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After my 2024 article, someone asked me to do the next New Year’s Resolution article from our dogs’ perspectives. So, I am going to put my best foot forward in an open and honest attempt to tell you what I think our dogs may want us to resolve to do in 2025!

First, we must know that resolutions = resolve = determination = change = transformation. Well, isn’t that what you think about when you make that promise to yourself and sometimes to others at the stroke of midnight on New Years? Did you know that our dogs accept us just the way we are? They are willing to be by our sides all the time. They want time with us; they want to know us. They want to be there for you during the good times and the bad times. They want to chase balls, sniff out fun and smelly things, and sit quietly beside you. They want to protect us and lie down close to us. They want to carry our heavy loads in a wooden cart or on a sled! They want to lick your cheek and do zoomies with you! They are willing to dust up the place when you need someone to stir up some excitement or to cuddle in close when you need it the most. They don’t care if we are tall or short; thick or thin; bald or not. What they care about is us.

Often, dogs are called “man’s best friend.” Our dogs don’t want us to change as we ring in the New Year; they want us to be part of their lives. They want to thrill us and comfort us. They want to be a part of everything we do. It doesn’t matter if we just yelled at them for a mistake on the rug (which was likely our mistake – not their mistake. Example, we were late getting home from work to let them outside). They are always willing to forgive us for yelling or being upset with them. They will be right there ready to lick your hand; all we must do is extend a caring hand to them ask them to be our friend. Our dogs are not like a relative who might bring up a moment of anger or thoughtlessness. Once a dog gives forgiveness, it is forgotten. Pleasing humans is a natural characteristic for a DOG. They really do give us their all, and they give it with all their heart. All we have to do is get to know them and build that special relationship and bond with them. Trust is a two-way street, and there is nothing better than being able to depend on a true friend. I hope to be a reflection of my DOG in 2025 and bring some much needed friendship, compassion and love into the world during 2025.

Winter wishes and things to do in 2025 from your dog’s point of view:

Support Canine Health: We can’t stop the seasons from coming and going, but we can put our best paw forward to make the best of every season. Remember, having a positive outlook on life will always have a “pawsitive” effect in our lives and those we touch. Tell your owner that the AKC Humane Fund is celebrating the human-canine bond with scholarships for students enrolled in courses that contribute to the well-being of dogs and advance responsible pet ownership.

Spring is my human’s favorite time of the year. She always has an extra “spring” in her step, and we go on so many more walks and I get to play with my new ball that was given to me during the holiday season. For your safety, don’t swallow your ball and make sure your human knows how to do the “doggie Heimlich maneuver,” just in case you do.

My human tells me she loves the new growth, the green leafing on the trees, and the grass peeking through the bits of snow. After St. Patrick’s Day, sometimes my human plants a garden, and I get to dig more holes! Ask your human if you can have a garden in 2025! I always know when St. Patrick’s Day is, because my human dresses me up in something green and takes photos.

My human must love the flowers too because she is always telling me what the different colors are and what kind of flowers they are, but I love the way the flowers smell. My human must not be able to smell very well, because she sticks her nose right into the flowers and inhales REALLY big. Next, she exhales with her eyes closed and says “aaahhhhh, that smells so good!” Even before the front door opens each morning, I can smell the rain or dew on the grass and the new blooms that have emerged with the new day. It is so hard to believe that my human can only smell some of those amazing smells when she sticks her nose deep into the flowers. In 2025, ask your human to do Scent Work with you; it is like playing hide and seek with smells and it is so much fun.

Oh, my goodness, I almost forgot, my next spring tip. My human does what she calls “spring cleaning.” Sometimes she uses those things she calls “cleaning products.” Some smell horrible to me. They make me sneeze, and my eyes burn. It is strange, because she doesn’t even seem to notice except for the time she ran me out of the house and opened all the windows and made us wait outside until it smelled better to her. Even then, it was hard for me to breath when we went back inside. So, this year be sure and ask your humans to follow the directions on the cleaning products and to make sure they are pet safe. Ask your human to let you outside prior to their deep cleaning, especially when they use “cleaning products.

Summer: I love Summer! My human takes me to a big hole filled with water that she calls the lake. I get to splash in the water and try to catch those slippery things she calls fish. I get to dig in the sand and roll on things that smell great! I don’t know why I get into trouble for rolling on a dead fish, do you? We go on long walks, and we also get to climb on rocks, but she makes me wear “doggie boots,” just in case the ground or floating dock might be too hot. Ask your human to get you some, because they will really make your feet feel good once you stop walking funny in them.

Did I tell you summer is so much fun! My human always makes me spend time in the shade or in our nice cool house, because she doesn’t want me to get too hot. Sometimes it is hard to take a break and just relax so I play in the wading pool or the sprinkler. Be sure and ask your human to spend a little extra for a durable pool and sprinkler that will hold up for years to come, because you will love it so much! There are so many fun things to do with your human outside during the summer.

What I hate about summer is she puts this stuff on my back or has me take a pill that she thinks is tasty. She tells me it is for my own good, and it will keep the ticks, fleas and mosquitoes off me. Since I don’t like those creepy things crawling all over me and biting me, I do what she asks and act like a good boy. Be sure to remind your human to protect you from the creepy crawlies. My dog Mom gets mine at AKC®Rx.

Autumn: In Fall, don’t forget to harvest those great crops you helped your human plant earlier in the year! My human tells me this is when we can literally “reap what we sow.” I am not sure what that all means, but I do love eating all the carrots, watermelons, pumpkins, tomatoes and green beans that somehow just showed up on our plants. Last year we had such an abundance that we shared our extras with some of the other people and dogs in the neighborhood. That is always fun, because I get to have a “pupdate” when we meet up with other people and their dogs. Make sure that your humans know what fruits and vegetables are dog safe, because you don’t want to end up sick. Learn which Fruits and Vegetables Dogs Can or Can’t Eat.

 

Winter: I LOVE winter, but I am not a big fan of the short days. This means way less time for me and my human to play outside, but we do get to snuggle a lot more, so I guess that is a fair trade… sometimes.

In 2025, lets promise to tune into our furry friends more often than we have in the past. It is never too late to start spending more time with them, taking them for more walks, and talking to them more often. The more you get to know them, the more they get to know you. As we run, jump, and bark through the year, let’s learn their unique body language and tell “tail” signs to make their 2025 AMAZING!

Stacy Mason is a Senior Breeder Field Representative for the American Kennel Club.