dog’s trust in owner

Every interaction with the owner teaches the dog something. Including trust – or distrust.

For example, if you praise your dog, you are teaching him to trust you. If you punish, you evoke negative emotions that destroy contact in large numbers.

Of course, a dog can endure a certain amount of negative emotions and not lose trust in the owner, but no one knows when the limit will come. Sometimes a pet instantly loses confidence when the owner, for example, yells at him or pulls on the leash.

And it can take a very long time to restore the dog’s lost trust in the owner. Or the dog will remain incredulous for the rest of his life.

Predictability is also important. Attachment is strengthened by predictability, and the unpredictability of the owner destroys this attachment. Trust is built through attachment. However, even affection does not guarantee the dog’s trust in the owner. Trust is formed gradually, when the pet is convinced by experience that this person is acting in my interests. But the lack of trust can lead to the destruction of attachment.

Also, the dog’s trust in the owner can disappear if a person deceives the pet. For example, studies were conducted during which a curious thing was found out. If the person points to food or a ball, the dog will run there. However, having failed to find what he wanted several times, he will understand: it is not worth trusting a person. And, having accumulated certain knowledge about the owner, the dogs decide whether to trust him. At the same time, they may begin to trust a new person with whom they have not yet had a negative interaction experience.

You can learn how to properly interact with a dog so as not to undermine, but to strengthen its trust in the owner, at our courses on raising and training dogs with humane methods.