International Dog Day
August 26th is International Dog Day! All purebred and mixed breed dogs are celebrated on International Dog Day. One of the goals of the holiday is for people to recognize how many dogs need to get rescued every year. The holiday also acknowledges working and family dogs that work every day to bring us comfort and save lives.
Working dogs put themselves in harm’s way every day. Some of the ways dogs work with the public include:
- Personal protection
- Law enforcement
- Sniffing out drugs and bombs
- Detecting seizures and cancer
Dogs can recognize and do tasks that humans are unable to do. For those who want to celebrate National Dog Day but don’t have a dog, people can encourage others who want a pup to go to a local shelter to adopt rather than a pet store.
Five pawsome pooch facts:
1. Dogs can help us relieve stress - Studies show that when you stroke a dog your body releases a hormone that helps us to relax and relieves stress, which also lowers our blood pressure. If you have a dog maybe you can try it out right now!
2. They have a fantastic sense of smell - According to vet charity PDSA, the "area of cells in the brain that detect different smells is around 40 times larger in dogs than humans". This means dogs can smell much more than we can and explains why they are often used as sniffer dogs in the police force.
3. Many of them have jobs - Dogs are so super, lots are trained to help humans. Some work as guide dogs, assistance dogs or work with the fire department or police.
4. They can learn about 100 words - Studies have found dogs can learn around 100 words and gestures. Many owners teach their pets tricks or commands.
5. Dogs sweat too - It's a bit different to humans but they'll cool themselves down by panting or sweating through their paws.