Got a new pet? Here are five ways to bond with them

She shares with indianexpress.com five ways to form a strong bond with your furry friend; read on.

1. Build trust

Give your pet time and independence to get familiar with the house and surrounding area. Whether it’s a cat, dog or a bird, socialising gets them comfortable with the human way of life. Use a gentle tone with them. A harsh tone instills fear and gets them to feel uncomfortable near you. Be patient. At times they can take a bit longer to settle.

2. Touch

While interacting with your pet, whether it’s taking them for a walk or socialising or talking, touch and hug them. Petting is important because they get habituated to your touch and it provides them comfort. This is how you build trust and strengthen the bond.

Interaction with your pet has to be positive and gentle. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock)

3. Training and communication

Train your pets with love, but train them early. Be consistent and if you have rules for them, be consistent with that, too. It’s easier to train them right than to untrain them. Treats for good behaviour go a long way. No harsh punishments. Training means they follow your command and there is communication, hence a bond is formed.

4. Interaction

Interaction with your pet has to be positive and gentle. But, no play can make them disinterested. Take them for a walk, if possible, cuddle with them, play with them, talk to them and reward them. You will be their fun human and they will get further attached to you.

5. Feed them

Keep their meal-time fixed and give them food yourself. You are now their food source and they begin to trust you.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!