Bonding with an English Cocker Spaniel requires teaching commands and basic training as a puppy. As you train with your puppy, you will develop a relationship with each other that bonds you. The way you show love and affection to your puppy will strengthen the bond. Puppies are impressionable and even the slightest amount of anger towards the puppy can affect how they respond to you. With a puppy, you need to be firm, but with a loving tone. Making the puppy afraid of you will not accomplish anything. Bonding with the puppy at an early age is easier than with an older dog.
Showing Your Approval
When training your puppy, you need to show your disapproval, but the more positive approval you show the puppy and less attention for bad behavior will help the bonding process. Dogs love to please; they are like little kids and always want to do things to receive positive rewards rather than negative reactions. The more you express your affections for positive behavior, puppies will learn this is a way to receive your attention. If you express anger because of bad behavior, they will learn that this is a way to have your attention and will keep doing it.
Different Ways To Bond
Taking your puppy for a walk is just one way to bond. They associate this with spending time together. They do not know this is good for them since they need exercise. Playing fetch is a great way to train and bond with a puppy. They are learning to bring the object back to you, but they think you are really playing with them to make them happy. Dogs of any breed are funny that way; any positive attention you give them will leave them feeling loved. Therefore, the bond is forming.
If you only show attention to your puppy when they are bad, they are going to form the wrong kind of bond. They will associate attention with doing something bad. Because they are getting attention when they are bad and no positive attention when they are good, you will confuse them. They are going to keep doing bad things to receive attention. You need to give attention and love where it is deserved.
Bonding With A New Older Dog
If you bring home an English Cocker Spaniel that is older, you will need to establish a bond from day one. The unfortunate problem is you have no idea about their life before they came to you. Start out slow, taking them for walks and playing a few games. Rewards for doing something good will help them trust you. Raising your voice may scare them and cause a setback. The old saying "You cannot teach an old dog new tricks" is unfounded. Even an older dog can learn to be loved, and bonding can occur with some patience and positive reinforcements. You just need the understanding and time to get used to each other so the bonding can begin and strive as you learn to trust each other.
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