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Dogs are both social and sentimental animals. They receive the love of their masters and express theirs in their own language. They jump on you, wag their tails, and lick you.
Our dear 4-legged companions need to be spoiled from time to time. Indeed, taking good care of your dog keeps him in good shape and ensures his emotional balance.
The dog needs to spend time on fun activities, have adequate food, go for walks, take care of its coat, etc.
This unconditional love for our dog obeys the boomerang law. These animals reflect rays of love to us. They have their own ways of expressing their feelings and gratitude.
And as the German writer Fritz Von Unruh said: “The dog is the only being who loves you more than he loves himself.”
In this blog, we will see how you can spoil your dog.
How to Show Affection, a.k.a. Spoil Your Dog
Have you ever wondered how to tell if your dog loves you? It is normal to wonder if you have a dog, and when you learn to understand the canine language a little more, you will discover many details that allow you to recognize the demonstrations of affection from your dog friends.
However, we forget about another aspect: how they perceive our love, especially if they understand how much we adore them.
Know Your Dog Well to Spoil Your Dog Well
The first step to getting to know your 4-legged friend and showing affection to the dog is to observe their body language to understand what he likes, what makes him nervous, and what instead calms him.
Observe the positions he takes towards different stimuli or in various situations. You will find that the animal speaks with its whole body, even when it makes no sound.
If you get it as a puppy, you will see that it will maintain some behaviors while others will change with growth.
Knowing your dog's habits in depth will help you recognize any behavioral or physical changes that may be symptoms of certain diseases. These are signals to which it is advisable to pay attention to take him to the vet in time.
Education the Dog is a Show of Affection
Dog education is an important aspect of ensuring that your dog's daily life is rich and stimulating. Dogs are brilliant animals that have a lot of energy.
You channel this energy in order not to turn into stress and negativity.
Teaching him the basic training commands is the best way to stimulate the body and mind of your four-legged friend.
Besides, socialization is essential to teach him how to interact with people, fellows, other animals, games, and the environment he lives in.
One way to show affection to your dog is to educate him by dedicating 10-15 minutes a day to this task, starting with basic training. It is important to be consistent and repeat the exercises every day to make sure he has learned all the commands one by one.
Remember to use positive reinforcement to reward him when he does well and thus stimulate him cognitively.
Spend Time with the Dog
We know that our days are full of responsibilities and things to do, and we don't always spend enough time with our four-legged friends.
One of the best tips we can give you to show affection to your dog is to spend some of your free time with him.
During the week, try to find at least 30 to 40 minutes to walk the dog. You will see that physical activity and recreation will be good for both of you.
If you like to play sports or have a dynamic and active lifestyle, you can take advantage and practice some physical activity with your dog, for example, going for a run together.
Another way to spend time together at home is by having them play games with you or teach them some tricks other than basic commands, such as giving the paw or the 5.
On the weekend, however, take it with you if you go to the mountains. or have a picnic: it will be fun for him to change the air and do new activities!
Spoil Your Dog, But Wisely
Pampering your four-legged friend is the favorite way of many owners to show affection to the dog, but you have to do it carefully.
In fact, not all of our demonstrations are welcome or suitable for animals that, for example, hate being hugged.
Please don't overdo it when spoiling a dog because it risks feeling too protected, leading to a possessive attitude towards you.
Giving your dog affection does not mean allowing it to go all out or not paying attention to its upbringing.
Remember that being overprotective is not good and can negatively affect the health of your four-legged friends.
The dog must be free to express himself, but at the same time, he must learn to respect the rules of coexistence at home to avoid problems and domestic accidents.
Spoil Your Dog: Yes or No
It's not just children who are spoiled (sometimes even adults!) But you can spoil dogs, too. If your dog has excessive demands and behavior that does not respect the rules, the cause is in the owners' numerous concessions.
Let's find out together how to behave and what mistakes to avoid with a spoiled dog.
Over time, the dog becomes a real member of the family, like a son, a child who will never grow up. Often, even considering that we will have them by our side only for a short stretch of our lives, we tend to spoil them.
But is it okay to spoil the dog? There is certainly no univocal answer, and as always in these cases, the rule now is to be found in moderation.
There are several nuances between spoiling the dog and having an attitude too rigid towards him; the key is to find the right balance point.
Certainly, we must avoid your dog becoming excessively spoiled: always satisfying his every request. He will tend to identify himself with the pack leader and identify his subordinates in you.
