You’ve rung in the new year, declared
your resolutions, and plunged head first into achieving them. But what about your dog’s new years
resolutions? What do you hope to achieve
for your dog this year?
A dog’s life should be
consistent but certainly not stagnant.
Our dogs should keep learning and experiencing new things. Here are a few doggie resolution ideas, some
of which I’ve set for my own dogs Isis and Phoebe, that I hope will inspire
you and your dog.
Substitute more healthy treats
like carrots and sweet potatoes rather than buying expensive, packaged treats
for your dog. See my post on the Canine
Crudite Platter for more examples of healthy treats dogs love.
Socialize your dog more often. Get
them out of the house not just for walks and hikes, but introduce them to dog
friendly cafes, shopping malls, parks and events where they can meet &
greet other humans as well as dogs. When
dogs stay in the house too much they can lose their socialization skills. A well socialized dog is confident and a joy
for everyone to be around.
Re-enforce basic obedience commands. We shouldn’t just teach our dogs key
obedience skills and call it a day.
Continual re-enforcement is critical for dogs to maintain reliable
obedience skills. I routinely practice
all the basic commands with my dogs, as well as their emergency recall and
other commands to ensure they still have them down.
Sign up for a dog agility class,
offered by many dog training schools.
This is a great way for active dogs to sharpen obedience abilities, learn
something exciting and challenging, and burn some energy. Your dog will have a blast! If he does really well you can enter agility
competitions, which will earn you serious bragging rights and maybe some fun
prizes too.
Learn a few new tricks. Teaching your dog tricks is a great bonding
activity for you and your dog, and is both physically and mentally stimulating.
Teach your dog some cool new tricks and
impress family and friends when you show everyone how smart and talented she
is!
Organize a dog walking group. Connect with a few nice people with dogs that
play well with yours at the dog park. Invite
them to get together for group walks at dog friendly parks, hiking trails, or
beaches. It’s great exercise for both
the humans and the dogs and is a great way to socialize, share experiences and
information, and make new friends.
Try out some interactive dog toys like this one
to get your dogs mind working and give her a fun activity. They can be a bit pricey but these interactive
toys are more challenging and stimulating for your dog than a chew toy or ball.
You can find these at PetSmart, Petco,
and online pet supply stores. Isis learns pretty fast, but little Phoebe gets the hang of it soon enough.
If your dog has a calm, friendly
disposition and loves people and other dogs, consider training him to be a
therapy dog. Therapy dogs bring comfort,
smiles, and education to people in schools, nursing homes, libraries, hospitals
and other places. It’s a great way for
you and your dog to help people in your community together. If you think your dog may have what it takes
to be a therapy dog, visit the Pet Partners web site to learn more about it at www.petpartners.org
Consider taking in a foster dog
from a local animal shelter or rescue organization. Not only does fostering save lives, but your
dog may enjoy having a new playmate at home.
When I foster dogs in my home, Isis and Phoebe love having a new friend to
join our walks and play with in the yard.
Contact an animal shelter or rescue organization in your area for
information about fostering.
Learn Doga (doggie yoga). OK, so maybe I should get the Yoga part right
myself before I introduce my dogs to Doga! If you enjoy yoga, search for yoga studios or instructors in your area or online that have added Doga classes to their repertoire. It can be a good bonding and relaxation opportunity for you and your dog. Check out www.Dogadog.com to learn
more. There are some interesting Doga YouTube
videos as well.
Whatever goals you set for you
and your dog this year, remember to have fun!
