10 New Year’s resolutions for your Dogs

Some of you will already have some resolutions in mind for yourself – but what about your dog?

This week, we’ve put together a list of 10 doggie new year’s resolutions.

You may already do some or most of these, but hopefully, they’ll be something in here you haven’t considered which may make an excellent resolution for 2021.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight plays a major role in your dogs’ overall well-being and gives them the best chance of living long and happy lives.

According to research carried out by Poochplay, a dog activity monitor and wellbeing app, half of all British dogs are classified as overweight or obese! The good news is that you can start to tackle the problems yourself by making simple and easy changes to their diet and exercise routine.

Bear in mind, however, making big changes may take a bit of time and may require small incremental steps in the right direction.

You can read more on this topic and find more tips in one of our previous blog posts here: Obesity and Weight Gain in Dogs

Exercise

For many dog owners, exercise is part and parcel of a normal day. Whether it’s a quick walk around the block or a run around the fields, most pet owners are pretty good at keeping pooch exercised.

For some, however, not so much!

If your dog isn’t receiving a healthy dose of regular exercise, snap on the lead and take them out a bit more.

It’s the highlight of their day!

Vaccinations, Checkups & Treatments Calendar

Most vets are very good at keeping you up to date with dates of vaccinations and annual checkups, but administering their flea and worming treatments can sometimes be a guestimate when it comes to remembering when last you did them.

Why not get a calendar to record all the important dates for your dog/s so that you’ll always be on top of things.

Pet First Aid

You never know when your dog may require urgent care or veterinary help so it’s a great idea to familiarise yourself or learn some basic pet first aid in case help isn’t at hand.

For example, how to deal with choking, how to handle a broken bone until you get them to the vet or what to do in the event of poisoning.

We’ll dedicate a future blog post to this topic but why not do some research and broaden your knowledge around this topic.

Natural Dog Treats

We all love to reward and spoil our dogs, so make sure the treats you’re giving them are 100% natural, without any additives or preservatives.

We’ve written a couple of posts around unhealthy dog treats – this one was specifically around Christmas treats but the points are still valid: Dog Treats – The Dangers

And this blog post covered the dangers of rawhide dog treats: Stop Feeding your Dogs Rawhide

Some of our most popular treats are the beef tails and beef tendons… with new lamb tails coming soon!

Playtime

Whether it’s throwing a ball, playing tug of war or chasing them around the garden, take some time to play with your dog.

We know that most of you already do this… multiple times throughout the day! But if you don’t, why not make some time to bond with your dog other than going for a walk.

New Year, New Smile

If yours are anything like our dogs, trying to brush their teeth (effectively) is like trying to win the lottery – you know there’s a chance of success but you don’t hold your breath!

Why not schedule a couple of dental appointments for them to ensure their teeth and gums stay as healthy as possible.

Play Dates

Depending on the temperament of your dog with other dogs, why not arrange a play date?

Many vets and local groups will have information on local playgroups and they’re a great way to socialise your dog and give them something else to look forward to.

Learn Something New

They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks – we beg to differ!

Whether it’s a simple trick, a ‘pawshake’ or an improvement to their training, teach them something new in 2021. In fact, if you taught them something new each month they’ll have 12 new skills by the end of next year (obviously!).

Pamper or Groom

We all like to be pampered and dogs are no different.

Granted, some will like a bath more than others, but giving them a good brush and a groom will not only benefit their coat and skin but they’ll love being pampered.

Update Essential Information

Make a point of checking all the information for their microchip is up to date.

If you having any questions relating to your dog’s diet, or if you would like to discuss how our food could potentially help your dog, please get in touch.