In short, the human-animal bond is the mutually beneficial relationship and emotional connection between humans and animals.

However, the human-animal bond is very important for humans and their pets. Humans have desired animal companions for thousands of years. Furthermore, I believe the bond has deepened in recent years as the pandemic has created a situation where many animals have been with their owners seven days a week.

Our beautiful pets are there for us to talk to, reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation. They also encourage us to do physical exercise. Taking your dog for a walk is great because it gets you out in the sunshine and encourages you to be physical active, which is wonderful for our mental health and emotional health.

In addition, having an animal can reduce our stress levels and support us emotionally and mentally. Animals can make us laugh and entertain us when we are feeling lonely; they are always there for us.

How can I deepen the bond I have with my pet? 

A way in which you can further deepen the bond you have with your beloved pet is by making time for your pet each day with no distractions. For example, take your dog for a walk and be in the present moment with them. Let them have some play time while you are out, as this is uplifting for both of you.

By simply sitting with our pets, we can connect to them on a deeper level. However, it can be useful to understanding that how we hold our energy can impact on our animals. For instance, if our animals are acting a little out of character it can be helpful to look within ourselves and see what we may be not giving ourselves. Certainly, animals are wonderful teachers.

My experience in supporting clients to strengthen the bond with their animals is based around developing trust. It’s important for pet owners to make their animals feel safe. This is particularly important for rescue animals, as we don’t always know their past trauma.

Because our animals rely on us to feed and exercise, pet ownership is a good way to teach other family members about responsibility. Children can learn about life and death through having animals. Although this is not an easy topic to discuss, it can support or foster such conversations.

Animals are great for our self-esteem, as they love us and think we are amazing because we are there for them.

Both animals and humans can learn unconditional love through our relationship with each other.