The 2025 holiday season promises a slate of new consumer behaviors in the United States.  Using key financial data points to predict patterns can help consumers, retailers and lenders successfully prepare for the holidays. 

Every year, Equifax publishes its Market Pulse Index, a value that analyzes key financial components and observes how they interact and evolve over time.  In 2025, the Market Pulse Index for the average US population is 61.4.  

Equifax also measures the index for specific generations, and has found that Gen Z has an index of only 58.6, suggesting that this generation is facing more financial challenges than others.  Examples of the financial challenges that could influence the Market Pulse Index include increasing delinquencies, income volatility and high savings rates. 

Despite these challenges, most Americans plan to do the same amount of holiday shopping in 2025 is expected to decrease by 23% in 2025.  This decrease in holiday purchases reflects the increased financial strife plaguing younger Americans.  

Other trends are emerging across generations.  For example, many Americans are shopping earlier in the year, with 80% of all planned holiday gift spending expected to occur by the end of Cyber Monday.  Domestic travel during the holidays is also on the rise.

By leveraging consumer financial data, it becomes easier to predict trends and anticipate how the 2025 holiday season will look for consumers, retailers and lenders. 

Keeping a dog involves providing care to it throughout the year and different seasons as well. Dogs don’t need food and walks only; they need to be more than that for their health and happiness. Each season brings problems that can negatively impact your dog’s health. The weather, temperature, and other outside conditions determine the needs of your dog.  Continuous care enables a dog to enjoy every season without any problems.
Let’s dive deep into this to know more about dog daycare and dog boarding in detail.

Spring: Managing Allergies and Fun
Spring is a season of new life but with it comes mud, pollen, and more people out in nature. A large number of dogs become allergic to grass, pollen, or flowering plants, which causes them to itch, sneeze & have watery eyes. By grooming and cleaning your dog’s paws after a walk you take outdoors, you will be helping to remove the allergens that caused the irritation and at the same time prevent the dog from being irritated. Some professional daycare and boarding facilities may offer bathing and brushing services as a way of dealing with these seasonal challenges.

Summer: Heat and Hydration
Summer is usually bright and hot, and it can be dangerous for dogs still outside. Pavement, sand, or roads that are hot can hurt dogs’ paws too fast if they are in the sun. Help them with rest, giving water, and shade to prevent the dogs from getting too hot. Dog daycare or boarding is usually the best place, especially when there are indoor areas with air and shade.

Making sure dogs are drinking enough water is something really necessary during hot summer days. Always let them drink fresh water and periodically give them frozen treats to let the dogs cool off. Do not allow dogs to run excessively if it is too hot to be sure that they will not have health problems. Some dog breeds may suffer heat even if they are exposed to the sun only for a short time

Autumn: Cooler Days
Leaves that are wet may cover sharp things or be very slippery, so it is better to choose a dog daycare or dog boarding that not only ensures cleanliness but also safety in play areas. The time of year is ideal for vaccination updates and applying flea and tick repellent because these pests are still very much alive. Grooming should be kept as it helps to get rid of bits of dirt, loose hair, and allergens. It is better to take short, frequent walks with your dog than to have a long walk on a wet and uneven ground, thus your dog will be fit and safe.

Winter: Cold Protection
When the temperatures become lower and the leaves start falling, dogs must have their routines changed. Fall weather usually means rain, coldness, and slippery streets. Leaves that have been wet can conceal sharp things or be places that are too slippery, therefore, you should take your dog to a daycare or a dog boarding place, which not only makes sure that the dogs play in clean areas but are safe as well.

This time of the year is perfect for doing necessary vaccinations and flea and tick prevention because the pests are alive and active. Grooming, in this case, is equally important as it is done to get rid of the debris, loose fur, and allergens. Taking short walks outside several times a day is better than taking long walks on damp or uneven ground, thus, your dog will be active and safe.

Routine: Consistent Care
Consistency is the main thing that keeps a dog healthy independently of the weather or the time of the year. The dog’s fitness through exercise, hygiene, socialization, and visiting the vet regularly is preventive of health problems that might appear due to the change of seasons. Dog daycare and boarding services are capable of routine continuity, personalization of each dog’s needs, and, hence, early detection of illness or discomfort.

