Devoted dog owners know their canine companions feel love, joy, fear, and pain. Our dogs come running into our lives with a full range of personalities and capabilities and we are enriched by their presence in our lives.

But I wonder if our dogs, who seem to hold us in such high esteem, might not lower their expectations for us if they knew that when the old year ends, their two-legged friends spend a great deal of time thinking of ways to change.

How would you explain these common New Year’s resolutions to your dogs?

You’re going to exercise more? Well…they’ve been waiting for you to grab the leash all along. ..

Improve your attitude?
Is that like “wag more & bark less” ?

Change jobs/find a job?
Only a Border collie would understand…and they think work IS play.

Eat less?
Hmmm…you’ll never get that by a Lab…
Better grab that leash…

Spend less money?
Describe money to a dog…it ends up sounding similar to bones and those are for eating or burying…

Spend more time with friends and family?
Ahhh, now you’re talking something your dog will understand.

Resolve to tell everyone you love that you love them, right now, while you can?
I can see the tails wagging.

That’s something to keep doing year after year. Why change?

Happy New Year everyone!

Liz Devitt, DVM