Dejected by global events over which we have little or no control, many of us are poised to toss 2021 into the trash heap and wrap our hopes around 2022.
But as we do, it may be wise to recall what we’d like to change about ourselves and our corner of the world. Perhaps some of these to-dos are last year’s resolutions, kick started by good intentions only to to be scrapped under the weight of more “pressing” issues.
Some say it takes at least a couple of months practice to build a habit from a vow. I’ve done so in much shorter time frames — and have failed to do so given twice the time. Each year I vow to be an even better pet parent to our Lilly, the Boston terrier; extending steps into strides or putting just one creaky foot forward. Here are some ways I’m hoping to do better by our little girl:
Up her play game. Lilly’s defaults tend to be fetch and tug-of-war (between which she throttles the object of her attention). I indulge these favorites, but have slacked off on others like “find it,” hide-and-seek, the shell game and “going to school” (laying out three to five familiar toys and having her pick the one I name). Cognitive specialists and trainers agree that varying activities — and even switching between activities every few minutes — enhances cognition.
Include her in more activities. Now that Lilly is a bona fide service dog (at least according to the U.S. Department of Transportation), doors are open to her that were previously shut. Since landing her credentials, Lilly has dined indoors with us at restaurants (paws off the table, of course) and browsed the lower shelves at boutiques (it helps that Portland is Uber pet-friendly). Lilly’s life-scape can stretch much farther than our condo walls and our city’s sidewalks.
Create opportunities for her to make new friends. Lilly’s reactivity to other dogs has decreased markedly in the past year, though she’s yet to scale the meet and greet hurdle. She’s come close once or twice, but social distancing (and winter’s chill) limit canine mixers. Should spring see a welcome COVID recession, we might enlist a dog-parent neighbor or two to participate in parallel walking exercises with Lilly. Perhaps intermediate training sessions are next.
Change up chow time. We’ve been lazy. With all the human-grade (and reasonably-priced) food options out there, we’ve relied on one or two fallbacks when Lilly gets bored. Pets may have fewer taste buds than humans, but this doesn’t prevent their falling into a culinary rut. Fanning out Lilly’s nutritive spectrum may stave off food allergies, promote better digestion and rotate vital nutrients over time. A scrambled egg over kibble can be a morale booster.
Volunteer for an animal shelter or welfare group. During last summer’s scorcher, Susan and I dispensed food and water to homeless people and their pets. I’ve vowed since to take my actions a step further, but haven’t done so. I’ve been waiting for that “convenient” time which, by design, never arrives. Meanwhile, countless human’s and animal’s lives are mired in miseries that put my inconveniences to shame. I can choose to change that in my own, small way.
Let’s see how I can build habits from my vows.
How would you like to be a better pet parent in 2022?