The new year is a time for reflecting, planning, and executing ideas to build better habits, make positive changes, and live life with gusto. Your resolutions have been set, and you are striving to make big changes in 2025. However, don’t forget about your puppy!
The slow days of winter after the holidays provide the perfect time for you to assess your life with your puppy to see if you need to make any changes this year. How is your current routine? Do you need to step it up as a pet owner and provide more training? Are your pet’s things a mess? Have you been meaning to get around to scheduling that booster shot for your puppy? Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over and our Christmas to-do lists are crossed off, there are lots of opportunities to start the new year off right with your pet.
The beginning of January is the perfect time to reflect on hopes and dreams for you and your puppy. Here are some ways to start the new year on the right paw with your puppy to strengthen your bond and more.
10 Ways To Begin The New Year Right With Your Puppy
No one likes to start off a new year uninspired and disorganized. Here are some tips for beginning a new year with your puppy to help you have the best year yet.
1. Set or revise your pet budget
Life with a young puppy means opening – and emptying – your wallet! Part of raising a puppy is being a financially responsible pet owner. Begin this year by setting an anticipated budget for your pet. Gather all receipts you’ve spent on vet bills, food and treats, toys, grooming, equipment like crates, leashes, and beds, fun items like accessories, anticipated surgeries like spaying or neutering, and any miscellaneous expenses associated with your pet.
Next, think about the year ahead. Will you be adding on expenses such as daycare or pet sitting? Does your dog need a routine dental cleaning for the first few times? Will you begin a new training program like puppy kindergarten or beyond?
Always remember an emergency could happen at any time, so be sure to save a chunk of money each month for surprise or emergency expenses. You may also look into pet insurance options to see if a policy would help you save money. Sadly, you may need to cut back on buying all those adorable accessories or fancy dog bakery treats!
2. Keep up with vet visits
All puppies need regular vet visits, even when they are not sick. Young puppies need 3 core vaccination rounds and additional immunizations against diseases like rabies, Lyme, and other local concerns. Ask your vet which preventative flea, tick, and heartworm medication is the right choice for your puppy, as she has grown since the last dosage. Now is the time to inquire about spaying or neutering, dental work, and other larger procedures or exams your puppy may require this year.
3. Practice cold-weather safety for puppies
Wintertime poses a unique set of challenges for puppies’ health. It’s important to know winter safety tips for puppies to keep your puppy thriving in the cold weather. The cold, dry air can cause cracked paws, irritated skin spots, or respiratory problems. If your dog stays outside too long, they run the risk of developing hypothermia in dogs. Always put your puppy in a functional sweater or coat and limit your puppy’s exposure to the elements if they have single coats. For double-coated dogs that thrive in winter, you can leave them out for longer thanks to their ability to trap warm air between coat layers. However, all dogs will need to be protected from the elements long-term.
4. Build quality bonding time
While an instant connection with your puppy can be natural, sometimes you’ll go through the “puppy blues” where everything seems harder than you thought it would be. Hang in there! The new year is a fantastic opportunity to choose some ways to bond with your puppy to connect on a deeper level. All great relationships take work, and this is work we know you won’t mind doing!
Check out some of these ideas for expressing gratitude to your puppy to show you really care about them:
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Host a Superbowl party for puppies. You can make football-shaped dog treats, accessorize your puppy in team gear, and enjoy the Puppy Bowl.
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Purchase a special new toy that encourages mental stimulation for puppies. They love solving puzzles and problem-solving!
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Pamper your pooch with a DIY spa day for puppies. Purchase dog-friendly, calming products as you help your puppy look and feel its best. Don’t forget the pawicure!
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Take your puppy around on a socialization adventure to experience new sights, sounds, people, and other animals.
5. Work on puppy socialization skills
Puppies need to learn to interact with the environment around them in a calm, neutral manner. Socializing your puppy is vital so he or she becomes a well-behaved pet around home and in public. While the weather outside may be frightful, dog-friendly businesses have events for dogs that are so delightful. Check your local indoor playspaces, agility courses, breweries, restaurants, and other businesses for opportunities for your puppy to practice manners and make new friends in the winter.
6. Cold-weather grooming tips
The new year is a great time to take a detailed look at your puppy’s winter grooming habits to see what needs to change. Many of us owners slack on brushing our furbabies, but we all need to make sure we’re brushing our puppies on the recommended schedule per their coat type to prevent painful matting, redistribute natural oils, and remove dirt and debris. Pay special attention to any allergies dry air can cause. Proper winter paw care for puppies means keeping nails short, inspecting paws for irritation or cuts from ice and chemicals, and wearing booties when appropriate.
7. Get clean and organized
Spring is just around the corner, but why wait till crocuses and daffodils bloom before you tidy up your pet’s things? The new year is a perfect time to throw out old and broken toys, wash feeding bowls, toys, and bedding, and get rid of costumes, crates, carriers, leashes, and harnesses your puppy has outgrown. Pet organization solutions for paperwork and other important items should be arranged in a neat order and kept in a central location. Papers can include proof of ownership, medical information, emergency contacts, and instructions for a dog sitter or walker.
8. Protect your puppy’s identity
Unfortunately, we may be separated from our puppies, whether they bolt out the door, get lost in the crowd, or simply disappear with you in a panic. An emergency situation is not the time to wonder if your pet’s identity is safe. Protect your puppy’s identity by microchipping them with current contact information, provide a collar with details for how to reach you, and keep a list of nearby shelters and animal rescues to call if you are separated from your puppy. You’ll be glad you organized your pet paperwork as well in the case of an emergency separation to quickly provide proof of ownership, a current picture, and vet records.
9. Buy or make new winter accessories
With the changing of the season to frigid temperatures, you need to keep your puppy warm. You can do this by searching for the best dog sweater or dog coat that fits your puppy’s size and personality. You can match with your puppy, follow trends, or celebrate the next upcoming holiday – as if you need an excuse to shop for your puppy!
10. Teach your puppy fun dog tricks
Puppies have a lot of energy and minds of their own, so we need to teach them manners and skills through basic training commands for puppies. You can enroll them in a puppy kindergarten training program or teach them on your own. Regardless of your choice, training your puppy should be an ongoing process with lots of consistency, praise, and patience.
Once your puppy has mastered 9-10 basic commands with consistent responses, add a little pizzazz to their training program. Choose a variety of fun dog tricks to teach your puppy to impress your friends at your next party. Your puppy can learn to play dead, give hugs, spin, dance, and more. Be sure to keep plenty of high-value puppy treats to encourage a quicker result!
11. Learn something new about puppies
Keep your brain fresh by learning new information about puppies and dogs. Take a virtual puppy training course to learn how to be a great leader for your puppy. Learn about cutting-edge research on animal behavior and dogs, such as breakthroughs in how dogs communicate with humans or how many words a dog can learn. Read a New York Times bestselling non-fiction book about the life and inner workings of dogs. Visit a memorial honoring war hero dogs or other dogs that have made a brave, valiant effort to protect the nation or be of service to humans.
New Year, New Pawrade Puppy
You can’t wait to begin the new year with a movie marathon with your puppy! There’s just one pesky problem – you don’t have a puppy yet! Don’t fret because Pawrade specializes in matching potential pawrents like you with trustworthy breeders who raise happy, healthy puppies. Take a look at our puppies for sale to see what type of pooch makes your tail wag!
