Pet Bonding Inspiration: Where Do You Find It?

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
iBark. Do you?

Things at the All Things Dog Blog household are a little out of sync this week. With a family member in the hospital, we're caring for another dog. Add an additional pet to the household and suddenly all H breaks out. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it's not far off.

Oliver is confused by the sudden and unexpected addition to our family and he's been quite vocal as a result. The photo at left is perfect for today's post, don't you think?

It's on days like this when everyone is trying to figure out where they fit in that I find myself wondering how I might bond with the group, and help them bond further with one another.

It's funny. They seem to have already figured out that they can work together as a team to alert me to events. When neighborhood dogs go by or a delivery arrives, I get an alert from the two little guys, which is followed up by a confirmation from Tanner. His voice may be deeper, but the two small ones make far more noise.

Today, in an effort to get a few minutes of quiet to work on an article, I sat down on the floor with all the dogs joining me to see what was up. Obviously not me. Oddly enough, this had an unexpected effect; they all calmed a bit and seemed to become a group. No longer were they 3 dogs who each had their own agenda. We were a family unit--including our added guest--if only for a brief time. 

Even as our guest, Jacque, had spent much of the day prodding our 15 year old senior kitty, Patches, to play with him, he finally gave that effort a rest and allowed her to join us for a few minutes of group QUIET. I quickly took note and decided that I will use this approach to bonding more often. What a joy it was to lie on the floor and have all 3 dogs and our kitty each languishing near me in relaxation mode without any effort to get anything from one another. No play, no pestering, nada. Try it, and report in. I'd love to hear how your furry family responds.

Before I close this edition of the Weekly Wag, I'd like to leave you with last week's link, in case you missed it due to the Easter holiday: Dog BFF's--Helping Your Pups Bond.

Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is

hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping!