Adopting a puppy brings a whole new dimension of fun—and responsibility—to the lives of pet parents. Puppies are snuggly little bundles of fur that provide endless entertainment, ranging from clumsy playing to sleeping like angels on your lap.
The first few weeks after adopting a puppy are essential for training and teaching, but they are also imperative for forming a bond with your dog. Building a relationship of trust and communication is essential to your puppy’s long-term happiness.
Why Bonding with a Puppy Is Important
Developing and nurturing a bond with a puppy is necessary to help your puppy acclimate to his new surroundings and feel comfortable in your home and by your side.
“Creating a bond with your puppy will lower your puppy's fear and reduce reactivity,” says Russell Hartstein, a certified dog behaviorist and trainer based in Los Angeles. “A puppy's emotional, physiological and mental resilience will also dramatically improve with a strengthened bond.”
Dr. Danel Grimmett, veterinarian and partner at Sunset Veterinary Clinic in Edmond, Oklahoma says that bonding helps make a puppy feel at home in an unfamiliar place.
“You are their new family. They will be unsure and afraid,” she says. “Bonding and building trust will help them adjust to their new home and allow you to carve out a comfortable place for them.”
When Should Bonding Take Place?
Puppies go through different phases of growth, development and socialization within the first year of their lives. Forming a relationship during the first 3 to 12 weeks is an ideal time to build a bond with your new puppy.
“This is a biologically determined growth phase (emotionally, mentally and physically) that will lay the foundation of your puppy's temperament and personality for the rest of their lives,” says Hartstein.
If you adopt a puppy later in his development, don’t fret—you didn’t miss the window of opportunity for bonding.
“No matter what the age, the new owner needs to actively work on forming a tight bond with their new pet,” says Grimmett. “Pets, just as humans, will form an opinion of their new owners fairly soon after meeting them.”
Some puppies will attach themselves to one person in the household, but others may bond with all family members. “This variation supports the idea that the emotions of pets are just as complicated as their human counterparts,” says Grimmett.
Even if a puppy is initially showing favoritism to one family member, all individuals in the household should be involved in the bonding process, says Hartstein. This helps expose puppies to a variety of people and situations at an early age.
While puppies are all different, and the timelines for establishing a bond may vary, most puppies warm up to their new family members rather quickly.
“Sometimes it takes time but often a puppy will form a quick bond with their new owners,” says Grimmett. “That is one of the most wonderful parts of the dog’s psyche. They are pack animals and need companionship.”
Tips for Bonding with Your Puppy
If you’re wondering how to bond with your puppy, it all starts with training, playtime and creating positive interactions.
Try the following activities to help strengthen your bond:
Training - Training a puppy is necessary to keep your household in order and to help your puppy learn important behaviors and cues. Using positive-reinforcement training with treats and praise is an ideal way to establish a bond. “Puppies need to look to a parent for guidance and direction,” says Hartstein. “When we speak the same language and train with our puppy, we strengthen the bond and build the trust they have in us.”
Playtime - Puppies have tons of energy and they need regular playtime to help expend that energy. Instead of leaving your puppy on his own to play with a toy, choose puppy toys that are interactive so that you can play together. “The type of play is dependent on the dog,” says Grimmett. “Some dogs like playing fetch, others like gently tugging on toys.”
Hand feeding - While you should get your puppy used to eating and drinking out of his own food and water bowls, saving a little bit of food and hand feeding is a great opportunity to bond with your dog, says Hartstein. “This helps to get your puppy used to people and being fed by them,” he says.
Walking - Establishing a dog walking routine offers pet parents a prime opportunity to teach their dog and build trust. Starting to leash train and go for walks early is an opportunity to take time out of your day and focus on building a relationship with your puppy. “Use this time wisely to pay attention to your puppy and teach them at all times,” says Hartstein. “They are learning—whether we are teaching them or not. So, we must pay attention to what they are doing and not zone out.”
Being quiet together - Sometimes, says Grimmett, bonding happens in peaceful moments, when you get to just rest and enjoy quiet time with your puppy. She suggests reading a book to your dog or just petting your pup in silence as a way to interact and be close.
Grooming - Any one-on-one time that you can devote to your puppy will help to grow the bond you share. At-home grooming and brushing is an easy way to focus in on the needs of your puppy and enjoy a little bit of downtime together. Brushing and handling your dog is an important part of bonding, says Hartstein.
Continuing to Bond as Puppies Grow
Bonding with your dog isn’t something that stops when puppies grow into adult dogs, and pet parents should take the time and continue regular bonding activities with their four-legged family members.
Dogs enjoy spending time with us, says Grimmet, and bonding happens through repetition and consistency. “Both parties will build trust in time through bonding,” says Grimmet. “Dogs often just want to be near us.”