Plus 004:

The New Year Experience

See

Light in Motion

Who doesn’t love watching light moving through nature. You will love it. Your pets will love it even more.

See more

Hear

Pawdcast: Our Favorite Shadows

Joined by Shadow expert, Kristan Sargeant, we explore unspoken pet wisdom.

Hear more

Smell

The Scent of a Fresh Start

For our pets, scent is how the world makes sense. It’s how they recognize home.

Smell more

Taste

Recipe: Star Brights

As always, we bring you a yummy treat that is pet-friendly… and let’s be honest, perfectly ok to sneak a treat for yourself! 

Taste more

Touch

The New Year Stretch Ritual

Movement is medicine. Here’s a fun and healthy ritual to start your year.

Touch more

6th Sense

Capricorn pet-o-scope

Happy birthday, Capricorn! You lead with consistency. You’re observant and discerning. Let’s see what the stars say…

Sense more

Your Q&A

Dr. Kevin Says…

We thought we might bring you a few Q&A’s from Dr. Kevin this month. Tux, our Chief Feline Officer, has approved.

Ask more

You made it! Welcome to Palms & Paws+ and to The New Year Experience.

There is something quietly powerful about a new year. Not because everything suddenly changes, but because it gives us a moment to pause, look around, and choose how we want to move forward.

Our pets already know this rhythm.

They greet each day with openness. They forgive quickly. They return to joy without hesitation. They do not overthink beginnings. They simply step into them, nose first, whiskers forward, heart open.

This month is an invitation to do the same. Will you join us?

Here at Palms & Paws, we believe that optimism is not a personality trait. It is a practice. It is built through small moments of connection, steady care, and the deep bond we share with the animals who trust us completely.

Palms & Paws+ exists to extend the care, wisdom, and presence of our Veterinary Center into everyday life. Into mornings. Into walks. Into quiet evenings on the couch. Into the ordinary moments that shape a good year.

So settle in. Invite your pet close. Let this be a gentle beginning you share together.

Hear

The PAWDCAST:

The Shadow At Your Feet

Palms & Paws+ PAWDCAST - Ep. 004 (running time: 24 mins)

This month on the Pawdcast, Dr. Kevin and Greta Rose explore what it truly means to begin again. Not with pressure or reinvention, but with clarity, kindness, and trust.

We are joined by Kristan Sargeant, a renowned coach and three time TEDxWomen producer who has spent her career helping people access courage, creativity, and meaningful transformation.

She is known for her work with shadow, the unseen part of ourselves that quietly shapes our choices, relationships, and capacity to evolve.

Together, we explore how our dogs and cats often mirror our inner lives with remarkable honesty. How they reflect what we feel. How they guide us back to ourselves. How they help us begin again with more awareness and more heart.

We hope this conversation stays with you long after the episode ends.

BCS - Palms & PawsOh, and want to know how to tell if your dog or cat is overweight (as mentioned in the PAWD)? Click here to find a handy chart for BCS!

 

 

Have a story or sound bite to share?
Submit it here & we may feature it next month!

Submit Your Pet Sound Bite

See

Light in Motion

A film to watch together with your pet family.

We begin this New Year’s Experience with something simple and grounding. Light moving through nature.

Winter branches. Sun on fur. Shadows shifting across familiar places.

It is not about spectacle. It is about noticing.

Our pets delight in watching shadows across the landscape. We delight in watching them watch the shadows. Fun for the whole family!

This short film is a reminder that beginnings rarely arrive all at once. They arrive quietly. In warmth returning. In clarity forming. In the steady presence of the animals beside us.

Watch together with your pets. Let it slow the room down. Let it remind you that good things often start small.

If you feel inspired, share a moment of light from your own day in the comments. We love seeing the world through your lens.

 

📸  And look at this fabulous collection of COMMUNITY PET SELFIES!

Your pets are the heartbeat of this community.
Submit a pet selfie to be featured next month.

Click on each image to view full size

Submit your pet selfie to be featured next month!

Submit Your Pet Selfie

Smell

The Scent of a Fresh Start

For our pets, scent is how the world makes sense.

It is how they recognize home. How they find comfort. How they feel safe.

A new year carries its own quiet scent. Crisp air. Clean spaces. Familiar blankets warmed by the sun.

Try this simple ritual to welcome the year:

For dogs: step outside for a short walk where your dog sets the pace and direction. Upon your return, introduce them to a familiar item that smells like you, and let them re-explore Home.

For cats: refresh one favorite resting place with a clean blanket or towel, then let them rediscover it in their own time.

Why it matters: scent grounds the nervous system and reinforces trust. When your pet feels at ease, that calm travels straight back to you.

Dog noseDog nose

Taste

Star Bites

A simple, nourishing treat for dogs and cats (and, humans).

This recipe is about simplicity. Clean ingredients. Gentle flavors. A small shared moment.

Click here to download your Palms & Paws + recipe and fill your home with New Year’s magic!

Star Bites (for Cats & Dogs)
 Ingredients:

2 cups organic oat flour
 1 ripe mashed organic banana
 1 Tablespoon ground organic flaxseed
1 Tablespoon melted organic coconut oil
 1 cage-free organic egg (or flax egg for protein sensitive pets)

Consult your veterinarian if your pet has food sensitivities or allergies.

