We have all heard the saying that a dog is a man’s best friend. It has been proven that having a dog puts you in a better mood, encourages you to exercise more, helps relieve stress, and more. But, if you do not care well enough for your dog, that potential level of companionship can easily be diminished.

Dogs, just like humans, require lots of love and affection. Giving your dog affection at the right time, however, is crucial. When you do give your dog love, it reinforces whatever behavior they did previously. For example, if you tell your dog to sit and they do, then loving on them will reinforce listening to you. On the flip side, if your dog has just torn apart a shoe and then you love on them, they believe tearing up the shoe is ok. In this way, dogs are similar to kids – reinforce good behavior, not bad behavior and they will learn as time progresses.
Spending quality time with your dog will also allow for the relationship to grow. Even something as simple as a walk around the block every morning will help fit in some exercise and allow for you to spend quality time with your dog.

Discipline is also important for positive companionship with your dog. Not only does discipline create an authoritative relationship between you and your dog, it teaches your dog how to behave with humans in general, respect a home environment and be a good dog all around. Again, this is where dogs and children are very similar. If you do not discipline a child, they have no concept of right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable, etc. The same goes for your dog. They must also know right from wrong and behaviors that are or are not acceptable.

By giving your dog love and affection at the right times, spending quality time with your dog, and disciplining your dog, you will be on the right track to a healthy companionship, bringing both of you several benefits.