Happy New Year!

/Tis the season to make resolutions.

This is a good time of year to resolve to be a better dog owner. The best way to do that is to understand what "better" means to your dog.

You may be surprised at the answer. We both seem to want the same things in our daily lives, but we prioritize them differently.

The biggest difference is in our needs for exercise and affection. Humans need love and affection to thrive. Exercise is a healthy addition, but we often live without it.

Dogs need exercise daily to thrive, while affection is a bonus.

Since most of us have the day off, let/s look at the difference in your needs today in relation to your dog/s. You probably hoped to sleep in, enjoying this second holiday in a week.

Although you may have woken up early from the pitter-patter of little feet or paws, you probably would have appreciated more pillow time.

Dogs do not appreciate the value of sleeping late. I train all my canine house guests to sleep in, but I/m not convinced they truly appreciate the value of it!

Your dog, unless she is very old or weighs less than a loaf of bread, would prefer to get up with the sun and after a very big stretch, go for a run in the wilderness.

Exercise is critical to your dog/s well being. Under-exercised dogs can suffer from increased anxiety, destructive behavior, general bad manners and even aggression.

Being in a big back yard rarely matters. It/s not the size of your yard that counts; it/s how hard your dog/s heart pumps when she/s in it.

A tired dog is a well-behaved dog. In some cases, simply increasing a dog/s exercise will solve a behavior problem.

Affection is far down the priority list for our canine companions, coming after exercise, food and water.

Imagine you offered your dog an hour sitting quietly on your lap or an hour walking, chasing a ball or running outside. The time outside would win paws down.

Housedogs rarely suffer from a lack of affection. In fact, most of them are drowning in it! We pet them, kiss them, and give them treats just because they look at us with those big brown eyes.

Dogs appreciate affection and they aren/t embarrassed when you kiss them in public. This is a nice bonus for those of us with teenage children.

Yet despite our best intentions, all the love and affection in the world will not keep our dogs behaviorally or physically happy.

If you are a lover and not an exerciser, consider throwing a ball for your dog or taking her to the dog park. If you go the dog park, watch the dogs playing in the park and make sure they are playing nicely before you enter.

If you would like to read more about dog park safety, go to my Web site and click on the "Published Articles" link.

You may also consider enrolling your dog in a training program to stimulate her. Obedience training, tricks training and agility are all great ways to exercise your dog and keep her happy.

Running your dog through an agility course is also great exercise for people.

Remember to include your dog in your New Year/s resolutions. She/ll make sure you keep your resolve this year.

* Barbara Burgess owns and operates Happy Tails to You, a dog-training and behavioral counseling center specializing in positive-reinforcement training. She lectures on bite prevention and understanding dog behavior. You can reach her by calling 938-5600 or visiting HappyTailsToYou.com.

Jan. 1, 2005