The new year is upon us, and with it comes the usual resolutions. Many people use it as an opportunity to improve themselves. Maybe they want to finally start going to the gym, or maybe just binge watch that one obscure TV show that everyone at work talks about. Who knows? The possibilities for a New Year’s resolution are completely limitless. 

However, some people (myself included) enjoy the annual challenge of setting up a New Year’s resolution that not only involves themselves but their dogs, as well. Before my dog, Daisy passed away from old age, I frequently tried to include her in my various New Year’s resolution antics. After all, she was my best friend and there is a certain inexplicable joy in having your dog by your side as you attempt to achieve a greater goal together. Here are some New Year's resolutions that can be done with your best friend.

What Kind Of New Year’s Resolutions Can I Do With My Dog?

Many people will take their dogs along with them when doing physical activities such as running or hiking, in an attempt to get into better shape. This might include jogging in the morning when the sun is still down (like a crazy person if you ask. I don’t know why, but I always see people out in the morning running with their dogs. Admittedly, I used to do this when I was young and fit like a Greek statue. But as I have aged, I suppose that I've lost any understanding of why people do this, along with all of my muscle tone. My dog Daisy and I used to run in the park by my house, but I think we both realized that neither of us were getting anything out of jogging in freezing temperatures, and we quit after a few months. I guess we preferred to sleep in.

Perhaps your New Year’s goal is to diet with your dog. Maybe you both need to cut the calories and want to start living your best life by choosing healthier options. I also admittedly tried to diet with my dog, and it didn’t end well. It turns out that dog food does not taste that great to humans. Even if it’s labeled as “delicious turkey and gravy,” I would strongly advise against trying to eat your dog’s food. Seriously, do not try this. There are few things in life as vile to human tongues and it's not worth the curiosity. I find it unfair that dogs really seem to love human food, but we humans can’t seem to enjoy dog food. Maybe someday that will change, but it doesn’t look like it’ll be anytime soon.

However, if you want to start your dog on a diet, be sure to look into transitioning them to a raw food diet. We’ve got great options and we even have a calculator to help design a personalized meal plan for your dog. Learn more about feeding raw here.

Lastly, if you really want to involve your dog in your New Year’s resolution, you can always try to teach your dog how to play a musical instrument. When my beautiful dog, Daisy, was still alive, I used to try and get her to sing and play the piano, because I wanted us to be a viral sensation. 

I tried teaching her by pushing her paws on the piano keys and then trying to get her to howl. I’d play siren sounds of other dog’s howling, but she always seemed more interested in the treats I had on the side that were meant for rewarding her for good behavior. 

This went as well as you would think and I gave up after a few minutes. She got into the treats and ran away and hid in her bed. We never tried to play the piano together again, but the memory of my dog and I bonding over the failed New Year’s resolution was well worth the effort.

In the end, if you want to involve your dog in your New Year’s resolution, then it’s time to get creative. There are a ton of excellent options for you to choose from when it comes to New Years and your dog. Running is a great way to exercise and get into shape. Just make sure that you don’t give up and choose to sleep in as Daisy and I did. And definitely don’t make your New Year’s resolution to teach your dog to cook as I did. Trust me, that does not work, but that’s a story for another time.

Happy New Year to you and your fur baby!