“Every day should be National Dog Day!”, you might be thinking and hey, we totally hear you. However, it is still nice to know that there’s one official day of the year to shout (extra loud) about how amazing dogs are.
So, if you’re like us and you’ll take any excuse to show your pet—and the world—just how much you love them, we’ve got a feeling you’re going to like this blog post.
Keep reading to learn all about National Dog Day and our top tips on how to celebrate the occasion with your favourite furry friends.
What is National Dog Day all about?
National Dog Day, AKA International Dog Day, is one day of the year dedicated to all things dogs. Arguably one of the most important dates for your calendar if you ask us.
Whether you’re a proud pet owner or just a real canine fanatic, National Dog Day is not a date you’re going to want to miss.
It all started back in 2004 when Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert, Animal Rescue Advocate, Conservationist, Dog Trainer, and Author, Colleen Paige declared National Dog Day an annual affair.
Colleen is also the brains behind other similar dates including National Puppy Day, National Mutt Day, and (dog people, look away now…) National Cat Day.
But it’s not all fun, games, new toys, and puppuccinos—there’s plenty of this, of course, but National Dog Day also has important philanthropic motivations too.
The day is designed to celebrate every single breed of dog equally and bring attention to how many dogs need to be adopted into loving homes around the world right now. The initiative also campaigns against any kind of breed ban.
When is National Dog Day?
National Dog Day is on August 26th every year, so make sure it’s on your calendar!
This isn’t just any random old date though—there’s actually a very cute and sentimental reason why Colleen Paige decided to declare the 26th of August National Dog Day…
This date was the day Colleen's family adopted her very first dog, Sheltie from the local animal shelter when Colleen was just 10 years old.
So, it looks like we’ve got Sheltie to thank for this celebration of our own beloved fur babies. On that note, let’s now take a look at some of the best ways to mark National Dog Day in style.
Five pawsome ways to celebrate National Dog Day
We’re here with a handful of ideas to help make sure you’re prepared with a plan of action to celebrate National Dog Day with the special pooches in your life.
Take your furry friend out on their favourite walk
Nothing says ‘I love you’ quite like taking your dog out on a walk that never fails to get their tail wagging the most, whether it’s the beach, a hike, or just to your local park around the block.
Don’t forget to take an anti-pulling harness if your pooch tends to bring a little too much energy on your walks—National Dog Day is a pretty exciting event after all.
Volunteer at your local shelter
Amongst all the smiles, snuggles, and belly scratches, it’s super important not to forget what National Dog Day is all about and what the day actually stands for.
With this in mind, you could consider volunteering at your local shelter for a day or two to offer a helping hand to those doing incredible work to care for dogs that haven’t found their forever homes yet.
If this isn’t going to be a possibility for you, you could use National Dog Day as a reminder to donate to a related charity.
This could be a financial donation or you could check the organisation’s website to see what they are in need of (e.g. blankets, dog food, dog beds) and donate those instead.
Snap some new photos of your pooch or book a professional photoshoot
You can never have too many photos of your pets in your camera roll, right? Use National Dog Day as the perfect excuse to set a gorgeous scene and snap even more photos of your doggo in their favourite surroundings.
You could even think about booking a professional photoshoot to get some extra special snaps of your pet. There are plenty of photographers who specialise in taking beautiful photos of dogs if your own photography skills aren’t quite up to scratch.
Upload them to your social media profiles, print them out to frame for your wall, or even use an online website to turn your top photo into wearable jewellery so your pooch can be with you at all times.
Treat your dog to something special to mark the occasion
Whether it’s a new harness, a new toy, some of their favourite treats, or a puppuccino while you’re grabbing your morning coffee, National Dog Day is the ideal chance to spoil your precious fur baby.
You could also research a new recipe and bake your pup a homemade doggy treat. Just make sure it’s a recipe made specifically with dog-friendly ingredients if you do.
If your pooch could use some extra training, National Dog Day is the perfect opportunity to book a session for you and them to enjoy together.
Check out our range of dog training leads, purposely designed to support short-length walking and obedience training.
Host a National Dog Day party
Has your pooch made pals at doggy daycare? Do you have friends and family who also have pets they’ll want to celebrate in honour of National Dog Day? Assemble all your favourite doggos and their respective humans and host a National Dog Day party.
We’re talking pupcakes, the squeakiest toys, doggy beer, Who Let the Dogs Out? on repeat—whatever it takes to get the pawty started.
Whilst you’ve got everybody in one place, it’s a great chance to spread the National Dog Day message and give exposure to important issues like adoption and breed banning. So, when you’re having fun, you can be supporting a wonderful cause at the same time.
Shop the best dog accessories with BullyBillows
Get all your Dog Walking Accessories right here at BullyBillows! Ready to treat your dog like the royalty they really are in honour of National Dog Day? If you’re planning to take them for walkies to their favourite place, don’t forget to kit yourself with all your dog walking essentials first.
We stock a wide range of high-quality Dog Leads, Dog Collars, and other dog walking gear, from treat pouches to comfortable Safety Dog Muzzles, so don’t leave without browsing our full selection. Treat yourself and your four-legged friend next time National Dog Day rolls around.
For more news, advice and product buying guides check out the rest of our blog…
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