Many of us consider the end of the year and the beginning of the next one as a way to plan and make resolutions. However, since our dogs are such a big part of our lives, why not make resolutions that will include them as well.
These five New Year's resolutions will make your dog's life even more enjoyable. You'll be amazed by how much better they will make you feel too!
Five New Year's Resolutions That Will Improve Your Dog's Life Include:
1. Take a Sonic Inventory
Taking a sonic inventory of your environment is a good way to check for sounds in your house that may be causing stress to your pets.
Jot down all of the sounds you hear and rate them from one to 10. Observe your pet’s response to these sounds. Ask yourself how you can make your home a calmer place, for yourself and for your pets.
2. Enjoy a Silent Meditation HikeAllow Buster to stop and sniff as much as he wants. Taking in the scents gives him all sorts of information and provides him with enrichment. Just sit still without any verbal communication and enjoy all the sights and smells.
3. Teach Your Dog a New Trick
Learning new things provides them with much needed mental stimulation. Use a clicker and positive reinforcement training.
4. Teach Him to Tug
A good game of tug provides:
a legal outlet for roughhousing
strengthens bonds
builds healthy relationships
offers incredibly useful reinforcement potential
redirects inappropriate use of teeth
teaches self-control
creates a useful distraction
builds confidence
Just make sure that you teach a release word.5. Give Her a Massage
Veterinarian Narda Robinson, Director at Colorado State University’s Center for Comparative and Integrative Pain Medicine, teaches classes on canine massage. She believes that administered with science knowledge, canine massage can help dogs recover from injuries, illness and stress.
These resolutions are so simple. You can try your best to reduce the noise level in your home that might be causing your dog stress. You can teach them a new trick or how to play a game of tug. Another idea is to give them a relaxing massage. These resolutions will give your dog an even better life and they might just be resolutions that you can stick to as well.
To learn more about New Year's resolutions that will improve your dog's life, you can visit Care2.
Featured Image via Flickr
