It’s New Year again, when we start making resolutions to be thinner, fitter or smoke-free. What about some resolutions that will make the coming year better for your dog too? Here’s the DogCast Radio top ten.
1 - Feed your dog the best quality food you can
You are what you eat – and so is your dog!
Feeding your dog well doesn’t have to break the bank. It can be as simple as adding fresh or cooked meat to his diet. If you’re a vegetarian – like me – then try giving him scrambled egg, or cottage cheese. Bones are a natural tooth brush, and dental hygiene is one of the biggest problems veterinarians are consulted about.
For his general health, and longevity, diet is a number one consideration, so resolve to improve it.
2 - Make sure your dog travels safely
You wouldn’t dream of going for a drive without strapping yourself in, so why wouldn’t you make sure your dog is safely restrained too? He has just as much of a chance of being thrown through the windshield as you, so why not resolve to make him as safe as possible?
If he travels in the back of an estate car, fit a guard or net to stop him being thrown forward if there is a collision. If he travels on the seats, get a harness of the right size, and attach it to the seat belt.
3 - Get insurance
We insure many of the important things in life – our house, car even our health, so what about our dogs? An unexpected vet bill can leave you with a difficult choice – go into debt or deny your dog vital treatment. A lot of upset can be avoided by taking out insurance before you run into the problem.
Make sure you read the small print of your policy; don’t get caught out thinking you’re covered for something you’re not.
If you don’t want to pay out money you hope not to ever see the benefit of, then think about putting some aside regularly, in case the need arises for emergency treatment.
4 - Let your dog run free every day
A walk around the block is better than being stuck in the house all day, but it’s not enough for a dog if that’s all he gets. He needs to run free as often as possible to keep his heart healthy, and all his joints and muscles in great working order.
You can get a plastic tennis ball launcher cheaply, and get your dog running further than you could throw - and take the strain off your arm! But failing that, just running round having a good sniff will keep most dogs happy.
Plus if you’ve resolved to get fitter in the New Year, getting out regularly with your dog will help you keep to it.
5 - Wash the dog blanket in the back of your car
This is something blindingly obvious, that surprisingly few of us do. I have a blanket in the back of the car to protect the boot of my Land Rover from being made too muddy by the dogs when they get back into it after walks. However, it wasn’t until an expert pointed out to me how many bugs and bacteria it could be harbouring, that I realised how important it was to wash it regularly.
Particularly if your dog needs an operation, make sure the blanket in the back of the car is clean. But it makes sense to keep it as clean as possible all the time.
The same is true of dog bedding – wash it regularly, to protect your dog from germs, and keep him smelling as good as possible.
6 - Take up an activity: agility, heelwork to music, obedience
We’ve all done it, watched a dog racing round an agility ring, or performing amazing dance routines with his human, and said, “I’d like to have a go at that!”
Well what’s stopping you? Nothing – so get out there and try something out!
Search online for your nearest instructor or school, and contact them to find out when classes are. You may not be brilliant straight away, but you and your dog will be having fun and improving your relationship. The great thing is that there are so many dog related activities and sports, you’re bound to find one that suits you both.
Dogs love to have a job to do, and positive training methods will get great results, so why not resolve to make 2009 the year you take up a hobby you and your dog can share?
7 - Play with your dog every day
If you think about your dog’s day, the vast amount of it is spent just hanging around the house. If you go out to work he could spend hours on his own, but even if you are at home, you still go out and spend hours occupied by what to the dog at least must seem pointless. For most of that time your dog is happy to snooze, but you can help occupy him the rest of the time.
A walk tires him out, but did you know using his brain will tire him out too? Try playing hide and seek with a toy in the house, play fetch if you have a long hall way, or teach him some tricks. Just half an hour’s play will stimulate his brain, and leave him surprisingly tired, which means he’ll settle down for a contented sleep.
8 - Learn about dog body language
Understanding your dog’s body language is like opening a door onto what he’s thinking. You know he’s happy when he’s wagging his tail, and snarling with bared teeth carries an equally clear message, but what does lip licking or eye flicking mean? And would your recognise a play bow?
Reading a dog’s body language can help you assess if they are stressed, friendly or feeling unsure about something. It enables you to tell whether an approaching dog is likely to be friendly to your dog or not. It will also let you interpret their relationship if you have more than one dog.
Plus, you can tell your friends you’re learning a foreign language!
9 - If you haven’t got a dog volunteer at your nearest shelter
If you aren’t able to have a dog, there’s still a way that you can interact with dogs. Contact your local shelter and inquire how you could help them. It might be walking dogs, it might be cleaning kennels, or fundraising, or you could get lucky and be required to socialise puppies. Whatever support they require, you’ll get to contribute to improving the situation of dogs who don’t have the comfort of their own family.
You never know, when and if the time is right to get a dog of your own, you might meet him while volunteering.
10 - Listen to DogCast Radio!
This may be a resolution you’ve overlooked so far, but why not aim to listen to every episode of DogCast Radio in 2009? The show is packed with training advice, breed profiles, book and website reviews, news from around the world, original fiction and basically anything and everything dog related.
The best thing about this resolution is that while you’re keeping up to date with our 2009 episodes, you can also catch up with our back catalogue from previous years.
Whatever your resolutions, have a great 2009 with your dog.
Take care,
Julie x