Okay, puppers and pupperinas, it’s the time of year for you to show who you love the most how much they mean to you, and I mean really show them. This isn’t just about being a good boy, you have to go out of your way to show your love—’tis the season for grand gestures, puppies! This year, my valentine is my hooman—I love her so much that she is my valentine every day of the dog year. These are just my go-to tricks, so feel free to put your own spin on them or come up with your own in the process.

To begin, I am on my best behavior to show my hooman that I have not forgotten all the hard work she put into making me a good boy.

DO:   

Come when called

Sit or lay down when commanded

Play nice with your brothers and sisters (hooman and/or pupper)

DON’T:

Jump when she is getting food out

Bark unnecessarily at leaves

Go potty in the house (baby puppers, you may be learning this one, but try your hardest)

I also try really hard to make my hooman’s life as easy as possible. Sometimes, when it rains and the yard is muddy I somehow get muddy, too. I don’t know how it happens—I just see a mud puddle, blackout, and suddenly i’m covered in the stuff from nose to tail. So, if that happens to you this valentine's season, make sure you shake off all the mud and water you can outside. Don’t wait till you are inside to shake and get mud all over the walls. And, when you bark at your hooman to let you outside and they open the door for you, don’t immediately bark for them to let you back in. These seem like small things, but trust me, your hooman will be grateful—even if they don’t realize it immediately, they will notice you are being extra polite and maybe give you extra treats. WOOF!

Finally, when I want to show my hooman that she has all of my love, I snuggle, snuggle, snuggle. My hooman spends a lot of time staring at moving pictures on a big, black rectangle in our living room. So, when she gets all comfy with her blanket and hot chocolate, I jump on the couch, lick her face, and lay right across her lap to make sure she sees the love I have for her in my puppy-dog eyes.

*****And hoomans, don’t forget to keep any and all chocolate (even white chocolate) out of your pups reach. In addition to chocolate, your puppers are allergic to macadamia nuts, almonds, and cinnamon.*****