We’ve all seen those dogs that stare so lovingly at their owner as if nothing else seems to matter to them. Coincidence? No. Magic? No. Hard work? Yes. Something every owner can achieve? Also, yes.
Here’s the secret: if you want to be the most important thing to your dog, your dog needs to believe that everything of value comes from you. That means food, toys, love and affection -your dog needs to see you as the source of all of these goodies.
Once you create a system for this, it becomes pretty easy to incorporate into your everyday life. Here’s how:
- Don’t leave toys lying around the house. If your dog thinks that toys will always be available, she’ll start to lose interest. Only bring them out when you’re ready to play a good game of fetch or tug, and then put them away again. She’ll be so much more engaged with you and the toys when she’s having fun with you!
- Hand-feed your dog’s meals. This sounds a little time-consuming, but think about the difference to your dog: food either comes from the bowl on the floor, or food comes from my owner’s hand. If you want to become more relevant, start providing your dog’s favorite resource (food) and they’ll start looking to you more and more.
- Be picky about when you provide affection. Dogs love belly rubs and snuggles and hearing “good dog!”. If we use them too often, they can start to lose significance. Pick times when your dog is making good choices, is calm and relaxed, or is staying focused on you. You’ll start to see those behaviors more often as your dog works just a little bit harder to receive those rewards.