Instructions:

  1. Ask your human to preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Mix all ingredients into a soft dough.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Roll dough onto parchment paper, and use a star-shaped cookie cutter to make star-shaped cookies.
  5. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until golden.
  6. Cool completely before serving.

Serve in moderation and with gratitude. A little celebration goes a long way.

Touch

The New Year Stretch Ritual

Our pets are so smart. They begin each day by reconnecting with their bodies.

They stretch. They lengthen. They reset.

In Japanese culture, the word 伸び (nobi) describes a full body stretch that awakens energy and clears tension. It is something animals do instinctively.

This month, try a shared stretch ritual.

Sit near your pet.
Follow their lead.
If they stretch, stretch with them.
Ask yourself, what feels good to move?
Let curiosity, kindness, and pet wisdom guide you. 
Notice if gratitude enters into your heart, and welcome it home.
Pause together for a few slow breaths.

This is not about flexibility. It is about presence. It is a simple way to start the day aligned and connected.

6th Sense

Mystic Musings

Animals and New Beginnings

Across cultures and centuries, animals have been seen as guides through transition.

People watched how they responded to changing light, shifting seasons, and new cycles. They noticed how animals adjusted with grace, without resistance, without drama.

Animals remind us that renewal does not need to be complicated. It simply needs to be felt.

As we step into a new year, we offer this reflection:

What is your pet teaching you about beginning again?

Often, the answer is closer than we think.

 

A gift for you.
A gift for them.

Our friends at MODERNBEAST are offering this exclusive discount to you! This is cumulative, so added on TOP of any sales items. Double your value and enjoy this beautiful treat!

 

MODERNBEAST x Palms & Paws PLUS Collaboration

 

Happy Birthday!

Here’s Your Monthly Pet-o-Scope
Capricorn (Dec 22 – January 19)

Traits: Capricorn pets bring steadiness into a home. They are grounded, loyal, quietly affectionate, and deeply attuned to their people.

Download your Capricorn Pet-o-Scope card and add it to your growing collection.
(we’d love to see if you color it in!)

 

Palms & Paws Pet-o-scope for Capricorns

AKA
(Ask Dr. Kevin Anything)

Ask Dr. Kevin!

That’s right. Dr. Kevin, our head Palms & Paws veterinarian, is in the house, and is picking up where Tux left off.

Starting this month, we invite real questions from both humans & pets. Let’s dig into what YOU really want to know about!

Q: How do I know if my pet is over weight? 
Dr. Kevin:I like to focus less on the number on the scale and more on how your pet feels and moves. You should be able to feel their ribs easily, see a gentle waist when looking from above, and notice comfortable movement without strain. If you’re unsure, a Body Condition Score (BCS) is a simple, helpful tool.
[Here’s a link to our recent blog post that explains BCS in detail!]  

Q: What are some signs that my pet is not doing ok? 
Dr. Kevin: Subtle changes often tell us the most. Pay attention to shifts in appetite, energy, mobility, breathing, or behavior. If your pet is hiding more, slowing down, vocalizing differently, or just doesn’t seem like themselves, trust your instincts. You know your pet better than anyone. When in doubt, consult with your trusted veterinarian.

Q: My cat’s ears smell funny. What do I do? 
Dr. Kevin: Ah, yes. I smell ears all day long! A mild, neutral scent can be normal, but a strong or unusual odor may point to an ear infection or inflammation. Our pets’ ears are delicate, and proper diagnosis matters. 

Q: What’s the poop scoop, doc? How many times a day should my dog poop? 
Dr. Kevin: Most healthy dogs poop one to three times a day, depending on diet, age, and routine. What matters more than frequency is consistency and comfort. Is there a sudden change in timing, texture, or effort? In this case, it’s a good idea to check in with your veterinarian, who will know your dog’s or cat’s poop almost as well as you do!

Ask Your Q

5% Paws it Forward

Every Palms & Paws+ membership helps support animals in need. Thank you for being part of a community that believes care should ripple outward.

Receive your gift!If you enjoy this monthly time together, 
you’ll make someone smile when you give the gift of becoming a Palms & Paws+ member!

Thank you for beginning this year with Palms & Paws.

We are honored to be part of your journey.

With warmth and optimism,
The entire Palms & Paws Pawsse

Please share this with someone who loves pets as much as you do!

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Palms & Paws, LLC

Get ready for our February LOVE Experience!
(Can our hearts stand it? We’ll find out!)

4 comments

  • Tux
    5 months ago Reply

    Happy 2026! Wishing all my canine & feline friends a year full of hole digging, squirrel chasing, and snuggling with your pet families. Love, Tux

    • A
      Palms & Paws
      5 months ago Reply

      Thank you, Tux! Wishing you a happy new year, as well. Hope you try the silicone straw with bird feathers out… game changer!

  • Joy's mom
    5 months ago Reply

    absolutely loved the conversation with Kristan Sargeant. I also just did the stretch exercise with Joy. We had such fun.

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