New Year’s Resolutions for 2012

According to USA.gov, 13 New Year’s resolutions are popular year after year. What’s amazing is that many of these resolutions would be supported *if* there were more dogs in people’s lives! Let’s see how, by reading the wisdom of some “experts”!

• Get Fit – get a dog. “Ever wonder where you’d end up if you took your dog for a walk and never once pulled back on the leash?” (attributed to Robert Brault)
• Manage Stress – get a dog. “You can say any fool thing to a dog, and the dog will give you this look that says ‘My God, you’re RIGHT! I NEVER would’ve thought of that!‘” (attributed to Dave Barry)
• Drink Less Alcohol – get a dog. “A dog will treat you better than anyone you’ll meet at happy hour. Trust me. I’ve been to happy hour!” (author unknown)
• Quit Smoking – get a dog. You’ll spend time walking the dog, playing with the dog, and petting the dog – no time for lighting up meaningless cigarettes!
• Eat Healthy Food – get a dog. “A piece of grass a day keeps the vet away” (author unknown) sounds a lot like the proverbial apple a day keeping the doctor away!
• Get a Better Education – get a dog. “A boy can learn a lot from a dog; obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning around three times before lying down.” (attributed to Robert Benchley)
• Lose Weight – get a dog. “If your dog is fat, you aren’t getting enough exercise.” (author unknown) Just like people, obesity in dogs lays the foundation for disease and illness.
• Manage Debt – get a dog. “No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.” (attributed to Louis Sabin, All About Dogs as Pets)
• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – get a dog. Visit the blog “Raise a Green Dog!” and get some tips for having a healthier, happier pup and environment!
• Volunteer to Help Others – help a rescue group! “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” (attributed to Mahatma Gandhi)
• Take a Trip – get a dog for motivation to take more trips. “To a dog, motoring isn’t just a way of getting from here to there. It’s also a thrill and an adventure. The mere jingle of car keys is enough to send most any dog into a whimpering, tail-wagging frenzy.” (attributed to Jon Winokur)
• Get a Better Job – get a dog. “Be on your guard against a silent dog and still water.” (Latin Proverb) Don’t tolerate sameness!
• Save Money – get a dog. “No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.” (attributed to Louis Sabin, All About Dogs as Pets)

What are YOUR resolutions for 2012? Do you have markers for them so that you can monitor how you’re doing along the way as the days in 2012 count down to 2013? Have you made specific and manageable tasks that move you along the way of achieving and maintaining your resolution?

One of my resolutions, as one of the folks who blogs, does the website, and uses Facebook on behalf of Real Good Dog Rescue, is to do something on social media on behalf of the group each day of 2012. Sort of like the goals of people who take pictures each day of the year and post those (the 365 photo project). Instead of a photo a day to chronicle life or a story, do a type of social media each day to keep our rescue group’s efforts visible, tangible, and real to those of you who follow our social media.

We would love to have you help us in our efforts to help more dogs and puppies avoid a life in shelters or a life cut short by euthanasia. Could one of YOUR resolutions for 2012 be to do something to help us in our efforts to help more? Could you make a resolution to help out in some way with some group or animal shelter to do some small thing each day to make the needs of a deserving animal visible so that their chances of adoption are increased?

We challenge each of you to sort out how you can be involved in a REGULAR and SYSTEMATIC way to help – someone, some way, every day. We know it can be done. It can be manageable. And we can make a difference.

On behalf of our 4 dogs (Pyper the Basset Hound, Cheryl the Collie Mix, Tipper the Border Collie Mix, Jessie Wiggles the Corgi/Sheltie Mix) we wish you well in YOUR efforts! And we’ll be sure to report on OUR efforts! ~Jerry & Cindy Russell

Tags: help us!