Have you brought a puppy home and want to know how to quickly bond with a German Shepherd?
The relationship between dogs and humans is not a modern concept but has been a topic of discussion and existence since time immemorial. The human-dog relationship is much deeper in today’s world than in ancient times when dogs mainly were petted for human needs like guarding, protection, herding, etc. But nowadays, people get dogs for emotional support, companionship, etc.
We believe in their unconditional love and loyalty. Dogs have the power to provide us peace and comfort in our stressful times. It is impossible to replace the bond shared between a dog and a human.
But when you get a dog or puppy home for the first time, bonding with them can be a challenge. The case is similar to German Shepherds as well. Despite GSDs being intelligent, loving and friendly, you may take time to bond with your German Shepherd.
How Much Time Does It Take To Bond With German Shepherds?
Bonding with your German Shepherds depends on various factors like environment, age, parental history, etc. Whatever time it takes to bond, bonding should not be enforced on your dog as it can have a detrimental effect on him. The bonding should be done in a relaxed, consistent and friendly way.
This type of bonding would last for long as it is built on trust. A German Shepherd who was reared in a healthy atmosphere will take somewhere around a few weeks to a month to bond well with its owners.
As already mentioned above, bonding depends on the type of situation. For example, if you have adopted or rescued your GSD and brought him home without knowing his genetic history, bonding might take some time. It is because they are a fearful attitude toward humans considering their not-so-caring history and building trust in you will take time.
It can also be around 6 months to a few years. But, nothing is impossible, if you are consistent and patient throughout, your German Shepherd will start trusting you soon.
Another case might be the age of the German Shepherd. If you have decided to get a puppy German Shepherd, considering it is from a healthy environment, it will take less time to bond and build trust than an adult German Shepherd.
In general, German Shepherds do not take more than 4 to 12 weeks to bond. This will depend upon how well are you able to socialize your puppy with the other family members and friends. Good socialization lets the bond stay for a longer time.
Is It Possible for German Shepherds to Bond with Multiple Persons?
Yes, absolutely! German Shepherds not only bond with their owners but also with their immediate family members or friends. The person who will spend the maximum time with the German Shepherd will bond the deepest with him.
Read: Easy German Shepherd Training Guide For Perfect Obedience
It is very important that GSDs should feel secure and confident when around you just like a human baby! The owner’s behavior in a particular situation also affects the relationship between the German Shepherd and the former.
How to Quickly Bond With A German Shepherd – 10 Easy Ways
Now, if you are trying really hard to bond well with your German Shepherd and want to happen in a short time, there are various ways which can help you build a good relationship with your pet. Follow the below-mentioned techniques for the same.
1. Always Stay Calm With Your German Shepherd
You have to be immensely calm and patient with your pets even when your pets are destroying your favorite items, biting you, tearing your clothes, etc. Teaching them the right thing with patience is the key to success.
Be compassionate with your dog because it takes a lot for them to survive in the human world with no dogs around. Try to teach him manners through various actions and playtime and not by punishing him harshly.
Give yourself and your German Shepherd time to understand the environment and see if there are many distractions while you are trying to train him for something. Pushing him to do something continuously would make him confused and terrified of the situation. He would not enjoy spending time with you anymore
2. Believe in Positive Reinforcement
Treating your dog in a positive way helps your dog bond better with you. Consider your GSD’s history, age, and medical conditions (if any) and then start behaving with him accordingly. Your dog might take some extra time to bond with you but if your start forcing things on him, he will never bond well with you.
Contrarily, start praising and rewarding your dog for every little good thing he does. You can reward him by caressing him or giving him tasty treats. The ultimate goal should be to make him comfortable around you.
3. Develop Excellent Communication Skills
When you bring home a German Shepherd, understanding his thoughts and feelings becomes very important. Since they cannot talk like humans, owners need to take special attention to understanding what they are trying to convey to them.
Of course, you would not be able to understand their language of communication but look for signs of happiness, anxiety, nervousness, etc. to understand how they are feeling. It might take a few months to understand completely, but you will eventually understand what your German Shepherd wants to convey to you.
For example, if you feel that your dog is getting scared of a particular thing and wants to run away from the situation, go near him and comfort him. This would help him to bond well with you as he would know that he can rely on you whenever required.
Try to look out for his body movements, barking sounds, eye contact, etc. These things will eventually make you understand his feelings.
4. Try Bonding With Your GSD While Daily Walks
You might be already aware of the fact that German Shepherds, and in fact all dog breeds, require some kind of daily physical exercise on a daily basis to stay healthy. Daily walks for German Shepherds are a recreational activity. They observe the scenery and the environment by sniffing and noises.
This helps them to get acquainted with situations and objects. But, do remember, your dog might take time to know things. Hence, have patience and allow him to do things on his own time.
An effective way of bonding while walking is to wall casually with him at a slow pace. This would allow him to sniff the area properly and de-stress in the fresh environment.
Carry a bag of treats to feed him for every little rewarding thing he does on the way. For example, if he turns back to check on you, give him a reward.
5. Use A Long Leash To Bond Better
Taking a long leash while taking your dog for a walk is a good idea. This gives your German Shepherd a lot of space and freedom to walk back and forth. But do remember to take him to an area which is free of traffic; otherwise, you can end up in some trouble.
Buy a leash of at least 20 feet long for this purpose. Also, when attached to a long leash, German Shepherds keep on checking on their owners at regular intervals while walking which helps in bonding.
6. Changing Routes Very Often
If your area is safe and free of traffic, let your dog decide which route to take on the day. This helps develop between you and your dog. Routines are good for dogs but letting them explore new things is also refreshing for them just like humans.
