Having pets in your life can make you adopt certain routines. Routines may make your life and your relationships run smoothly but do they bring you and your loved ones closer together? By approaching your routines with your loved ones as if you are doing them with your pet(s), you will find that you will become closer to one another (Thanks to pets everywhere).
For those of you with pets at home, have you ever arrived home from a busy day and been greeted by your pooch or cat and you have given them a little cuddle but your mate or family member gets an “Oh Hi, I’m home”.
Why not get in the habit of giving your mate or family member small gestures that reaffirm that you love them too? Reconnect as you would with your family pet and give smooches, a hug or fetch your loved one their slippers. A routine of showing love for one another will most likely lead to more bonding time.
Just as soon as you arrive home, you are out again with the family dog for a walk. When you grab the leash, why not ask a loved one to join you? Your dog always gets their walk. If you and your mate/family member want to get some more quality time together doing something active and relaxing at the same time then psychological research studies have shown that shared activities like walking and talking release oxytocin , a chemical in the brain that makes people more trusting of one another; another bonus of finding the time to bond.
Trust in relationships is very important and so is being clear of what ones needs or wants are in a relationship. Many people like to assume that the other person will know or should know what the other person needs or wants. If they do not, then one could get upset about it? Never bottle up your emotions. Your pet doesn’t. Never fume in the corner and wonder why the other person doesn’t understand that it’s their turn to make dinner. If you can be clear with your dog when you ask them to sit and stay, you can be direct with your family, friends and mates. “Honey, I’m tired today, could you please make us some dinner tonight? The more you address issues clearly and directly without holding grudges, the more you will keep arguments at bay altogether or keep them from escalating. You would never hold a grudge against your pet (it wouldn’t work anyway).
Get into the routine of treating each other the way you would treat your pets and you may find that there are less visits to the proverbial “dog house” and more days spent living a happy life.
