I love my dog and I know I’m not alone here. Our pets can seem like mooches at times, especially in my house on pizza night, but they make the dark times brighter just by being their warm, fuzzy selves. That’s one of the reasons why Spirit Peak Organics has CBD for Pets — because we know that our pets are a priority.
Animals have unique personalities, which can make them a delight to have around or a drag to take to the park. We love our furry friends even when it seems like their needs are dictating our lives. While yes, you need to adjust your schedule to make sure Fido is getting walked and fed appropriately, you shouldn’t have to worry about your life being run by your pet’s neuroses. Building a stronger relationship with your furriest friend can help*.
*Unless you kiss your dog on the mouth. Nothing can help you then, except maybe a parvo vaccine.
Setting a plan to bond with your pet is the first step to building a stronger relationship. The emotional bond you build with your pet is what you’ll lean on when working with them with training or trying to make them feel safe and calm. Bonus, some of these tips for bonding with your pet may work with your spouse too!
Exercising with your pet works best with dogs; however, if your cat is leash trained, they may enjoy it too. Walking or running with your pet can help establish comfortability with one another. And when I say walking with them, I mean that this isn’t a hurried, “please poop so I can be on time for work” walk — instead, it’s dedicated time to spend moving with your animal. Making time for one-on-one exercise with your pet gives them a way to engage with you outside of the norm.
If you’re getting older and finding that a brisk walk or run leaves you or your pet achy, you can always try some of our CBD treats. We have some for humans and animals that can lessen your discomfort and improve your exercise.
I’m going to sound really dull here for a moment but scheduled, consistent cuddle time and playtime helps maintain a routine for your pet and build trust. Your pet, like mine, may have moods at specific times of the day. For example, I know first thing in the morning that my pup isn’t interested in toys and instead wants to lean on me and snore. Anytime after 2 p.m., however, he’s antsy if you try to cuddle and instead wants to play, play, play.
Take note of your pet’s natural state at different times and set aside a little extra time to snuggle or play. Even five to ten minutes of dedicated time will help you bond, but even better than that, you’ll start to feel happier too. Cuddling with a pet releases oxytocin and serotonin in your brain, creating a positive feedback loop.
Hand-feeding your dog is a fantastic way to build trust. They’ll build a positive association with you and food, which is great for training them. It also shows your dog that you are providing for them.
It can help young dogs learn not to bite and eat slower, which is good for their digestive system.
Sure, you can show them all the love in the world, but a dog has to know its own boundaries, and we, unfortunately, have to be the ones that set them. However, this doesn’t have to be torturous for you or your pet.
Training helps strengthen your relationship by determining your authority in the household. Being the “dominant dog” in your household will actually help your dog feel more comfortable and secure. When my dog is nervous or shy, she comes to me — this shows me that I can make her feel safe when she’s afraid of … squirrels, lightning, other dogs, the robin that has a nest outside my window, crows, and the vacuum. She doesn’t see the last one much in our house, so she gets freaked out when it comes out.
Start with simple commands, sit, lay down, speak. Depending on the breed of the dog, you may want to specialize your commands based on their abilities.
You’ve made your cat or dog feel safe when the vacuum comes out to play, but they still quake in fear at thunderstorms. Sometimes you can’t force your animal to overcome their fear — just like you can’t force a person.
There are ways to mitigate these reactive moments that will prevent your pet from freaking out and possibly save your sanity too.
Helping your pet cope with their fears and anxieties can be simple. For example, if they’ve developed separation anxiety because you’ve spent too much time at home lately, you can work on establishing a routine where they know when to expect you to be around.
If they’re fed, cuddled, played with, and walked at the same time, then they may begin to trust that when you leave, you’re going to be back at the same time every day. Like in all relationships, it’s about building trust so that eventually, if something breaks the routine, they can trust that it’ll return to normal eventually.
If your pet reacts negatively to specific things, counter conditioning is exactly what you need. It’s conditioning your dog to respond counter to their instincts. So if they’re afraid of other dogs when they notice another dog, you would immediately step in with a treat or toy before they start with the negative behavior. Counter conditioning works incredibly well with reactive dogs who have a large number of fears. Instead of being afraid, they’ll see their former trigger and come to you for a treat.
Whether it’s a Thunder Vest to keep your dog from quaking during spring storms or Spirit Peak Organics’ Bacon-Flavored CBD Dog Chews, there are tools to help your dog relax. If your dog has specific fears or just general angst, our CBD can help them settle down.
If the Pixie and Brutus comic craze did anything, it helped thousands learn about adopting retired service dogs. And how adorable it is to watch a trained service dog take care of a kitten. Whether former police dogs, military dogs, cadaver dogs, or service dogs, these animals need loving homes and families. Our tips may help anyone who adopts a dog, especially a well-trained retired one.
Maybe you’re the one who served, and your service animal is your lifeline. Especially if this is your first dog, bonding with them can help them perform better because they’ll know you better. It can also help you. Cuddling a dog or cat releases oxytocin and serotonin, your brain’s favorite happy chemicals. Cuddle time could even help you stabilize your moods and feel more positive emotions from their love and support.
Spirit Peak Organics loves our furriest friends, which is why we’ve rolled out our pet products. Your pet will love our bacon-flavored pet chews or simply crave the benefits they get from our unflavored CBD tincture. The best part? You can benefit from the CBD too!
