History and purpose

International Dog Day was started as National Dog Day in the US in 2004 by pet and family lifestyle expert and animal rescue advocate Colleen Paige. She chose to observe the day on August 26 as it’s the date that her family adopted their first dog ‘Sheltie’ from an animal shelter home. The website of National Dog Day describes their mission as “to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort.” Also, National Dog Day celebrates dogs of all breeds.

How to celebrate International Dog Day

You can celebrate International Dog day by making a donation to shelter homes for canines. You can also volunteer with organisations that are working towards the cause of dogs. If you are planning to get a pet dog for yourself, then international Dog Day is symbolically the best day to do so. Also, when you are looking for a dog as a companion, you should “adopt, not shop”. You will promote breed discrimination by buying a dog and when you adopt a dog from a shelter home, another dog takes its place. So, you will actually save two lives.

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International Dog Day Quotes

  1. “Dog is God spelled backward.” – Duane Chapman
  2. “Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.” – Franklin P Jones
  3. “What do dogs do on their day off? Can’t lie around – that’s their job.” – George Carlin
  4. “If you don’t own a dog, at least one, there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life.” – Roger A Caras
  5. “They [dogs] never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation.” – Jerome K Jerome
  6. “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.” – Josh Billings
  7. “No matter how you’re feeling, a little dog gonna love you.” – Waka Flocka Flame
  8. “When the dog looks at you, the dog is not thinking about about what kind of a person you are. The dog is not judging you.” – Eckhart Tolle
  9. “Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day.” – John Grogan
  10. “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.” – Mark Twain

Happy International Dog Day!