5 Tips to bond with your dog

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx on behalf of Amazon Prime Video

We love dogs, we love them so much that right now we have 3 rescue dogs and if I could we would have a few more, but our house is not big enough. One of the things you learn after rescuing a dog is that they all have different personalities and require a lot of attention and love.

Bonding with your dog is not difficult but you need to be able to dedicate some quality time and be consistent. Bonding with your dog will allow you not only to spend time with them, but also facilitates training and off course makes the dog's life better. Here are 5 tips that have worked with us.

1. Create a playful environment

Dogs need to play and stay active. Even in a small house/apartment, you can find ways to play with your dog. If you want to play ball you might need to find a doggy park, that way you can let the dog off the leash. Make sure the space is safe for the dog and find what they enjoy playing with. My three dogs are very different. One loves playing with balls, the other one loves fetching and the other one loves running after me. Find their favorite thing to have fun with, and make play time their time.

2. Use positive training

Instead of punishment, try things that are positive to train and bond with your dog. Try verbal cues, hand signals, treats, clickers, toys, and even games to help modify behavior and correct bad habits. We use a clicker and treats to train our dogs. Consider taking a class with your dog to learn how to encourage a "good dog" behavior with positive reinforcement. 

3 Praise good work

Whenever you want to praise your dog, make sure you use a happy voice tone and tell them they are a good boy/girl. You do not need to use food to praise your dog. You have to praise them more when they are doing the right thing and avoid saying the no word so much. Praise with petting your dog, playing with them, and making eye contact. Toys are also a great way to praise good behavior.

4. ​Spend time together

I work full time outside the home, however when I get home I make sure I spend quality time with my dogs. You do not have to be with your dog 24/7 but you need to be present when you are spending time with them. Put that phone away and throw that ball. Take them for a walk or maybe just sit next to them while they are eating. They just need to know they are important to you.

5. Be consistent

This is probably the best advice someone gave me when I got my first dog. Dogs need to know what to expect and they need to know there is going to be a routine to keep them calm and safe. Put rules in place and follow those rules. If you are not going to allow your dog on the couch, make sure you never let him/her come to the couch. If you allow something once, you might need to allow it again. 

Watch The Pack on Amazon Prime Video, November 20th!

I just heard about this new show that will be premiering this week on Amazon Prime: The Pack. Imagine The Amazing Race but with dogs. There will be 12 teams that will put their human-animal relationships to the test as they face fun and exciting challenges in each location around the world, proving who is really the leader of the pack. And animal lovers can rejoice, because every challenge was designed by a team that included accredited veterinarians and certified dog experts that was with each group during filming, making sure that it was a positive experience for all the dogs involved.

About The Pack on Amazon Prime Video

​The Pack, is a new global unscripted series that celebrates the unrivaled bond between dogs and their human companions. Hosted by Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn and her canine co-host Lucy, the series features twelve teams of dogs and their humans on an epic adventure across multiple continents. The Amazon Original series The Pack will premiere on November 20th, on Amazon Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. At stake is a life-changing $750,000 for the winning duo and their charity, $500,000 to the winners plus an additional $250,000 prize amount for the animal charity of their choice.

​Additionally, The Pack donated $250,000 during filming to multiple charities and animal rescue organizations in each country, helping to pay it forward to dogs and those who love them around the world. To win the monetary prize for themselves and their charity, the teams will have to depend on their understanding of one another’s strengths and weaknesses and prove to have the strongest bond in the pack. In each locale, the human and dog duos will face fun and exciting challenges, designed in concert with a team of accredited veterinarians and certified dog experts that also accompany the group on their exciting journey, making sure it is a positive experience for everyone.  

Learn more and watch The Pack Prime Video