At the beginning of each year, many of us humans make resolutions to start the new year as better people. We have good intentions and want to become the best possible version of ourselves. When making these resolutions, our objective is to improve ourselves. For many of us though, our resolute goals falter somewhere in late January or February.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if our dogs wanted to have a fresh start as well to be able to create less angst for us? Let’s face it, our perfect pooches can be less than perfect. Perhaps the following resolutions might be contemplated by man’s best friend as the new year commences:
- I RESOLVE not to chew my human’s furniture (including table legs, couch cushions, etc.).
- I RESOLVE to not bark incessantly at every sound or movement; the Amazon delivery person, the mailman, a child riding a bicycle, another dog that dares to cross into my yard or pretty much anything that moves…
- I RESOLVE, that no matter how tempting it is, I will not jump onto the kitchen counter to retrieve a tasty morsel or rummage in the trash can.
- I RESOLVE not to dig yet another hole in the yard (or anywhere else for that matter).
- I RESOLVE not to pull on the leash while on a walk.
- I RESOLVE not to flip over my very full water bowl.
- I RESOLVE to find a hard surface, and not my owner’s bedspread or white carpet, when I need to upchuck my dinner.
- I RESOLVE to practice meditation rather than experience separation anxiety when left home alone.
- I RESOLVE not to bite, growl, resource guard, chase, or act aggressively toward the cat.
As silly as it is to think that our dog would make resolutions, we could learn a thing or two from them as we look toward the new year. When we inevitably fail in our resolve, we often feel frustrated and disappointed with ourselves. This negativity is not good for our soul. Even though there is ultimately something each of us could do to improve ourselves, we should be satisfied with who we are; our friends, our quirky relatives, our financial status, our personality, and, yes, even our weight.
We can learn from the example that our dogs set for us. For them, each day is a new beginning, a fresh opportunity to be happy, and they accept us as we are. Our dog loves us unconditionally and forgives us for our shortcomings… every single day.
