A new year is a great time to set new goals for yourself, your life, and your relationship with your dog! Here are some ideas to keep in mind as your make your resolutions for your canine companion.

Tips for Building a Relationship

No Excuses, Find the Time

Put aside excuses and find the time to devote to your canine companion. Whether it is more time on the walk, or less time away from home, make time to spend with your pet so you can improve your bond and strengthen your pack leadership!

Slow Down

Slow down and live in the moment! The problems and stresses that we deal with on a daily basis can sometimes blind us to the good things in our lives. That is human nature. So take a page from your dog’s book! Try not to fret about things that may or may not happen down the road. Don’t dwell on something you said yesterday and whatever effects it may have on your life today. Plan a day that’s just for you and your dog. Wake up and be aware of how you feel. Take a walk and clear your mind. Enjoy the sights and sounds and smells of the world around you, and enjoy the company of your canine friend. Everyone deserves a little vacation now and then, and if you’re lucky, you may discover a way to take a little piece of that feeling with you in your everyday life!

Get to Know Your Dog

Let your dog be a dog! Many owners make the well-intentioned mistake of thinking of their dogs as people. They assume that their minds and emotions work in exactly the same way as ours. Humanizing a dog creates imbalance, and a dog out of balance is an unfulfilled and, more often than not, troubled dog. So instead of trying to make your dog human, think of getting to know your dog for who she really is as an exciting new adventure! Remember they are animal first, then species, then breed, and then name!

Experience Nature

Reconnect with nature. In so many ways, we humans are different from every other being that shares this planet with us. We have the power to rationalize, which includes the power to fool ourselves. Yet, no matter how much we ravage the earth, our animal natures yearn to be fulfilled. Dogs are a lifeline to that instinctual part of ourselves that so many humans have lost touch with. Reconnect with Mother Nature through your dog’s nose, eyes, and ears, and take some time to enjoy the nature that surrounds you. Go on a hike, smell the air and the flowers, take a camping trip or simply sit outside and soak up some sun or meditate under the stars!