Animals are more than just living creatures. Pet owners treat their pets almost like human beings and view them as family members. Stories about rescue animals on social media have touched millions of people’s hearts, which is why it’s not surprising why pet adoption increased during the pandemic. In New Zealand, pet shelters experienced a high demand for new pets, where hundreds of pets are being adopted within a short period.
Like humans, animals are living creatures with emotions. They need love, care, and nourishment to live a happy life. Cats are smart, dogs can cry, and horses can perceive facial expressions, and the list goes on. That’s why passionate pet owners spend so much time, money, and effort looking after their pets. Many dog owners can be so devoted to pet care that they spend money on grooming, vet checkups, and quality dry dog food.
Human-pet relationships require constant attention and devotion to develop a more conscious connection with pets. It benefits the animal itself and its owners, as it helps promote a healthy and happy lifestyle for both. To establish a more responsive connection with your pet, here are ways to build a closer relationship with them.
Understand that they have emotions
The first stage towards building a conscious connection with your pet is knowing they can feel a range of emotions. Ever notice how an angry cat starts hissing with its body arched back with bristling fur? You know it’s an angry dog if it’s starting to exhibit aggressive behavior by snarling while holding its ears erect with its tail high.
Animals have different ways of showing their feelings. For this reason, human should understand their pets more to build respect. While animals cannot express emotions the way humans do, it doesn’t mean they’re not capable of it.
Look online, and you’ll find hundreds of videos of grieving dogs after losing their beloved master. They express their grief by shrieking and howling incessantly. This shows that the pain they’re going through is quite similar when a person loses a loved one.
There’s plenty of research data and empirical evidence that proves animals are capable of emotions. Besides dogs, virtually any animal has emotions, such as tigers, birds, chimpanzees, elephants, you name it, each of them has unique ways of showing emotions. No wonder humans identify animals as sentient beings.
Show your respect
It’s easy to understand animals’ emotions if you know how to treat them with respect. Just like human beings, animals can be sensitive to the way you treat them. They respond to respect, kindness, and compassion. A study showed that dogs have the same consciousness as children, while dolphins can send visual signals to each other.
Once an animal feels that you understand and respect them, they’re more likely to develop trust and a stronger bond with you. This is very critical in building a responsive connection with them.
Follow a healthy routine
Responsible pet ownership means maintaining a healthy and fit pet at all times. Routine is very important in pet care. They know when it’s time to feed them and the time you go home from work.
The cost of treating a sick pet can be really expensive. Thus, you have to ensure that they follow a healthy lifestyle. A pet with a health issue will likely become irritable and show unreasonable behaviors, which can prevent you from building a conscious connection with them.
If you notice your cat or dog showing overly aggressive behavior, take it to the veterinarian immediately. An unfamiliar pet behavior might signify that your pet is not feeling well or has a significant health issue.
Still, it’s important to bring your pet to a veterinarian, even if it looks well. Cats are especially good at hiding what they’re feeling. Regular checkups will keep you informed about their health status and ways to keep them healthy.
Following a routine will also establish a bond with your pet as it gives them excitement or anticipation to bond with you. Communicate with them regularly to bring you closer to them. Even if animals can’t talk, they are extremely smart creatures and respond well to communication.
There are many other ways to build a conscious connection with your pet. The key is to treat them as living creatures with beating hearts. As a pet lover, developing a special connection with them provides health and wellness benefits. Life can be a lot better if we make our pets happy, safe, and wanted.