January is a good time to remind dogs of their important role in caring for their humans.  It is good to have a consistent plan to meet their needs, and this holds especially true during the winter months.

Exercise: Humans need plenty of exercise to burn off extra energy otherwise it could lead to unwanted behavior.  So it is good to make sure you take your Mom and Dad for long walks daily.  In the winter they may try to resist due to temperatures dipping below freezing, bitter winds, and two feet of freshly fallen snow on the ground.  So you may need to get creative in convincing them to leave the house.  I find holding my leash in my mouth while looking up at them with my big brown eyes works wonders for motivation.  But must confess when all else fails, running wildly around the house has also worked to get them to accompany me on a walk.

Diet: It is easy for humans to overeat especially during the winter.  Don’t be fooled by your parents’ insistence that it is for hibernation purposes.  Humans can’t hibernate no matter how much they want to do it!  Therefore it is your responsibility as their dog to make them feel as guilty as possible when they are indulging in unhealthy food.  How do you know if a food is unhealthy?  If they will not share it with you!  For example, fruits and veggies are quite healthy, so your parent is more likely to share a bite of them with you while snacking.  Versus desserts like cake and cookies which they will never share.  If you see them eating something that they shouldn’t be, remind them with loud whimpering, annoying flips of their arm with your nose, and if all else fails lick the offending food so they will no longer want to eat it.  I know that isn’t the healthiest option for you, but sometimes you just have to take one for the team to ensure your humans’ good health.

Socialization: Humans need socialization in order to become well adjusted citizens.  The lack of sufficient socialization can lead to unwanted and often embarassing behavior in public.  In the summer this is easy to accomplish by taking your parents to parks, beaches and other outdoor areas where dogs are welcome to bring their human companions.  However in the winter this does become more challenging.  I suggest contacting your local doggie daycares to see if they have playtimes open to the public.  This way you can watch your Mom and Dad make new friends, while you enjoy hanging out with fellow canines.  Pet stores are also a good place to bring them during the winter months.  Your parents can chat with the employees while purchasing you new squeaky toys.

Stimulation:  Just like dogs, humans can get bored.  Therefore, it is good to stimulate your parents’ minds.  Most humans enjoy one on one attention, so if you see them watching TV, reading or napping, try to redirect their focus to you.  This can best be accomplished by encouraging them to play with a loud squeaky toy.  In addition it is good to give them tasks to do.  A game that I like to play with my humans is hide their shoes.  Although timing on this needs to be considered because if they are late for work they tend to get frustrated with this challenge.

Rewards:  Finally, as a dog it is your responsibility to encourage your Mom and Dad’s self-esteem.  We all know that dogs are the ones in charge, but from time to time it is important for your human to feel empowered.  So respond positively to their silly commands like sit, wait, and heel.  Perhaps even let them think like they’ve truly accomplished something by allowing them to “teach” you a new trick.  The key though is to give your humans all the love and kisses they want afterwards, so that they walk away from the experience feeling good.