Paws N' Pounds Plan
THE HUMAN-CANINE BOND
The Human-Canine Bond is an ancient connection that encompasses more than just companionship. It is a strong, natural bond that is built on mutual trust, respect, loyalty, and understanding. This bond manifests in many forms, reflecting the diverse roles dog's play in human lives.
Importance of our bond
The impact we have on our pets
The impact we have on our animals is multifaceted and robust. There are many ways in which human behavior, education, mental affective state, and psychology affect the bond shared with our pets.
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As puppies, canines are highly influenced by the actions, training, enrichment, exposure, and socialization provided by their owners. This socialization period is critical in the development of a strong life-long bond.
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This is not to say a strong life-long bond cannot be formed with older dogs. Rescued dogs are typically slower to trust, this can be affected by the previous experiences of the dog and their individual personalities. However this also means that once you are a part of their pack, your bond will be as strong as ever.
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Many dog owners continuously work at building their bond through feeding, training, cuddling, playing and grooming. Finding ways to mentally and physically enrich your pet does wonders for creating a healthy bond centralized around health, welfare and love. Understanding dog communication and body language is a must, and what's more, is understanding YOUR dogs communication and body language, as individual personalities and past experiences make every dog unique!
Types of Bonds based on role
K9 Working Dog
K9 dogs, also known as police dogs or working dogs, fulfill various roles crucial to law enforcement and public safety. They form strong bonds with their handlers from birth. They are trained to detect drugs, explosives, firearms, and other illicit substances, assist in search and rescue missions, track suspects or missing persons, and provide patrol support by apprehending suspects and deterring criminal activity.
Livestock Guardian Dog
Guardian dogs, also known as livestock guardian dogs (LGDs), are bred and trained to protect livestock, such as sheep, goats, or cattle, from predators like wolves, coyotes, or bears. They typically live with the livestock they protect and form a strong bond with them, acting as their constant companions and defenders.
The bond between guardian dogs and their owners is often deep and symbiotic. Owners raise and train these dogs from a young age, fostering a relationship built on trust and mutual respect.
Sport Dogs
Sport dogs are highly trained canines that participate in various competitive activities such as agility trials, obedience competitions, flyball races, and dock diving. These dogs undergo rigorous training to excel in their chosen sport.
The bond between sport dogs and their owners is characterized by teamwork, trust, and mutual dedication. Owners invest significant time and effort into training and conditioning their dogs, building a strong foundation of communication and cooperation.
Service Dogs
While most of aforementioned dogs are companion animals in addition to their roles, service dogs are a pivotal example of a companionship bond and a working dog. Service dogs aid persons with disabilities such as mobility issues, blindness, medical conditions, autism, PTSD and many more. Because a service animal is an integral part to the persons ability to go about daily life, the bond they share is unbreakable.
The bond between a service animal and its handler may be different to those of strict companion animals due to the degree of dependence, reinforced by law.
Companion Dogs
Companion dogs, also known as pets, fulfill a variety of roles centered around providing emotional support, companionship, and unconditional love to their owners rather than work or sport.
The bond between companion dogs and their owners is characterized by affection, trust, and mutual dependency. Companion dogs become an integral part of their owner's life, offering comfort during difficult times, companionship during everyday activities, and a source of happiness and relaxation.
How does the type of relationship affect feeding practices?
Different roles may constitute differing feeding
Working dogs
K9
Service Animals
Livestock Guardians
Herding dogs
Search & Rescue dogs
Cadaver dogs
Other
The bond between a human and a working dog significantly impacts feeding practices. Handlers maintain consistent feeding schedules and prioritize high-quality nutrition to support their dog's health and performance. This bond fosters a structured routine, with regular feeding times enhancing the connection between handler and dog. Handlers closely monitor their dog's eating habits as part of their care routine, ensuring any changes are promptly addressed. Overall, the strong bond between a human and a working dog influences feeding practices by emphasizing consistency, quality, routine, and attentive monitoring to promote the dog's well-being.
Sport dogs
Agility
Dock Diving
Obedience
Scent work
Barn hunts
Firstly, owners may prioritize high-quality nutrition to support their dog's athletic performance and overall health, viewing proper feeding as essential for maintaining peak condition and energy levels. Secondly, the shared activities and training sessions between human and sport dog often create a structured routine, including regular feeding times, which fosters consistency and reinforces the bond between them. Additionally, owners closely monitor their sport dog's dietary needs, adjusting food portions or types based on activity levels and training intensity to ensure optimal nutrition and performance. This strong bond promotes attentive care and consideration of the dog's well-being, reflected in their feeding practices.
Companion dogs
The bond between humans and companion dogs influences feeding practices in distinct ways compared to working and sport dogs. In the case of companion dogs, feeding practices are often more centered around nurturing the emotional bond between human and dog rather than focusing solely on performance or work-related needs. Owners may prioritize feeding times as opportunities for bonding and shared experiences, reinforcing the companionship between them. Additionally, the emphasis may be on providing a balanced and nutritious diet to support the dog's overall health and well-being, without the same level of consideration for specific athletic or working requirements. The feeding routine for companion dogs is typically more flexible and based on the owner's schedule, fostering a sense of closeness and care within the relationship.
Karetnick, J. 2023. Service dog 101: Everything you need to know about service dogs. American Kennel Club. Available from: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/service-dog-training-101/ Mmaennche. 2022. What is a companion dog? Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital. Available from: https://advancedpetvet.com/2022/06/17/what-is-a-companion-dog/#:~:text=Unlike%20a%20service%20dog%2C%20a,and%20even%20substance%20use%20issues. O’Keefe, J. H., E. L. O’Keefe, and C. J. Lavie. 2019. The Human-Canine Bond: A Heart’s Best Friend. National Library of Medicine Natural Centre for Biotechnology Information. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ Riddoch, K. A., R. D. Hawkins, and E. S. Cross. 2022. Exploring behaviours perceived as important for human—dog bonding and their translation to a robotic platform. PLOS ONE 17. Staff, A. 2024. What do K-9 police dogs do? American Kennel Club. Available from: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/what-do-police-dogs-do/