Q&A for How to Bond With Your Dog

When you let a fearful dog into your house, to get a bond with the dog, you show must show it strength. If the dog sees that you are strong, their instincts will tell them to bond with you as their leader. That bond will create trust. Be patient with your dog and never hit or strike it, as that will break their trust.

The more you exercise the dog, the better it is for the dog. People think when dogs get older they shouldn't exercise, but they actually should. It keeps their joints moving. As they get older, you may taper the time off and gauge what they can do. As long as they can walk, you should always take your dog on a walk.

Show him that you are not going to mistreat him. Give him extra treats when you can and attempt to play with him.

Yes, especially if you're the one training him. You could train him at home as well.

Call out her name in an excited tone of voice -- or say something like "Who's a good dog!?"

Crouch down to his level and hand him a treat. Slowly move forward to scratch his chin. Talk to him calmly to make him trust you.

Your dog has likely developed an insecurity due to the abuse. She needs a strong and assertive leader. Be consistent, and patient, give her extra time to adapt. Praise her when she is calm and friendly. Don't pet her when she is anxious or nervous, as she will take this as encouragement of the behavior. Instead, ignore, and move on.

Yes. Regular walks, lots of petting, and playing with your dog will help your dog bond with you.

Give him lots of praise and attention. Make sure you are the one who always feeds him.

No. It takes time. There's a good chance your dog will like you right off the bat, but you'll still need to work to develop a strong bond.

Feed your dog at the same time each day. Walk him at the same time each day. Give him a bath at the same day of the week. Just try to keep things regular so your dog knows what to expect.

You might want to crouch down and slowly give it a treat. If the dog is lying on the couch, come in with someone your dog trusts and sit next to the dog with them and pet your dog together.

When you're going to bed at night, try calling your dog over into your room and let it lay on the bed. Maybe cover it up with some cozy blankets and don't be shy to snuggle. Close your door and if it gets anxious, comfort that canine! Petting and softly whispering praises to your dog will make it feel comfortable with its surroundings. Repeat these steps until it is fine with sleeping in your room.

Sadly, you cannot take a fish on a walk. But check out this article on How to Grow a Bond With Your Betta Fish and this one on How to Train Your Fish to Do Tricks .

Try and do the following: Compliment him and talk to him, walk away when he growls, try and discover who he or she really is on the inside, try and adapt with them instead of them adapting to you.

First, establish why your dog dislikes you. It is unlikely for a dog to actually "hate" you, and will often need to just learn to learn to trust you more or bond better with you. Don't yell at him/her. Make sure that you always feed them, pet them as often as you can and sit with him all the time. If he dislikes you petting him, give them a treat or toy to play with before you start petting him/her. Take your dog on walks, and show him/her that you can be trusted by being consistent in the time you get home from work and the day that you bathe them. Allow him/her to socialise with other dogs and people if they are a social dog. Remember it will take time.

The same way you would bond with a smaller dog, but be sure to stop immediately if it seems upset or uncomfortable. If it is aggressive, make sure to always have an adult in the room while training it.