Some may have heard that dogs resemble their owners, but now pets are behaving similarly to their humans.
Gillian Trudeau
People are being weighed down by the epidemic and the chilly weather.
Their dogs are also affected.
"They absolutely take on our qualities and energy," Katherine Andres, owner of animalpsychologycenter.com, said. "They read our thoughts, and dogs are extremely adept at that."
According to a recent poll, 36% of dogs gained weight during the epidemic, with 56% of owners claiming their pet's weight gain was connected to their own.
However, as the New Year approaches, people are making resolutions, and the best way to keep them is to do it with a buddy, preferably a furry one.
"Many times, the person who owns the dog begins to become healthier because they begin to go to the dog park, they begin to go on walks along Canyon creek and make friends, meet people, and their dog begins to make friends," Andrews explained.
Exercise is a common New Year's resolution for people, and it's also a good idea for your dog.
"Find interesting activities to do with your dog outside," Andrews said. "I have a customer that runs on the treadmill with their dog, and they have another treadmill that the dog runs on since we have a lot of cold weather."
Alternatively, if your 2022 goal is to spend more time with friends and be more sociable, and your dog can help you do this.
"You can involve the kids in playdates with friends who have dogs," Andrews said. "Go to parks; we have a fantastic dog park here, one of the best I've seen in the country."
Perhaps you want to learn a new trick, and your dog can help you.
However, no matter what your New Year's resolve is, it doesn't have to be difficult.
Owners and dogs may go swimming, hiking, bicycling, rollerblading, and many other activities to stay active on a regular basis, according to Andrews.
After you've gotten started, your furry friend may become your new trainer.
"Once it becomes a pattern, your dog will not allow you break it because they will sit by the door, staring you down, and one of the nice things about dogs is that they are creatures of habit just like humans, and once you start anything with them, they will be quite persistent," Andrews said.
