Every dog is different. Yes, there are breed characteristics, but each dog is still an individual. Some will like to play fetch while others will have no interest. Some will have a toy for their entire life while others will dissect a new toy in .5 seconds. When getting a new dog, go into it knowing that this dog isn’t going to be exactly like your last. Doing so will set you and your new dog up for success because you’ll have a more open mind as to what this new dog likes.
Make sure you’re finding things that you both enjoy together. For example, I used to sit on the floor with my dog’s meal and practice “free shaping.” This is where I would wait for him to offer a behavior and then provide a reward. I really enjoyed this and so did he. This is one of the ways we bonded.
Walks can be a great way to bond too. It can take work to get a dog to walk the way you’d like. But once you get there, you’ll likely find that it’s a great bonding experience.
If your new dog predicts things that you enjoy, you’re going to develop that bond. And if you predict things that your new dog really enjoys, your dog will start to bond to you.
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