Posted by Zena Conkey on Dec 31, 2019
5 Perfect New Year Resolutions – For Dogs And Their People!
Where does the time go? It’s nearly January again and nearly time to make those resolutions. You know the ones? I’ll lose weight, walk the dog more, do some training of some description… yes this is the year. This is my year!
Resolutions are great and if they involve your dog all the better. Here are some suggestions:
Research Dog Food
Poor quality dog food is one of the most damaging things that you can subject your dog too. Spend some time this January researching dog food, its ingredients and how poor quality dog food can affect your dog’s lifespan, immunity and mental health.
Brush Those Doggy Canines
Brushing your dog’s teeth can add years to his life. The build-up of tartar that becomes plaque then periodontal disease affects everything from immunity to major organs. By keeping those doggy teeth clean you are preventing serious illness and the need for sedation for dental procedures in the future.
Go Out Jogging
Running with your dog is a wonderful experience. Whether you have your friend attached to a belt with a harness or running freely around the forest whilst you jog, you are both likely to go home refreshed and happy if you become running partners. Regular running will cause a release of serotonin in your dog’s brain and your own, making you a very happy partnership indeed.
Take Up A Doggy Hobby!
January is a great time to join agility classes or find a local flyball team. If you do it now, then the early month can be spent in practice ready for the summer competition season. If you fancy a summer riding around the country, sleeping in tents and eating BBQ suppers every weekend then it’s time to start looking for the right doggy hobby for you. It’s such fun on the competition circuit, you will never look back.
Learn To Listen To Your Dog
Canine communication is absolutely fascinating. You may know what your dog is asking for on a general basis but do you know the other stuff. The fact that a lick of the lips might mean that he is worried or that he reads your emotion from your intricate facial expressions and literally knows what you are thinking.
Are you aware that the bonding hormone Oxytocin is released when you and your dog gaze at each other? That’s the same hormone that helps a mother and her new born baby to bond. Isn’t that amazing?
The more we learn about the way that our dogs communicate, the less we realise that we know. Getting to know doggy language is absolutely addictive though and when you get going you won’t want to stop!
If you are looking to learn about your dog and the individual animal that he is be sure to use the right sources though. Look to science and not opinion. Ignore any wolf pack and dominance nonsense for that is disproven, look towards reinforcement knowledge and similar proven facts.
If you are anything like us, you will love your dogs more this year than the last, yet less than the next. So why not add them into your resolutions and you will both benefit.