Interactive Toys: Toys that squeak, crinkle, or move can keep your dog entertained for hours. Always make sure their ‘toughness’ matches your pup’s chewing style.

• Sound Stimulation: Play calming music or nature sounds to soothe or stimulate your pup’s senses. Even give a nice massage at the same time.

There you have it! Give these a try, & let me know which ones your pup loves the most!💗 

🐾MORE HERE

🙇🏼‍♂️Submissive Dog Behavior - the Signs & How to React.

You may well have noticed your dog doing something that seems a bit like they’re trying to say, “I’m cool, no worries here!”? Dogs have their own way of showing submission, which is often just their way of keeping the peace.

Let’s explore some signs of submissive behavior & the best ways to respond.

Signs of Submissive Behavior

• Lowered Body Posture: Your pup might make themselves look smaller to signal they’re not a threat.

• Tucked Tail: This is a classic sign showing they’re feeling a bit unsure or submissive.

• Avoiding Eye Contact: They’ll look away to show they mean no harm.

• Licking Lips: A subtle way of saying, "I’m not here to cause trouble."

• Rolling Over: Showing their belly means they trust you & acknowledge your leadership (or they want a scratch 🥰).

• Flattened Ears: Ears pinned back can be a sign of submission or uncertainty.

• Submissive Urination: Sometimes nerves get the best of them, resulting in a little accident. If this happens be calm not angry.

• Whining: A vocal cue that they’re feeling submissive or anxious.

• Paw Lifting: Lifting a paw can be an appeasement gesture.

Why & How to React

Dogs display submissive behaviors as a way to communicate peace & avoid conflict.

When you notice these behaviors, it’s best to stay calm & reassuring. Avoid punishing them, as this can increase anxiety. Instead, reward calm behavior to build their confidence.

Understanding these signals helps strengthen your bond with your dog.

Recognizing their cues allows you to respond with love & assurance, making your pup feel safe & secure in your company. Give them lots of positive reinforcement, & watch them flourish .💗 

🐾MORE HERE

🤔PAWSE TO REMEMBER

Make or Buy a Dog First Aid Kit. Accidents & emergencies happen & being prepared with all the essentials to help your dog is a crucial part of being a responsible dog parent.

👃🏻QUICK SNIFFS
More to Chew On.

• 😒Whoops! How you might accidentally be training your dog to misbehave.

• 🍖Would you feed this to your pooch? Lab grown meat now in dog food.

• 🐝🐕‍🦺A question? Can bees & dogs detect cancer better than machines?

😮OH MY DOG
Happy Husky Redefines the “Roll”😀

Well, ballerina’s like Anna Pavlova, Marie Taglioni & Fanny Elssler were famous for improvising when they performed so why not an a adorable furry pooch?!

Marvel at Nikolia the Siberian Husky as he puts his own ‘spin’ on the dog roll…

Get’s our vote!🥰 (but not sure I could do that, probably put my neck out..🤔)

🐕TAP a TAIL TRIVIA

🧐FACT or FLUFF??...Answer.  FACT

Dogs can breathe in & out at the same time. A dog’s nose is designed so that when they sniff, air can move in & out at the same time. Human’s have to either breathe in or out only.

We are here to please🐶…

Thanks for being part of the pack 😀

Keep yourself & your pups, happy & safe & see you next time!

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