Over time, even with the slightest delay in complying with his requests, the dog can show signs of aggression.
10 Healthy Ways to Spoil Your Dog, As It Should!
You adore your pet, and you think that what comes from the heart cannot hurt him. For his training, or show him your affection, giving him a treat now and then is a good habit in itself.
By applying these few tips, you will offer healthy rewards to your pet while making him happy!
Be Reasonable
Don't give your pet too many treats. Remember that a small reward is as appreciated as a large cookie. Limit the number of treats to less than 10% of your pet's daily food intake.
If your pet is overweight, the treats should be left out or given in smaller quantities. For the 10% rule, for example, if he consumes 250 ml (1 cup) of food daily, he should be given less than 25 ml (just under 2 tablespoons) of treats during the day.
Treat it Naturally
Dehydrated foods are great treats for all stages of your furry friend's life. The most popular, the liver, is subjected to cold dehydration without cooking, which allows it to retain all its aromas and exquisite taste.
This manufacturing method requires no preservatives and provides some dietary supplements rich in protein, iron, and vitamins while being low in fat and carbohydrates. It will be a delight for our four-legged friends.
Combine Business with Pleasure
In addition to providing pleasure, treats can also help improve your pet's health. Several treats are formulated to aid in the care of teeth, joints, or skin and coat.
Avoid Table Food
Food for human consumption has a different nutritional value than that of animals. It can be harmful to your pet because some foods are toxic, in addition to causing him to be overweight.
This bad habit also leads to the appearance of unpleasant behaviors such as begging. Instead, offer him a treat designed especially for him.
Let him take you for a walk!
Raise the leash, and instead of following the same path, you are used to following your dog's leash and letting him take you wherever he can.
Let them take all their sniffles. Just be careful when they want to run after that squirrel!
Give your dog a Belly Rub coupon for free!
Dogs are horrible to remember where they put their coupons – just like me when I finally make my way to Bed Bath & Beyond. It can also be a fun craft project for all the kids in the house.
Have them come up with coupon ideas, then let them color and decorate their own dog coupons.
Or, instead of using a coupon, you can give your dog belly rubs all day long. They would appreciate that very much!
Make him change his Environment.
Take your dog for a ride in the countryside, or if you live in the countryside, take him to town. Dogs love new smells, landscapes, and the sun!
They love to go out and be with you, their parent, forever. Be sure to tie them up, then let them feel the wind in their fur!
Make your dog a home-cooked meal!
No treats today! Don't just give them their normal kibble; make them something with fresh protein and veggies. There are tons of dog food recipes out there, but make sure you stick with dog-safe ingredients.
In fact, it doesn't hurt to ask your vet what foods are safe or unsafe for your dog.
Read to your dog
You might be surprised to learn that your furry baby loves it when you read a book aloud to them. You won't know until you try!
Relax and watch a Doggy Movie
There are tons of great dog movies out there, and even if your puppy may not be able to pay attention to the whole movie, he'll still enjoy cuddling with you on the couch.
Pick a favorite dog movie to watch with your pet, like Air Bud (1997) or Bolt (2008), or another dog-themed movie!
Remember, the best way to spoil your dog is to hang out with him. This is what they need the most! So make sure you give them lots of attention and affection!
Have a wonderful day spoiling your dog!
Conclusion: How to Behave When You Want to Spoil Your Dog
As always, prevention is the best strategy to implement. This prevents the dog from becoming spoiled.
If the problem has already arisen due to excessively lascivious behavior, the balance must be restored, first of all for the good of the dog.
We all need rules, including your dog. The dog is a social animal and tends to identify its owner, or rather a human companion, its pack leader.
However, if his requests are continuously accepted and no limit is placed on his behavior, he will tend to identify himself as the group leader, and his attitude will only be a consequence of that belief.
Therefore, we welcome the legitimate requests of your dog; if, on the other hand, they are superfluous, or it is simply not the time to satisfy them, let's not do it.
We must be firm in this regard: we must not give in to the dog's pleading looks, nor feel guilty for a refusal.
The dog is not to be scolded. His requests must be ignored. For this reason, don't look the dog in the eyes, and the activities that are taking place should be continued as if nothing had happened.
Do not give in to the dog's requests: if you do, the dog will understand that his behavior pays off, and he will always get what he wants from it and will tend to propose it again over time.
If, on the other hand, the dog shows signs of aggression, we could be faced with canine behavioral disorders: in this case, it is advisable to contact a behavioral veterinarian.
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