The definition of bonding with your dog means forming a close relationship with it. Not just a tail wagging, happy closeness though. To bond with a sheepdog is a vital component for a successful working partnership. The dog must form a close attachment and see its handler as its natural leader.
Bonding is the process of establishing that close attachment between a sheepdog or farm dog, and its owner or handler. The dog should respect the handler as its leader.
A fairly good test of whether your dog is bonded with you is the way it behaves on a lead. If the dog pulls on the lead, it wants to go at its own pace or in another direction. In other words, it doesn’t accept your authority over it.
Follow this link to find out how to create a strong bond with your dog. It’s number six in our comprehensive series of sheepdog training articles.
All dogs have descended from pack hunting dogs such as wolves and present day herding dogs have retained a strong pack instinct. Every pack needs a leader. If there’s no obvious leader, one of the dogs in the pack will assume the role.
In a domestic situation, the responsible dog owner or handler should assume that role. It simply means you need to show your dog calm leadership by being firm, fair and consistent.
The best way to gain your dog’s respect as leader is to spend a lot of time with it. By all means play with the dog but it must obey you. In sheepdog and cattle dog training, being the pack leader is extremely important.
Our online sheepdog training tutorial “Sheepdog Selection and Preparation” includes a section about bonding with your dog. Find out how to access our training videos on this page.
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