Five Ways to Bond With Your Four-legged Bestie

• Featuring Kathy Adamson, DVM

I saw a viral meme recently: a teen girl cries on the floor of a barn. Her nearby horse, hearing the crying, stops eating and looks at the girl, then walks toward her and gently rests his muzzle against her.

This is one of many examples of the special connection - the palpable emotional bond - between people and their pets. According to the American Medical Veterinary Association, the human-animal bond is a dynamic relationship between people and animals involving “emotional, psychological, and physical interactions [between] people, animals, and the environment” that benefits both species.¹

The connection helps pets. People provide shelter, food, healthcare, and welfare. But people get a lot in return. Here are a few pet perks people enjoy:^{2,3,4, 6}

• Reduced anxiety, stress, and depression
• Lower blood pressure
• Decreased risk of heart disease
• Increased positive mental and physical effects on the elderly
• Prevention of allergies in children
• Support for children with autism and other emotional and behavioral issues
• Help for veterans with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
• Improved independence and quality of life for individuals with disabilities
• Support for a longer life

Pets love us and we love them. We know this. But how can we make that bond even stronger? It depends on the species to some extent but in general, these five steps will bring you closer to your fluffy mates.

1. Spend Quality Time

Just like with human friends, good times strengthen relationships. Engage in a fun activity and focus on your pet. Invest in good training books and tools and set aside regular time to work one-on-one with your pet. Exercise together. Whether it’s goat yoga, playing fetch with your dog, or entertaining your cat with a laser toy, the time you spend enjoying physical activity together will bring you closer.

2. Provide Regular Snuggles

Studies show that when pets and people interact both species get a jolt of elation, happiness, and comfort thanks to a long list of neurochemicals!5 Pet-human snuggles also decrease stress hormones.5 Groom, scratch, massage, and snuggle with your pet often! You’ll both feel great and that makes for a stronger bond.

3. Maintain Pet Health

Sick, malnourished, overweight, or otherwise unwell animals don’t have the energy to make emotional connections. To strengthen your ties, keep your pet healthy physically and mentally. Provide regular veterinary care. Feed species-appropriate, high-quality food. Keep pets clean and well-groomed and be sure to brush their teeth regularly. Offer self-play tools like cat towers, interactive video games for pets, food puzzle toys, fetch tech tools, and more, to engage your pet’s mind and keep them young at heart.

4. Improve Communications

Teach pets simple, clear boundaries and commands, and use them! Maintain a consistent routine - rise, walk, play, eat, rest, repeat - so pets can relax knowing what’s coming next. Pay attention to your pet’s body language, noting what makes them happy and comfortable and add that to your daily routine.

5. Relax and Give Each Other Space

It’s okay to let your pet nap or watch the world outside their window. Humans have an active, rich inner life, and judging from the commotion my dogs make while dreaming, pets do too. Our pets need time to let their minds wander just like we do. Playing sounds on a nearby device, providing temperature-controlled resting spots, using pet relaxation gadgets, and even just leaving pets alone can help create pet Zen. A content pet has the bandwidth to bond with you.

Conclusion

Every animal lover knows the human-animal bond is a powerful force. Spend time with your pet playing, teaching, exercising, and snuggling. Maintain an enjoyable, consistent routine, and simple, effective communication. Be sure to provide high-quality, regular veterinary care, and remember to build in time for both of you to relax! When you enhance the bond between you and your furry bestie, you’ll both experience a boost in health and well-being.

References

1. Human-animal bond. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://www.avma.org/one-health/human-animal-bond
2. Human-Animal Bond Certificate. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://www.avma.org/human-animal-bond-certificate
3. HABRI. Top 5 Benefits of the Human-Animal Bond. HABRI. Published March 31, 2020. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://habri.org/blog/top-5-benefits-of-the-human-animal-bond/
4. The Human-Animal Bond throughout Time. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://cvm.msu.edu/news/perspectives-magazine/perspectives-fall-2018/the-human-animal-bond-throughout-time
5. Human-animal bond. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://www.avma.org/one-health/human-animal-bond
6. The Power of the Human-Animal Bond. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://www.onehealth.org/blog/the-power-of-the-human-animal-bond
7. Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals | ADA National Network. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://adata.org/guide/service-animals-and-emotional-support-animals