Why is my dog only affectionate to me? How can he bond with my mom?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend that your boyfriend pets her frequently always approaching her very slowly and with a calm voice and demeanor. Also, it would help if he approaches her with treats. I find peanut butter in this type of scenario very helpful as it takes time to lick it off which will give him more time to pet her at the same time. Usually this works well. This will take time and patience but I think that eventually she will warm up to him. Good luck and have a good day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She is so adorable! The best thing for this is to have her associate other dogs with something positive. I like to use treats for this. When she is around other dogs and behaves well, you give her a treat. This will get her used to something positive when being nice with other dogs. Also, it is crucial to socialize her a lot which can be accomplished by taking her to the dog park. Keep in mind that some dogs do not enjoy the company of other dogs as much and prefer human interaction regardless of how much we want them to have lots of friends. However, these are things to try to accomplish this. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would ask the family of the child to not allow her to come play with Dane any more if you want to break that bond. You must do your part as well and keep Dane with you and not hurt the child's feelings by leaving Dane outdoors where she can see him without one of your family members present. Then you will have to make the time to play with Dane and build a relationship. Over time he will start to bond to your family. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best!

Great question. Most dogs respond best to the family member who spends the most time doing things such as feeding, walking, bathing. It sounds like you are that person. I'm sure she loves you but your Mom may have a special bond of some kind that seems to attract you dog's attention. Continue to work on it and over time find the special things such as rubbing her ears, or massaging her back, that makes you the person she wants to be around most. Small treats can be a great motivator. She is still a young dog so plenty of time to develop that special bond between you and your dog. Best of luck. Thanks, Dr Steve Popish.

That has to be frustrating for you! Dogs have different personalities, and although most dogs are very bonded to their primary caretaker, some dogs seem to take that person for granted. Your dog might just assume that you will always be around. and these other people are more exciting. To increase the bond with Maximus, I recommend you spend quality time together alone. This may be walking, cuddling. or playing with toys. I also recommend working on training sessions. This will help teach him to pay attention to you. Here is a link that discusses teaching 5 basic commands. If Maximus is already great with these commands, look into adding more. Make sure there is positive reinforcement with the training in the form of affection and treats! http://www.akc.org/content/dog-training/articles/teach-your-puppy-these-5-basic-commands/ Training is a constant project, and can be a fun game for you and Maximus. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is obvious how much you love Gabby and I suspect she loves you very much too! Most dogs are very bonded to their owners-especially dogs who have been cared for by the same person for years. There may be a reason that she does not want to stay with you in bed. Where does she go? Does she go straight to tile or wood because the bed is just too warm (my own dog started doing this recently). Do you toss and turn and it bothers Gabby? Does a fan blow on her? Is there a new candle or scent in your room? All these things may be reasons Gabby decides to lay down elsewhere. As with most dogs, you can strengthen your bond by petting and sitting together (try laying with her wherever she likes to lay for a few minutes). Playing with toys and working on training is also excellent for showing her you love her. You are doing a great job! Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Gabby!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The main thing is trying to get him to associate you with something positive. You can try to find treats and things for him to eat that he really enjoys. You can get him to come out and feed him a treat while you pet him. This will most likely help if you stay consistent and persistent. It is important to note that some kitties are really not very affectionate and while he may become more social, he may never be a kitty who enjoys constant interaction. Good luck and have a good day!