Instructions
Pay attention to your dog's body language. Once you've had dogs for a while, you should be able to recognize signs that a dog is happy, anxious or afraid. Once you know what your dog is feeling, you can react appropriately.
Ignore the dog until it does something you want it to. Affectionate communication does not mean excessive communication. If you only give the dog attention when it's doing something good, your attention will mean much more than if you bestow it all the time.
Try body language to get your meaning across. When something new or exciting happens, dogs usually look to their owners to see how to react. Dogs can pick up on very slight signals you may not know you're giving. Always act calm and assured.
Speak in dog language, not human language. Dogs understand a limited amount of human words, and talking to them for long periods will not get across your meaning. For instance, if you want to reassure your dog, show by your relaxed stance that you are calm yourself instead of telling your dog not to worry.
Engage in dog activities with your furry friend. Dogs like to run around and sniff things, and they like it even more when they get to do it as part of a pack. Spend time walking your dog on hiking trails and other off-leash areas.
Groom your dog regularly. Grooming enhances the dog/person relationship, and it's healthy for your dog, too.
Perform trust-building exercises with your dog such as obstacle courses. Agility exercises build confidence in the dog and foster a close relationship between dog an owner.
How to Communicate With Your Dog Affectionately
The dog and human relationship is a special one that has endured for thousands of years, partly because of good communication between the species. Sometimes, a single look is all that's needed for a dog or its owner to get meaning across. Dogs look up to a kind, affectionate owner. To communicate effectively with your dog, be kind and affectionate but also firm, never letting the dog forget that you are in charge.