Final Thoughts
Pets will be affected by the weather in different ways during the year. If you think ahead of the different seasons, change your habits, and use the services of a professional dog care center, then you can give your dog a safe, comfortable, and happy place to live all year round.

In recent years, the landscape of dental implant therapy has been transformed by major advances in digital dentistry, implant materials and treatment protocols making implants more predictable, more accessible, and increasingly appealing for patients and providers alike. For clinics in the Chicago market, highlighting these innovations offers a strong pathway to address patient concerns, build confidence and grow implant-case volume.

Digital Dentistry: Precision Planning and Guided Surgery

One of the biggest shifts is the adoption of 3-D imaging (such as cone-beam CT), intraoral scanning and digital surgical guides. These tools allow clinicians to visualise the patient’s jaw anatomy, bone volume, nerve paths and adjacent structures in three dimensions — rather than relying on flat 2-D X-rays. For example, a recent review found that 3-D imaging techniques and virtual patient modelling significantly improved accuracy of implant placement. Another systematic review found that fully guided digital surgical workflows reliably achieved deviations under ~1 mm from the planned implant position. 

What this means for patients: lower risk, fewer surprises, less invasive surgery and faster recovery. For practices: improved efficiency, clearer treatment planning, predictable outcomes and stronger communication with patients (who can now “see” the plan in 3-D).

Immediate-Load Protocols & Evolved Implant Materials

Traditionally, implant therapy often required months of healing before placing a restoration. Today, with improved implant designs, surface treatments and immediate-load protocols, many patients can receive a prosthetic tooth or bridge much sooner. Leading manufacturers note that immediate placement and provisionalisation shorten the “time-to-teeth” and help preserve soft and hard tissues.A recent study reported a 100 % survival rate (over a 2-year period) for narrow-diameter implants placed and immediately provisionalised in a same-day workflow.

In parallel, long-term survival data for modern implants have continued to improve. A systematic review found that 10-year implant survival rates average around 96.4 % (95 % CI 95.2-97.5 %). With those kinds of outcomes, the risk/benefit calculus for patients flips more in favour of implant therapy and many practices are now able to communicate “high success over a decade or more” as selling-points.

Lowering Barriers: Access, Cost, and Practice Integration

As the technology and protocols improve, more general dental practices (not only specialist implant surgeons) are able to offer implant solutions. The digital workflows and guided surgery systems reduce the learning curve, minimise variability and allow for more streamlined care. In a city like Chicago, where competition among dental providers and demanding patient expectations are common, practices that adopt and communicate these advanced technologies can position themselves as progressive, high-value providers.

Furthermore, as treatment times shrink (thanks to immediate-load workflows) and patient-friendly experiences improve, the perceived threshold for implants lowers. Patients who may have delayed treatment because of apprehension or complexity are now more likely to move forward especially when clinics emphasise the precision, convenience and long-term reliability of modern implants.

Chicago-Specific Angle: Why Local Patients Should Care

In Chicago, patients are sophisticated and outcome-driven. Clinics that highlight their state-of-the-art digital imaging, guided surgery protocols and same-day-teeth workflows can stand out in a crowded market. Emphasising long-term data (10-year survival ~96 %), convenience (immediate provisionalisation) and predictable aesthetics and function will resonate with busy urban professionals who expect high quality with minimal disruption. Also, with increasing general-dentist involvement in implants, patients benefit from continuity of care (their trusted dentist coordinates implants rather than being referred out).

Key Takeaways for Implant Practices

• Educate patients that implant therapy today is far more predictable — thanks to 3-D planning and guided surgery.

• Emphasise that fewer visits and faster results are now viable, not just pipe-dreams (due to immediate-load protocols and digital workflows).

• Leverage long-term survival data (10-year survival ~96 %) to build trust and reduce patient hesitation.

• Promote your practice’s technological edge (digital scans, guided implant placement, same-day provisional) as a differentiator in the Chicago market.

• Position implant therapy not as a “last resort,” but as a practical, accessible option for missing teeth, thanks to lower barriers and higher confidence in outcomes.

By communicating these advances clearly and confidently, dental implant practices in Chicago can tap into rising patient demand, overcome legacy perceptions of complexity, and turn technology into tangible patient benefit.