2024 is just around the corner, which means it’s time to plan your New Year’s Resolutions! As pet owners ourselves, we love to think of fun things to do with our pets and ways to include our dogs and cats in our resolutions.
For fellow pet owners needing some inspiration for 2024 goals, we’ve put together 24 tail wagging, pet-friendly New Year’s resolutions and fun activities pet owners can do with their cat or dog!
P.S. If you decide to do any of these New Year’s resolutions with your pets, we’d love to see your and your pet’s progress! Tag @boneandbiscuit in your social media posts, and use the hashtag #boneandbiscuit2024 so we see it and reshare it!
Take A Look At Bone & Biscuit’s New Year’s Pet Resolutions For Pet Owners And Their Dogs Or Cats Below:
1. Commit To Daily Runs With Your Dog
A daily run with your dog will not only get you more fit if that’s a goal you want, but also help keep your dog more active, and be a great daily bonding activity. Dogs require at least 15 minutes of proper exercise every day, and a short or long run with your furry best friend is a great way to ensure they get it!
2. Teach Your Dog A New Trick Every Month
Try teaching your dog (or cat, if they’re so inclined!) a new trick every month or more, as it’s a great mental exercise for your pet. Plus, you can show off their new skills like the proud pet parent you are! This is also a great resolution if you have a new puppy in the family.
3. Practice Daily Gratitude With Your Pets
We always recommend that pet owners practice gratitude to keep the paw-sitivity flowing. You can do this by providing extra affection and cuddles to your cat or dog, or even keeping a gratitude journal with daily entries about your gratefulness for your pet.
4. Try Bird-Watching With Your Cat For Fun Mental Stimulation
Looking for ways to bond more with your cat? Set up a birdfeeder or birdbath near a window your cat likes to sit by, and start birdwatching with your cat! We also recommend setting up a comfy perch for them by their birdwatching spot to make it extra special.
5. Add 15 Minutes To Your Daily Dog Walks Or Visits To The Dog Park
Depending on your schedule, adding 15 minutes to your daily walks with your dog will increase your and your dog’s daily exercise routine, help you spend more time outside, and add extra time to your day bonding with your pup. Bonus points if you can make it a phone-free walk and not look at your phone to really focus on your pet on your long walk of the day!
6. Do Regular Massage Sessions For Your Dog Or Cat
Who doesn’t love a good massage? We recommend planning a regular massage session for your cat or dog as a New Year’s goal for 2024! This will be great bonding time and for stress relief with your furry friends to help them relax, too.
7. Join A Dog Meet-Up or Group Dog Walk At Your Local Dog Park
If you’re looking to make new friends this year, pet owners can try joining a dog meet-up or group dog walk this year with your dog! It’s a great way for both you AND your dog to be more social (just make sure your dog is okay in busier environments with other dogs first, as not all dogs suit this 2024 resolution).
8. Set Up the Perfect “Safe Space” For Your Dog Or Cat
Do you have a more anxious cat or pup? Focus some time in 2024 to set up a safe space for your pet, like a cozy den area with a comfy bed and their favourite toys, your cat’s favourite cardboard boxes (we know how much our cats love them!), a new cat perch in a quiet spot, or even dedicate a room for their own private time at home. Some dogs and cats need a quiet area to de-compress and feel safe, and this is a good addition to your home to have year-round.
9. Take A Monthly Pet Photo And Make A 2024 Album
We love being able to look back on the year, especially when it includes adorable pet photos! Commit to taking a new pet photo every month (or more, because we know you’ll want to) and make a 2024 pet photo album at the end of the year to look back on.
10. Plan A Dog Friendly Vacation In 2024
A New Year’s resolution to plan a vacation is always great, so why not make it planning a dog friendly vacation this year? Camping trips, a road trip to a pet friendly hotel, or visiting the most popular dog parks in your province are always a great way to include your pup in a vacation!
11. Set A Regular Cleaning Schedule For Your Pet’s Things
We get it, it’s easy to forget to clean your pet’s things sometimes! We think a great goal to set for yourself is to set up a regular cleaning schedule to tackle your pet’s toys, litter boxes, beds and dishes, and any other pet things you can think of (you need to clean them more than you think!) This will help keep your pet (and home) happier, healthier, and cleaner in 2024.
12. Plan A Regular “Adventure Day” For You And Your Pet
Life shouldn’t just be about the mundane things! A great New Year’s goal to commit to is planning a regular “Adventure Day” for you and your pet! From hiking new areas or a dog friendly boat ride to trying a new dog friendly restaurant with a pet-friendly patio, committing to adventure in 2024 with your pet is a fun resolution to try.
13. Visit Your Local Bone & Biscuit with Your Dog Or Other Local Pet-Friendly Businesses To Participate In Local Events
Many of our Bone & Biscuit stores, along with lots of other local businesses, work hard to plan pet-friendly events! These pet-friendly events include Customer Appreciation Days, grand openings, holiday season events, and more. To get more involved in your community, we think trying to go to more of the local pet-friendly events and dog activities with your pup happening near you is a wonderful New Year’s resolution for 2024. Make sure to follow your local Bone & Biscuit on social media to stay up to date on the latest events happening near you. You can find their contact details and social media handles through our store directory.
14. Do A Deep Dive Into Your Pet’s Food And Treats To See If You Should Switch To Healthier Options
We can always commit to choosing healthier options! A resolution you can try in 2024 is researching your pet’s food and treats, and collaborating with your local Bone & Biscuit and veterinarian to see if your dog or cat needs a diet update to something healthier for them.
