Healthy Hounds, Humans and the New Year

So, Christmas is sadly over and it’s time to start thinking about what 2023 might bring for us and our canine companions. Many of us will be thinking of turning over a new leaf in the New Year and pre-planning some resolutions to make us fitter, healthier and more productive, I know I am! The most common resolutions that are made in the UK are to exercise more, spend more time with friends and family, take up a new hobby and lose weight or improve one’s diet. Owning a dog can really help with this, as their routines and exercise needs can aid in the development of our own. 

We never forget to give our dogs a walk and when it comes to well-being we always strive to give our furry friends the very best. But, do we always do the same for ourselves? 

Once the New Year comes, our dogs can be an excellent reminder to take care of ourselves as well as we do them. They can be an excellent catalyst for increasing the number of positive things we do.

Below I have gathered a few of the most popular New Years' resolutions I have found and made them into delightfully dog-friendly intentions to give you all a few ideas, or a little inspiration, on how you might meet 2023 with the best possible preparations and outlook.  

Exercising More

One of the easiest ways, as dog owners, to improve the physical health of you and your hounds is to increase the amount of exercise you are doing. It might seem obvious, but having a dog is the perfect excuse to get your new year off to a healthy start. Nearly all dogs, with the exception of elderly and incapacitated ones, need regular walks and many of us simply don't do it enough. Some experts advise that dogs should be walked at least three times a day for a minimum of 20 minutes and if you do this your personal exercise would be well over the 150 minutes of moderate activity that the NHS recommend as a weekly guideline. 

Losing Weight/ Improving Diet

The classic New Year’s resolution and a time-honoured tradition is trying to improve one’s diet when January begins. This can be something you can do alongside your dog with relative ease. You might already be weighing your dog’s food (you really should be in order to maintain a healthy weight) but perhaps it’s time to get the scales out for your food too. This is a great way to easily log your eating habits and perhaps make some positive changes to your eating habits. 

Another super simple way to improve the health of you and your dogs is to switch your snacks or treats to healthy vegan and vegetarian options. We have a magnificent range of vegan and vegetarian treats and chews for your dogs which can help them get a plethora of new nutrients and goodness into their diets. And why not try switching your sausage rolls and chocolate into something that will be more nutritious for yourself at the same time? You could even go the whole nine yards and sign up to do Veganuaury, great for your body and for the environment at large, what could be better? 

Taking up a New Hobby

Many of us will make resolutions that include a new hobby that will get us out of the house and get our brains and bodies going. But why not try a dog-friendly hobby so your canine companions can benefit too? Hiking, cold-water swimming, cycling, jogging, orienteering, agility classes and even surfing are just a few ideas of hobbies that your dog can get involved with in the New Year. Many of these harmonious hobbies will also help you and your furriest friend get fitter as well as improve your mental health and acuity. 

Spending More Time With Friends or Family

Humans and dogs are both pack animals and we all love to have more time with our friends and family, and a resolution at this time of year can help us make a promise to do more of this. Your dogs are the perfect excuse to get outside and enjoy a local park, beach or riverside, and why would you not invite some company along for the jaunt? Many people and dogs don't get out into the great outdoors enough and sometimes a simple invitation can be all it takes. Good company can help to improve our mental health, and our dog's socialisation skills, it can strengthen bonds in our community and our families and can bring us all closer together. A simple chat on a walk with a friendly dog can also help people who might be struggling with life and there really isn't any nobler cause than that in today's socio-political climate.

So this New Year, why not make your resolutions ones that your dogs can get involved with and improve the well-being of not just yourself but of your canine companions too?