Getting a new puppy is one of the most exciting things you can do as a person. Bulldogs are amazing; they’re loyal, social, adorable, and fun. They’re also incredibly strong willed which means it’s important for you to build the best bond you can with your new puppy. This will ensure that your puppy knows who the pack leaders is, respects you, trusts you, and wants to make you happy above all else. Here are the things you can do to build a great bond with your new puppy.

Start With the Critical Phase

Puppies imprint on their owners much like birds imprint on the first living thing they see. For puppies, because this takes a little longer than the first second they open their eyes (it actually takes the first fourteen weeks,) it’s called the critical phase. During this phase you want to make sure that you pawn off no task. You should be the one to train your puppy, take it outside, feed it, and give it the most treats, love, and affection. If your puppy wants attention from others of course you should welcome it to start socializing. You just want to make sure you take on the parenting role so the pup knows who it should look to for its needs. This is the first step to building trust and becoming the pack leader.

Training Classes

Training classes are great for building a bond. You should take your pup to training classes that involve the trainers teaching the owners, rather than teaching the pup directly. You being the one to train your pup and setting aside about an hour per week to do it in a room full of distractions will really help to solidify your puppy’s belief that you are the focal point of any situation. Having your puppy respect you in social situations, for many owners, is the most difficult part. For most of them this is the step they missed.

The 2 for 1 Rule

The love, respect, and affection that your pup feels from you plays a huge role in how attached they are to you and how much they trust you. You never want your puppy to feel like you resent it, or are constantly frustrated, though you may be because puppies can be pretty mischievous. For this you can apply the simple 2 for 1 rule. For every one time you have to discipline your pup you should follow up with two reasons and ways to reinforce a positive behavior and show your puppy some love. The first one is usually simple with redirecting the puppy from the bad behavior. For instance, if you find your puppy chewing on a shoe you say no and give it a bone. You can easily praise the pup for taking the bone instead. The second can be you asking the puppy to do a trick and showing it love, or even just playing with the puppy as a show of affection.

Have Bonding Dates

Take your pup places and do things with it. Nothing is wrong with going on dates with your dog. Remember, you have your family, friends, and work. Your pup only has you. If you want the bond to be a positive one you should include the pup in as much as possible. Take it to the dog store, dog park, and over to visit friends and family. Show your pup lots of attention on these dates and be sure to positively reinforce good behavior. Your pup will love its life and love everything you do for him, which means he’ll love you as well. 

Photo credit: Amber Rosenbaugh/Flickr