FEELINGS

We have all heard and read enough to know how a pet and mostly a dog can physiologically and pscyochologically be beneficial for our sound health and happiness. As a behaviourist I have always wondered as to what our dogs are thinking and how do they perceive the human care giving.

People get dogs for different reasons, some would bring dogs for guarding their properties, some are a specific breed enthusiast who would for many years in a go keep a particular breed purely because they love that particular breed  beyond words can explain. People do get dogs because they want their child to grow with a dog, feel and act more responsible, be more selfless and compassionate or many a times a child is so keen to get a dog home that parents oblige. Nuclear families with one child or no children. As a service dog for a specially abled adult or child. Whatever their reason be, it all boils down to:

HOW YOUR DOG MAKES YOU FEEL!!
What are feelings? Our brains are like steam boilers or engines. It is under huge amounts of pressure and it loves to keep itself in that state. From time to time we need to let go of that steam and remind our brain to rest or to calm down else it will continue thinking and making us insane. This is where emotions come into picture. This is where the heart tells the brain to back off and takes over.

We all are aware of our basic feeling when we are close to our dogs. We feel elevated, we feel good when they wait eagerly everyday for us to get home putting long hours at work?!? We asked for this feeling of warmth and care because we needed this, RIGHT?

 
Now let’s see from the dogs point of view. Yes, i do Companion training, but if you ask me as a pet parent, “How do i manage to have my dogs wanting to be around me everywhere”, i will simply say to you, “BECAUSE THEY WANT TO” My dog feels good being around me, i make them feel good, safe and wanted around me. If we see caring for them as a daily chore and an added task at hand then you are bound to have a dog that will find everything outside your home exciting and a reason to be away from you.

How do you make your dog feel good about being in your company? Simple and very logical. Do activities which your dog really perceives as FUN. Bond on those activities and build a relationship with your dog! 
No amount of training is a substitute or a fool proof solution to connecting with your k9 companion!!