Never force your dog to do things or walk on a certain path especially when they seem to be nervous or anxious. Take him to a path which doesn’t scare him. This will make him feel that you are there to protect him.
7. Try To Play With Your German Shepherd for A Significant Time
It is a fact that German Shepherds love exercises and bond well with owners during their training and exercise sessions, but playtime can be fun and a bonding phase too. Play helps German Shepherds to produce positive emotions.
Playing with them will help you know which activities are loved by them the most. This will ultimately help you know your dog better. Owners should spend a significant time with their dogs to connect and bond with them.
In case you are out of your home for some time, engage them in certain fun activities which will keep them away from boredom. This will not let them get frustrated and you will return home to a happy dog. Offer affection to your dog frequently without any reason; this will let them know that your love for them is unconditional.
8. Engage In Confidence-Building Sessions
If you are successful in engaging your German Shepherd in a good confidence-building session, he will always look upon you for guidance. This will make your task to teach him good behavior easier and you can easily stop him from doing unwanted things.
Not only obedience, but the session will also make him confident and build trust for you as he will start feeling safe around you.
9. Create Bond Through Brushing
Grooming sessions can be is a little challenging for owners as dogs mostly don’t enjoy bathing or brushing. But, if done in the right way, it can be a bonding session too! If you find your GSD to hesitate a bit in the initial stage, try to gently encourage him and provide him comfort.
Grooming sessions bring you close to your dog and he understands how much you care and pamper him. For this, brush your dog gently, he should not experience any pain. Grooming is something which is required by German Shepherds on a daily basis, hence you get more time to bond with them.
10. Introduce Rules For Success
Just like humans, dogs should also follow some rules to have an easy and less-confusing lifestyle. They should be aware of their boundaries and know what is considered wrong and right.
For example, if you see your GSD continuously barking at the sight of passers-by outside the house and you do not want him to do so, teach him the same by positive techniques. Teach him to come to you in such situations.
Do not keep your dog aloof from others. Let them interact with all the members of the family. A well-socialized dog is a happy dog and knows how to bond well with people. The more you and your dog participate in each-others activities, the better bond you will create with your dog.
Signs That Show A Strong Bond Between Owner and GSD
Some new owners might be wondering how to understand if their German Shepherd has bonded with them or not. There are various signs which will make you understand that your pet is fond of you and wants to spend most of the time with its owners.
- You will start seeing that your German Shepherd always tries to be around you. This doesn’t mean that they will always be glued to you, but whenever they are not doing anything or are not engaged in any fun activity, they will try to be close to you.
- If you are not in the house, your German Shepherd will try very hard to find you all around the house. This shows that they love your presence and always find it safe to be under your supervision.
- Your GSD will always keep a check on you if you are in a separate room. If you are not with them, they will come to check if you are there in the house at regular intervals.
- Your GSD would always want to play with you. This shows that they love spending time with you, which is a good sign of bonding.
- You will now very easily understand what your dog is trying to convey just by observing his body language.
- You will find your German Shepherd to be calm and relaxed most of the time when they are around you.
- Dogs who are bonded well with their owners are attached to their body scent and always try to carry any of your belongings with them all the time. Your body scent is a sign of attachment, love and home to them. This is a reason why you might find well-bonded dogs to take away the owner’s slippers or clothes all the time and roam around the house.
Affectionate Ways to Bond With Your GSD Quickly
Apart from the above-mentioned things, there are various ways of showing affection to your German Shepherd which help to create a strong bond with him. The below-mentioned steps will help you to bond with a German Shepherd in a short time.
Making eye contact with your German Shepherd
At times, looking into your German Shepherd’s eyes while petting him or pampering him make him feel closer to you. It is said that this helps to bond between you and a German Shepherd easier.
As per scientific studies, this activity releases some hormones from the German Shepherd’s eyes which increases the affection and love between the owner and the pet.
Try to practice this when no one is around or in a quiet place so that your German Shepherd doesn’t get distracted easily. Start caressing his ears, face and look into his eyes and talk to him in a quiet and gentle tone.
Sleep with your German Shepherd
You might not be able to sleep with him at all times but try to take out some time and sleep with him at one point of the day. If not possible on the same bed, try to sleep in one room which will feel your German Shepherd more connected with you.
If your German Shepherd feels that while sleeping you kick them out of the room and doesn’t allow them in your private space, they might not be much affectionate with you as expected. Instead, make the bedding with your blanket on the floor that is comfortable for both of you. This makes them feel safe and comfortable if you feel that your German Shepherd is snoring loudly consider this as a sign of affection and comfort.
Give them belly rubs
Belly rubs are very comfortable for German Shepherds. Belly rubs refer to mild scratching of the stomach with mild pressure. Be very gentle so that your scratching doesn’t wake them up from their sound sleep. This makes them realize that you really love them and help them bond better with you.
Massage Them Sometimes
Another affectionate way to show your love and bond better with your German Shepherd is to massage them. Sometimes massaging your German Shepherd has multiple benefits. It helps increase the circulation which provides them shining coat as well as provides them with a lot of comforts which helps them relax and feel comfortable around you.
This lets them know that you love spending time with them. It has been also found that massaging them not only soothes them but also calms you down. If possible, try to practice this every day.
Conclusion
By now you must have understood why is it so important to bond well with your German Shepherd. It helps them to lead healthier lives and feel secure in the family. They know that their owner will always be by their side whatever happens.
By following the above-mentioned activities, you and your German Shepherd will get closer each day. They will always be loyal and loving to you. Hence, it is very important to be patient and give an effort to build a strong relationship with your dog.