How long did it take to bond closely with your dog?

[StillandSilent]

Lilly and I formed a tentative bond within a few days of bringing her home, but we didn't really click until about 6 months, when I took over her obedience training and began teaching her all of her tricks. Now she's my angel girl and I couldn't imagine life without her.
Radar and I bonded quickly, but he's sort of a love *****, and I know he is more bonded with my mother than me. *sigh* and he was adopted to be my dog too!
But I got her back, "her" cat turned out to by my Angry Puss.

 

[malmo]

I have a crate in the living room and one in the bedroom for each of the pups. That way they can hang out comfortably wherever I am.

 

[shazbot]

2 of mine were bonded almost immediately. They were puppies when I got them and it didn't take to long. However that bond has only grown, they don't like it when I leave for more than a normal work day. My GSD I've only had for about a 1 1/2yrs. She never really bonded with any body, she was my sisters almost 5yrs before she went to my mom. Mom didn't have her to long before she passed so now I have her. When I first took her she wouldn't cuddle with me, lay her head on my lap or even stand me wrapping my arms around her. Now she can't get enough of it. She'll let me do anything to her now. When she meets some one new she watches me first to see my reaction and goes off of that. I love that she's come so far and has so much trust in me. Something she's never had before this....

 

[malmo]

Sometimes I feel that Milo is my eyes and ears and I am his voice. I know it's cheesy but I sometimes narrate for him and give words to his thoughts and feelings. Like, for instance, when someone comes over I can read his body language and know what he's "thinking" -- sometimes it's, "Who's that?" Sometimes it's, "Where have you been?!" or "Are you happy yet? My job is to make you happy! Are you happy? I'm happy!"

Every now and again I will put it into words in my silly Milo-voice. He doesn't seem to mind, and people usually laugh at how spot-on I seem to be. For instance, after the "Are you happy?" stuff, I'll sometimes say, "Okay, you're happy. Is there anyone else that's unhappy? I better go check." Within seconds, he'll jump off that person's lap and go scope everyone else out. I think that's our bond -- I know what he's thinking and feeling and he often knows what I need, too.

 

[Renee750il]

Bimmer . . . . Bimmer laid in the passenger's seat of the 750il and for the entire 2 1/2 hour ride home, he kept his nose on my leg. If he was awake, his eyes were on me; if he fell asleep, when he woke up he looked at me.

Kharma . . . She sat in my lap the whole way home, looking forward out the front window, every now and then bending her neck allllllll the way back to look at me, make silly puppy eyes with her upside-down puppy jowls flying around, make a funny little noise like a giant cat's purr in her throat, then, satisfied, look back out of the windshield. By the time we got home, she was mine

 

[milos_mommy]

Sometimes I feel that Milo is my eyes and ears and I am his voice. I know it's cheesy but I sometimes narrate for him and give words to his thoughts and feelings. Like, for instance, when someone comes over I can read his body language and know what he's "thinking" -- sometimes it's, "Who's that?" Sometimes it's, "Where have you been?!" or "Are you happy yet? My job is to make you happy! Are you happy? I'm happy!"

Every now and again I will put it into words in my silly Milo-voice. He doesn't seem to mind, and people usually laugh at how spot-on I seem to be. For instance, after the "Are you happy?" stuff, I'll sometimes say, "Okay, you're happy. Is there anyone else that's unhappy? I better go check." Within seconds, he'll jump off that person's lap and go scope everyone else out. I think that's our bond -- I know what he's thinking and feeling and he often knows what I need, too.

I do that too! People think i'm NUTS. or I "tell" Milo what to say.

"Milo, say Hi!. Say 'I'm so Happy to see you!' Say 'Bye bye, maybe we can play later'"

I thought i was totally nutso when i did that, but when Milo befriended a Rottweiler at our north carolina pet friendly hotel, his Mom did the same.

 

[sheltieboyz]

I got Tanner when he was 8 weeks and we bonded on the way home from picking him up from ther breeders...But we've bonded even more in the past 6 months since I started letting him sleep with me!...SB

 

[Lilavati]

I think there was something of a connection as soon as we met. Then there was a growing bond for the first month, of a "I like you, but I'm not sure if I trust you, but please don't leave me alone" sort . . . now, about 4 months later, I think the bond has deepened a lot. I really feel like Sarama is my dog and my friend and I'm pretty sure she thinks of me as her human. There's a lot of trust. But I also know that she's still less than a year old, and still a puppy . . . as her personality continues to develop, and as we are together for a longer period of time, I'm pretty sure the bond will get stronger than it is now. Human/animal bonds, like human/human ones, are something I think is always growing and deepening, throughout your pet's life.

 

[Kayla]

I cant trace back when it excactly happened but I've known Duke since he was 6 weeks old ( too young to be away from his mom I agree) the rest of his litter sold, and I found myself uncontrollably drawn to him, and a few weeks later brought him home and I guess our bond has been growing since.

 

[smkie]

you mean that bond that says u are a part of me...we think on the same plane..and when i lose you it is going to feel like a ripping apart of my soul? THat kind of bond?

 

[vanillasugar]

you mean that bond that says u are a part of me...we think on the same plane..and when i lose you it is going to feel like a ripping apart of my soul? THat kind of bond?

Well yes... I don't know if one can have this strong of a bond with every dog they've ever had, but that's what I hope Sierra and I will come to.

 

[copperdogsmom]

For Teddy and I it was when my marrige fell apart.He was 6 months old and we had to come to my parents to stay.He never left my side and for months I would only go places I could bring him because I felt better when he was with me. Before then we had a bond but just not as intense.

 

[mrose_s]

I was bonded to him in the first week, been attached ever since. Havn't got the heartdog connection with himbut I love him to death, I think about him all the time I'm at work and can't wait to get home and see him. I love just spending time with him

 

[mrose_s]

Wow, just going back to think about it now. It took me AGES to bond with mac. Was too soon after we lost Daisy I think, I just didn't want anything to do with her. It was almost a year till I could actually pay attanetion to her.
Also Elliot upset me a lot at first and I couldn't bond with him, its onlybeen the last few weeks I've been able to get close to him.

 

[corgipower]

Ares -- 5 years
Morgan -- 10 minutes
Tyr -- an hour
Nyx -- still waiting

 

[puppylover2007]

with Thunder it was instant.. LOL, beacause before we got our home, we were visiting him from 8 weeks old til we brought him home. my son was with us on a few occasions, i guess that he just had a feeling that we were to take him home. LOl, Cinni took about an hour, we rescued her from a friend, she bonded to us almost immdiatly.... and it did not take long for her to put thunder in his place LMAO.