15. Build A Pet Friendly Veggie Garden
Setting a goal to build your own vegetable garden or planter box is a productive and fun way to get outdoors and grow your own food, so why not make it extra fun and include your pets? Plan to grow dog or cat-friendly veggies and plants, like catnip, pumpkins, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and blueberries are some of the great options you can grow for your pet friendly garden. We recommend researching and avoiding non-pet-safe plants as well to make it extra pet-friendly!
16. Add Dedicated Daily Bonding Time With Your Pet
Spending time with your pet is extremely important for mental stimulation and your pet’s emotional (and physical!) well being. It also helps to make training easier and ensures you have a strong connection with your furry family member. Plus, we think it’s a lovely way to spend your day! You can add quality time through fun activities with your pet like interactive playtime with puzzle toys, tug of war games, play fetch with tennis balls or dog toys, obedience training, cuddle sessions, watching shows, hide and seek games, for example – it’s truly just about connecting with your cat or dog more! We also recommend doing similar bonding activities with your friends and family.
17. Explore Your Neighbourhood Or City More With Your Pet
New to your area, or haven’t had much of a chance to get to know your community? Making a resolution to explore your neighbourhood with your dog is a great way to spend time with your pet and get more involved with your community. These can be as simple as daily strolls around your neighbourhood, visiting the local dog park, eating at a dog friendly restaurant near you, or participating or planning community pet-friendly events and activities.
18. Set Up A Regular Grooming Routine For Your Pet
Grooming your dog or cat properly is important not just for looks, but also for their comfort and health. Making a New Year’s resolution to schedule routine grooming is a great way to make sure it’s done properly. Regular coat brushings, baths, nail trimmings, teeth brushing, or pet hair trims with your local groomer are all key for dogs and cats (depending on their coat, age, and health).
19. Make A Dance Routine with Your Dog!
This 2024 resolution is all about having fun and being silly with your dog! Plus, it can be a great learning experience for both you and your pet. And who doesn’t love to watch their dog nail a dance routine?
20. Book Your Veterinarian Checkups
A great way to ensure you don’t forget to book your dog or cat’s important vet checkups and appointments is to make it a New Year’s Resolution for 2024! This will help ensure you don’t miss important visits with your veterinarian, and help you stay on top of your pet’s health.
21. Join An Obedience, Agility Or Yoga Class With Your Dog
For added exercise and fun with your dog, why not join an obedience, agility or yoga class? Whether you want to learn new tricks with your pet, find ways to use up more of their energy, or simply want a new activity to try with your pup, joining a dog class with them is a New Year’s goal we think everyone should try! If you need help finding the right agility or obedience classes, our Bone & Biscuit store owners can help guide you to the right one.
22. Get A Car Seat, Harness Or Safe Area Set Up For Travelling With Your Pet
Your and your pet’s safety is extremely important when travelling in a vehicle, which is why this 2024 goal is so important. Get a cat or dog car seat, a special car crash-tested harness, or set up a secured kennel in the back of your vehicle to keep your furry family members extra safe while travelling if you don’t have these already.
23. Take Your Cat Or Dog For Professional Teeth Cleaning
Along with regular tooth brushing, we think taking your pet for a deep teeth cleaning is a great goal to set for 2024. If you can take your pet multiple times throughout the year, even better. Many of our Bone & Biscuit stores hold teeth cleaning events throughout the year (so follow your closest location on social media to stay tuned), or we can recommend a local service for dogs or cats near you!
24. Plan Fun Things To Do & Safe Ways To Include Your Pet In Major Holidays
We love spending the holidays with our pets, so why not find more fun (& safe) ways to include them in the festivities in 2024? This can include making cute Christmas cards with photos of your pets, celebrating your pet’s birthday, setting up an Easter egg hunt just for your dog or cat, picking out a pet Halloween costume, or making a special festive meal for your pet for the holidays. This 2024 resolution is perfect for making your and your pet’s year extra special!
25. Bonus: Volunteer At Your Local Animal Shelter Or Rescue
One of our favourite classic resolutions is to give back to our communities. We think volunteering at your local animal shelter or rescue a 2024 goal is an excellent resolution for the New Year. While this doesn’t necessarily include your own pet, you can help dogs and cats in need find their fur-ever homes, and we think that’s a wonderful goal to set in 2024! If you’re looking for local shelters and rescues near you, many of our stores work closely with local organizations and would be happy to help you find the right one.
Here’s To 2024 New Year’s Resolutions With Your Pets: Happy New Year From Our Pack To Yours!
Happy 2024, everyone!
Whether you want to plan a road trip with your dog, join some obedience classes, play more with your dogs or cats, start including your pet in your new fitness routine, or try to plan other fun things to do with your pet this year, we hope you have fun setting new goals for the new year you can do with your furry best friend.
If you decide to try any of these tail wagging New Year’s resolutions, tag our account @boneandbiscuit in your social media posts with your dogs or cats so we can help cheer you and your pets on!
*Disclaimer: The contents of this blog post, such as any graphics, images, text and other material contained on this site are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian with any questions you may have regarding your pet’s medical condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
If you think your pet has a medical emergency, call or visit your veterinarian or your local veterinary emergency hospital immediately. Reliance on any information appearing on this website is at your own risk. If you have medical concerns or need advice for your dog or cat, please seek out your closest holistic or integrative veterinarian.
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