National Dog Day

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Celebrate!

It’s National Dog Day!

In years past, we’d celebrate with a long walk through the meadows or the woods. This year, though, with heat and humidity pushing the thermometer past the high 90s and into the 105-110 °F range, we’re finding other ways to enjoy ourselves.

Treat time is always a morning hit, followed by squirrel patrol, play time when the sprinklers come on, and checking out the garden. We have a bumper crop of hybrid cucumbers that are so sweet you could almost believe you’re eating watermelon.  And since cucumbers of any kind are Sasha’s idea of the perfect treat, she gets all she wants through the hot summer. Add some Feta cheese to her meals and she is one happy dog.

Morning naps under a ceiling fan, afternoon naps on the cool tile floor, or evenings spent dozing in her bed beside me–she’s got a good life and she knows it!

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Dogs Dogs Dogs!

Earlier this week, folks celebrated National Dog Day. In our household, we celebrate dogs–and cats–every day of the year, which might explain how I managed to overlook this one-day salute to canines. In case you thought this was just a day to post photos of your pooch on social media, you might be surprised to know there’s a deeper meaning behind National Dog Day. Here’s what holidayscalendar.com has to say:

Celebrated annually every August 26th, National Dog Day is a day for people to recognize the importance of dogs and how they impact their lives on a daily basis. It is also a day to recognize how hard service dogs work on our behalf and also to draw attention to the plight of abused and abandoned dogs.

This day was founded by author and animal behaviorist, Colleen Paige in 2004. She invented this observational holiday to not only show appreciation for dogs, but to bring attention to the plight of abused dogs, to end puppy mills and to bring an end to breed-specific legislation that regulates, or outright bans, certain breeds in the hope of minimizing dog attacks.

There are a number of different ways to celebrate this day. Some people choose to use this day to spend more time with their dog and to buy him/her new toys or sweaters. Other people take time during this day to volunteer their time and money to various dog welfare organizations.

This day is the perfect time to not only reconnect with your furry family member, but also to consider how you can help society realize the importance of dogs and how their treatment should become more humane.

I can’t bring myself to post images of abused dogs, puppy mills, or abandoned dogs. Instead, I’ll do my part to promote awareness of service dogs. Did you know, for example, that service dogs can be trained to assist individuals with invisible disabilities? Here’s a recorded presentation that can help us all better understand the important kinds of support service dogs can provide:

 I hope you found this as informative and beneficial as I did!