# How do you know your dog has bonded to you???



## Crazie.Eddie (Mar 15, 2008)

I remember reading on a thread about your dog bonding to you. So I was wondering how would you know if you're dog bonded to you?


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## JenTN (Feb 21, 2008)

I am pretty sure Bo is bonded to me very well, I'll give two examples.

!) We are at the park, we being Bo, my 2 kids, my husband, 4 other family members whom Bo knows and loves, and myself. I have to take my daughter to the bathroom, so I hand my hubby Bo's leash. As I walk away, I can hear Bo barking and whining, I turn around and he is lunging for me. My husband's cousin said "Is he crying after her?" and hubby said, "yes, this happens every time, he freaks out when she walks away".

2) During our Petsmart triaing, for the past month we will practice coming when called. We hand the dog over to the trainer, walk to the end of the aisle, and call the dog- triainer drops the leash for the dog to come to the owner. All of the dogs have been doing pretty well (we have one that shoots past his owner,lol). All the puppies hang out with the trainer just fine except for Bo. When I start to walk away, he is barking, whining, and lunging like crazy. Our trainer laughs every time. He is a bit of a mama's boy


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

There are many different ways to look at bonding. Animal shelters actually measure the adoptor/adoptee bond for best matches. 
From an obedience standpoint it's also an observable relationship.
For example, like JenTN pointed out...will the dog come to you when called? Dogs that won't go to their handlers, (not because of distractions or outside influences) indicate that something is wrong with the relationship/bond. Dogs that are bonded don't need to be 'trained' on Recalls...they come naturally/willingly. Don't get me wrong on the Recall training...it is absolutely vital training for the numerous distractions and for teaching a prompt response.
From a pet standpoint: do they follow you around? Are they usually laying near your side? Are they watching your every move? When you leave the house, could they care less or are they barking/howling to go with you?


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## LucyGoosy (Mar 19, 2008)

Some dogs are more independent and some are more clingy, so bonding can look and appear different depending on the dog.

I adopted my dog Lucy from a shelter back the end of January. For the first week or so, she was VERY clingy, to the point where she rarely left my side for long. She's since become much more confident.

She is very social and loves EVERYONE--to the point where she will walk off with anyone who has her end of the leash! 

The way I knew she was starting to bond with me was the day we were chatting with the neighbors who had been playing with Lucy a lot and also hanging out with their dogs, they walked away to go back to their house, and I walked away to go back to my house. I just told her to come with me, and she turned to go with me (no leash) and never looked back towards the neighbors, even though she had had a wonderful time playing with everyone there and especially loved playing with the husband of the couple. 

I take her a lot of places and live in a residential area where she is off leash with me a lot. We are constantly visiting with neighbors and kids in the area, whom she loves. But, when it's time to go back home, she turns around and never looks back.

I also started taking her to a dog park recently. While she is there, she is busy running around checking out all the dogs and other people. She only looks my way or comes over to me every once in a while--she's too busy. Sometimes it even looks like she isn't even my dog! But when I get ready to leave, I call her and she follows me to the gate willingly with no leash needed, even though she was having a wonderful time with everyone up until that point. It's kind of like as long as I'm in the vicinity she doesn't need to be right near me and feels comfortable going off and playing throughout the park, but she when it's time to go, she goes where I go. She knows I'm her person.


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## sheplovr (Aug 27, 2006)

You know or I know as they stalk my every step, listen to what I am saying. They soon learn when I say I have to run to store, etc. They fret following me so they can also go. I always have one or two in the van. It is ok if weather is like today in Pa cool, rainy, windy but hot days now I cannot run the van with gas so high.

They stick with you like glue. Sleep if you nap, wherever you are outside, pulling weeds, planting, they are right there waiting, sitting or whatever, they never take eyes off me. They are West German Shepherds that just bond like super glue, that is total truth too.

I now have 3 at my feet. Girle is due to whelp Sat. I hope with no problems, as Gillion has 11 on March 29, lost 3, bottle fed two every 2 to 3 hours round the clock. Did not sleep a full night for weeks. Now here I go again.


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## Criosphynx (May 15, 2008)

i don't think just because a dog is clingy that it has "bonded" to you. Many dogs have metal issues like anxiety and OCD. 

Two of my dogs cried like they were dying when left alone when we brought them home at first, i don't think they missed "me" at all, they didn't know "me" yet.
They just didn't want to be by themselves. Now they don't cry, does that mean they don't love me? of course not.

if your dog cries when you leave it has separation anxiety which needs to be addressed bonded or not a dog with this issue WILL cry.

Some dogs are just needy when you first bring them home and just want to be around familiar things. My chi when i brough her home wanted in my lap obsessively, most people would think , awwww she likes me. Truth was she was terrified and she had known me longer than the other people and dogs and was using me to feel better.

My first dog wanted nothing to do with us emotionally for the first YEAR. He was NOT abused by former owners, he just wasn't a NEEDY dog.

That was his genetically determinded temprament, he is still aloof, but two years later, you can tell he is very very very bonded now. The others with easier personallities took about 6 months before you could tell there was undying trust there. 

its just like that friend that callsyour cell phone ALOT, they like you, but they are really serving their own off skew mental needs by obsessively calling you all the time.

If your dog will let you do som'thing it KNOWS is painful or terrifying and it trusts you to do it, your in the ballpark.


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## applesmom (Jun 9, 2007)

I agree there is a profound difference between the definition of "bonded" and "needy"! Of course some dogs can be both, while others can be just plain needy.

IMO the definition of a bonded dog would be a dog that displays complete trust and confidence in the owner as described in several posts above.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

applesmom said:


> I agree there is a profound difference between the definition of "bonded" and "needy"! Of course some dogs can be both, while others can be just plain needy.
> 
> IMO the definition of a bonded dog would be a dog that displays complete trust and confidence in the owner as described in several posts above.


applesmom
Just another little tidbit of info to confuse all(not really) Our GWP, we have noticed through the years, the wife gets up 30 minutes before I do and a few times we have had a thunderstorm which the GWP does not like at all. The dog will leave wife who she adores and come into bedroom and lay down beside bed whining and then I have to get up. If bedroom door is shut she will either laydown or sit/lean against door till I come out. How wierd is that.


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