New Years Rawsolutions

How to simply incorporate some fresh food and exercise into your pet’s lifestyle.

The new year’s resolution is a 4000-year-old tradition beginning with the Ancient Babylonians, and still practiced today by nearly half of North Americans. It’s a time that we look back on the previous year and vow to make positive change. We make personal goals to drink less coffee and read more books, purchase gym memberships to get more physically active, and increase focus on making healthier food choices. But what about our pets? What small changes can we make to improve the next 365 days for them? The great news is that some very small changes in diet and exercise can impact their emotional and physical health, with life-long effects.

What goes in is fuel for the body and mind – our food choices affect more than a number on the scale. A diet full of highly-processed, pre-packaged, calorically-dense and nutrient sparse foods can lead to pain and inflammation of joints and tissues, nutrient deficiencies, diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and more. We know that fresh, nutritious, balanced food choices are more are important – we use apps like Yukaor refer to the Nova food chart to help us make better choices for ourselves, for our health. Our pets can hugely benefit from a diet that includes fresh food. A study by DogRisk out of the University of Helsinki shows that as little as 20% fresh food incorporated into a pet’s diet has incredible health benefits – from reducing the risk of developing allergies and hip dysplasia, to skin conditions and periodontal disease to prevalence of cancer markers.

So, the next time you’re offering a treat, think about how important and beneficial fresh foods can be and make some simple swaps. Here are just a few ideas:

Tip: Save all pet-safe vegetable scraps, freeze them until you have a good amount. Whip them up in your blender or food processor to make an antioxidant and nutrient rich smoothie. An added benefit is additional moisture and healthy prebiotic fibre. A great topper for any pet food diet.

Now we see how simple it can be to improve the diet portion of the health equation, even if switching to a completely raw diet isn’t possible. But what about exercise? When the weather isn’t cooperative, or time doesn’t allow for as much activity as your dog is used to or needs, we’re going to show you how mealtimes can be dual purpose – meeting your dog’s nutrition and physical activity needs at the same time!

Chew or Meal Bones

Difficulty Level: Easy

Time Commitment: Low

For most Canadians, exercise for ourselves and our pets, isn’t very appealing during the snowy winter months – we’d much rather hibernate on the couch! And most pets are happy to join us. Adding exercise to our pet’s day doesn’t have to be a grand or difficult gesture, or even involve hours spent outside – mental stimulation can be just as beneficial as an hour-long walk.

The most convenient way to incorporate some mental stimulation is by offering a raw, frozen or slightly thawed bone as a meal replacement or recreational chew. Chewing is an enjoyable and instinctual behaviour for dogs and has great benefit for their mental and physical well-being. Holding and chewing a bone engages the mind much more than emptying out a food bowl. Offering bones regularly, only 2-3 times per week, can help to keep teeth and gums clean which keeps breath fresh and reduces the risk of dental disease.

Serving bones frozen extends chew time for most pets. And when in doubt, size up to ensure the bone can’t be swallowed whole.

For more about feeding bones, check out a previous blog post: Give the dog (and cat) a bone!

Lick Mats or Slow Feeders

Difficulty Level: Medium

Time Commitment: Low

Another convenient way to increase the interactivity of mealtimes is by using lick mats or slow feeders. SodaPup, available in our online store, has several options for dogs of all sizes and with varying difficulty levels. Using the raw meal you were going to feed anyway, fill an eBowl, eMat, eTray, or Honey Pot to make meal time a fun game.

Tip: Re-freeze for increased difficulty.

Not only for raw feeders – use the SodaPup toys for those healthy toppers like goat milk, quail eggs, or fruit and vegetable side dishes.

Interactive Puzzle Toys or Snuffle Mats

Difficulty Level: Hard

Time Commitment: Moderate

These types of slow feeders aren’t typically designed for raw food however they can be a life-saver for high-energy dogs when time or weather don’t permit the usual activities that keep their athletic minds and bodies active. Small, high quality, treats like Slobbers or Hero Mini Treat Bones, are hidden in compartments or scattered on the mat and require nose-work to find and then some extra mental and physical effort, to get the reward.There can be a learning curve for some interactive slow feeders, and they may require supervision for the overly eager or hungry pup, or until they get the hang of it.

Tip: Treats in a rolled or folded up towel makes use of what you have on hand, offering the same benefit!

A few things to keep in mind: Pets should always be supervised when consuming any bones, treats, or food.

A dog is a born athlete – though some are content to laze around, physical exercise is very important to their overall health and the above options shouldn’t be considered to replace physical exercise.

The final two options definitely require a higher time and effort commitment from you but are great options to get more active with your dog and strengthen your bond while meeting their physical need for exercise.

Indoor Exercise & Games

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Time Commitment: Moderate

The options in this category are nearly endless –tug of war, treat hunt, and hide and seek require minimal equipment and very little preparation. If you have a bit more time and space you could set up an obstacle or agility course, do some balance and mobility exercises on uneven surfaces – it’s a gym workout for your dog!Alternatively, if you have the space in your home, and a moderate budget, a doggie treadmill is the supreme energy-burner for those dogs that seem to never tire. Check online marketplaces for a good deal.

Trick Training / Games

Difficulty Level: Moderate to High

Time Commitment: High

Trick training can be as simple or complex as you like and can be a super-fun way to get more active with your pet and strengthen your bond in a new and meaningful way. If you have a pet registered with the Canadian Kennel Club, you can work toward earning Trick Dog Titles, one trick at a time.The Do More with Your Dog - Trictionary! is a great tool to help you get started and offers trick ideas and tutorials ranging in difficulty from Novice to Expert.

Organized Dog Sports

Difficulty Level: Hard

Time Commitment: High

Finally, organized dog sports like Agility, Barn Hunt, Flyball, or Dock Diving (and many others), are offered year-round and are great exercise for human and canine alike, and are gaining popularity among pet parents. Though these sports do require more time, effort, and expense than the above options, the rewards are unmatched. If you don’t know where to start, join a Facebook group or locate a local dog sports club and they’ll get you started – the love of the dog unites us all!

Feeding games doesn’t replace exercise – it can be supplementary to their physical exercise needs.

As we welcome 2025, let’s aim to be as resolute about the choices we make for our pets’ health as we are for our own. Cutting back on processed foods and adding more fun ways to keep them active and mentally engaged can make a big difference. The best part? These changes don’t have to be huge or happen overnight—small steps in the right direction all work toward the end goal of a healthier and happier pet.