Building mutual trust with your dog is important. When your dog trusts you, they will look to you for guidance on how to behave in various situations. Trust plays a crucial role in a dog’s socialization, training, and integration into the family. While many dogs easily trust us, some are more cautious, and earning their trust takes time, patience, and understanding. You don’t need to do too much to build trust with your dog, as there are various small methods that can be applied in your everyday life.
In this article, we’ll discuss eight effective ways to build trust with your dog. Read on to learn more.
The 8 Ways to Build Trust with Your Dog
1. Avoid Using Punishment
Building trust with your dog starts with avoiding punishment. Unnecessary or harsh punishment can damage the bond and trust between you and your dog. While sometimes you may need to correct your dog’s behavior, severe punishment should never be used. If your dog is doing something destructive or dangerous, using loud, sharp sounds, like clapping your hands or making a popping sound, can help interrupt the behavior. You can then redirect them away from the situation or offer an alternative activity.
It’s also important to pair every “don’t do this” with “do this.” For example:
- Don’t dig — play with this puzzle toy instead.
- Don’t bite my shoes — here’s a dog toy.
- Don’t jump up — I’ll ignore you until you calm down, then reward you.
If your dog fears punishment, they’ll struggle to learn how to correct their behavior, which ultimately harms the trust between you. Constantly telling your dog what not to do without clearly explaining what you want them to do can make them frustrated.
Obedience should be achieved through trust and positive reinforcement, not through fear of punishment. Reinforcing good behavior is much more effective than focusing solely on punishing bad behavior.
2. Establish Friendly Communication
Another way to build trust is by establishing friendly communication with your dog. Although your dog may not speak the same language as you, there are other ways to communicate with them that are more suited to their needs. You can establish communication by learning to understand your dog’s body language, vocalizations, and reactions to different situations. Dogs’ body language is very expressive, which is why it’s one of their main forms of communication with humans. By understanding how they behave when comfortable, anxious, stressed, or excited, you can better understand your dog and respect their feelings or boundaries.
For example, most dogs wag their tails and pant when excited. On the other hand, when anxious or stressed, dogs may tuck their tails. Understanding these differences helps you interact more effectively with your dog and respect their emotional state, which is vital in building trust.
3. Create a Sense of Security
Creating a sense of security is also essential for building trust. If your dog doesn’t feel safe around you, they won’t be willing to trust you. There are several ways to help your dog feel safe. First, learn how to understand their communication style, so you can better gauge how they feel and how to react to their behavior. Recognize signs that your dog feels unsafe and avoid using harsh training methods or punishment, as this can cause fear.
Maintaining a consistent routine is another way to provide security. Dogs like familiarity because it makes them feel safe. Having a regular routine for feeding, walking, and playing can reassure your dog. Also, give them praise when necessary and use effective training methods to correct their behavior. When your dog expresses their needs, such as hunger or the need for attention, don’t ignore them. Show them you can meet their needs.
Providing your dog with a safe space, like a crate, fenced area, or a quiet corner, where they can relax without disturbance is also important. This should be a comfortable, peaceful place they can consider their own personal space. Don’t force them into situations or make them stay in uncomfortable positions, as this will significantly harm their trust in you.
4. Training Your Dog
Training your dog is another key step in building trust. Training helps strengthen the bond between you and your dog, allowing for better interaction. It may be hard to build trust with a dog that doesn’t listen, follow commands, or understand basic social rules. Socialization, obedience training, and teaching commands are crucial elements in any training process.
Early socialization is particularly important as it helps prevent uncertainty around people, other animals, or environmental stimuli. If your dog has not been socialized, it may remain fearful of you and its surroundings, making it difficult to build trust.
Teaching your dog basic commands like “sit,” “stay,” or “come” provides a way for you and your dog to communicate clearly. Obedience training also helps prevent behavioral issues while strengthening the bond between you and your dog. These steps are essential if you want to earn your dog’s trust.
5. Fulfill Your Dog’s Needs
Fulfilling your dog’s needs is another way to build trust. It may seem obvious, but if you want your dog to trust you, you need to meet their needs. When your dog knows that you can fulfill their needs, such as food, safety, and exercise, they will trust you and rely on you to meet those needs.
For instance, your dog may wait by the kitchen for a few minutes before feeding time because they know you’ll feed them soon. Similarly, when your dog wants exercise or attention, they will communicate this to you, knowing you will meet their needs.
6. Create a Comfortable Daily Routine
Building a comfortable daily routine is vital for creating trust. Dogs thrive on familiarity, so having a consistent daily schedule is key. If your dog’s routine is constantly changing, they may struggle to trust you because they will find your behavior unpredictable. Having a regular schedule for meals, walks, grooming, and playtime is a good way to establish a routine that provides security. However, don’t be overly rigid with your schedule, as slight deviations, like being five or ten minutes late, can make your dog anxious.
7. Spend Quality Time with Your Dog
Finally, spending quality time with your dog helps deepen the emotional bond and build trust. The best way to build trust is by doing activities you both enjoy, such as exercise and playtime. Taking time to walk your dog or play Frisbee or ball outdoors can create positive feelings and strengthen your bond.
Some dogs prefer walks to playtime, so observe your dog’s preferences and incorporate those into your bonding time. You can also let your dog relax beside you while you watch TV or work. These calm moments allow your dog to feel comfortable and trust you.
8. Be Consistent
Consistency is key to maintaining trust. If your behavior, emotions, and training methods are inconsistent, it may be difficult for your dog to trust you. They won’t know what to expect, and this uncertainty can damage the trust in your relationship.
Moreover, inconsistency can make training difficult. Once you’ve trained your dog to associate certain behaviors with specific reactions, you can’t change that reaction without confusing them.
Conclusion
Building trust with your dog requires effort in fostering a sense of security, communication, consistency, and reliability in your relationship. Work on these factors to build your dog’s trust, but remember that this process takes time. Some dogs may take longer than others to trust you.
Train at a pace that is comfortable for both you and your dog, and focus on reinforcing trust through positive reinforcement. Avoid using punishment to correct bad behavior. Instead, focus on redirecting unwanted behavior and ensure every “don’t do this” is paired with a “do this.”
Most dogs want to trust their owners, so take your time, provide a safe space, and soon you’ll experience the unconditional trust and love from your dog.
