As the world gets ready to welcome a brand new year, “Here Tonight” hitmaker Brett Young is getting ready to spend 2019 with those he loves.

He also looks forward to becoming a dad…someday.

“We are really excited about having kids sometime soon,” Young tells Taste of Country in a recent interview. “(Wife Taylor Mills) and I have been a mom and dad to our dog, but we are looking to step up our game a bit to having kids of our own," he adds with a laugh. "We aren’t putting pressure on ourselves, but we are definitely ready for it to happen.”

But first things first – Young has a number of things happening in the weeks ahead, including a performance on NBC’s New Year’s Eve from Jack Daniel’s Music City Midnight: New Year’s Eve in Nashville alongside artists including Keith Urban. He also says he is looking forward to a relaxing New Year’s Day at home with Mills.

“We have a new couch that I don’t even think I have sat in,” jokes Young, who married Mills back in November.

On Jan. 1, Young will also take part in one of the world’s most prestigious dog shows, the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The show, which will air on Animal Planet, will feature thousands of dogs from around the world competing for various titles. Young will get right in the middle of the fun with his dog Oscar as he captains his #TeamChihuahua group on social media.

“I’m so excited to play a part in this. I’m a 6' 6" musician with a little Chihuahua," he says with another laugh. "It's going to be fun going up against those other celebrities.”

The stars taking part in the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin festivities include EXTRA host Mario Lopez and Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson.

The love of dogs is something that Young has long shared with Mills.

“We both have always been dog people,” Young says. “We are really big nerds when it comes to dogs. They just give you this companionship that you just can’t find many places. They quickly become your best friend.”

While the New Year will soon bring its share of time out on the road for Young as he heads out with Kelsea Ballerini on the Miss Me More Tour, the California native says it’s his hope to live in the moment as much as he can going into the new year.

“I kind of encourage everyone I encounter to just stay in the moment as much as possible,” he says. “In this business, it could be tough to do that, but that’s just how I like to do it, especially when I am up on stage. I want every show to be my best performance and I want to make every day my best."

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