National Dog Day: 10 Ways to Make Your Dog Happy

Happy National Dog Day to all of our four-legged friends and their parents! August 26th is the day to lavish your pet with treats, belly rubs and if you're a crazy dog parent like me, In honor of this holiday, why not celebrate all the amazing ways canines brighten our days by rewarding that special four-legged friend in your life with an extra special gift this

1. Adoption

The ultimate gift for our four-legged friends. Search AdoptAPet.com to find animals in your area. You can even be picky about the breed, age, and color if you have a perfect pet in mind. Before you visit the adoption center and get too attached, consider pet costs carefully. If you think you can swing the extra expenses, make a dog's day by giving them a forever home.

In honor of this holiday, why not celebrate all the amazing ways canines brighten our days by rewarding that special four-legged friend in your life with an extra special gift this year? 

2. Treat them to a Fun, New Toy!

We know our dogs love to chew on pretty much everything, so making sure they have toys that are durable and fun for them to play with is a must. Classics like tennis balls are a major crowd-pleaser, but check out toys that make fun sounds or squeaks or have different textures to keep your pup entertained (and away from the shoe closet!)

3. National Dog Day everyday T-Shirt

Every day is National Dog Day in every dog lover’s eyes – dogs always give us something to smile about! We all love our loyal companions, so why not take a brief moment to acknowledge how much they mean to you by wearing this unique design national Dog Day t-shirt or gifting it to someone on your holiday shopping list? Celebrate all things dog and the human-dog bond with this clever t-shirt design!

Show your love for canines everywhere by donning this adorable ‘Dog Lover’ shirt. 

4. Bone-Shaped Dog Pool

A bone-shaped dog pool just like this one is a must-have for every dog owner who wants to cool down his or her dog on a sweltering hot summer day. Its long-lasting liner material is strong enough to resist your dog’s tendencies to chew just about everything. Whether it’s for yourself or for another dog owner, make a splash on National Dog Day with this one-of-a-kind gift!

5. Canopy Pet Bed

When I was a little girl I dreamed of having a big, princess bed with a canopy. Even if our dogs don't have the same dreams I did as a seven-year-old, these canopy beds can help keep them cool in the dog days of summer. This Pet Cot Canopy has a raised cot bed and a canopy to block the sun and help to keep your dog comfortable while lounging.

6. Vet Insurance

Why not give the pet parent in your life peace of mind with pet insurance? In honor of Pet Parent’s Day, VPI Pet Insurance (who actually created the day) will donate $5 to Deckers Dogs for every pet insurance quote generated (up to $10,000) through Memorial Day at www.petparentsday.com.

7. Poop Bags

Not the most glamorous of gifts, but do your dog and your neighbors a solid and pick it up. Dog doo-doo can spread diseases and quite frankly it's really annoying to step in for dogs and humans. My dog takes about sixteen years to pick out her poop spot every morning because she has to pick each step perfectly to avoid piles of other people's rudeness. Come on, do us all a favor and get this huge stash of 2,000 Pet Waste Roll Bags for $39.99 and be a neighbor that people actually like.

>> National Dog Day 2018: Do You Really Understand Your Dog’s Gestures?

8. Fancy Merchant Dog Hoodie

Keep your pooch nice and cozy this winter with this hooded sweatshirt made from soft cotton. It even comes in four sizes to ensure the best fit for your favorite pup.

9. One Dog One Bone Bone Pool

Made for sweltering hot summer days, this bone-shaped pool is a must-have for cooling your dog down when the fan just doesn’t cut it. Its durable truck bed liner material is tough enough to resist your canine’s tendencies to chew everything.

10. Personalized Collar Tag

A stylish and cute way of making sure your canine friend can get back home if lost! This personalized bone shaped collar tag is made out of lightweight and durable aluminum, displaying a delightful pattern of puppy paw prints. Have your pet’s name personalized along with your phone number so there will be no doubt to whom your doggy belongs.

National Dog Day: The reason Your Dog Loves Licking You

Saturday, August 26th is National Dog Day. It is the only holiday in the world that celebrates all dogs: mixes and purebreds, tiny and large, old and newborn. You can take this occasion to understand more about your dog, especially his lick.

Dogs obviously cannot verbalize how they are feeling to us beyond perhaps a bit of whining or barking, and that’s pretty non-specific and really difficult to interpret. If you have a dog that licks a lot, you might be left wondering why. 

There are situations where/what your dog is licking can give you a clue that something localized and specific is bothering him. If he is licking between his toes, for instance, it would be logical to check that area to see if there is a burr, a splinter or a sore that he is worrying.

But, what does it mean if you don’t see any logical reason for your dog to be licking and/or he is persistently licking – either himself or inanimate objects floors, carpets, toys or seemingly nothing at all? Let’s read to find more reasons.

• Licking can play a role in the solicitation of resources, as when pups lick their mothers as a precursor to feeding or when lower-ranking pack members lick their superiors in the hopes of an invitation to dine on communal prey.
• It’s just another sensory tool, say some researchers. Licking (and tasting) is like reaching out and touching something –– a sort of slobbery exploration.
• Canine attention-seeking behavior often incorporates the tongue. Dogs often lick you to get your attention or as a simple greeting. As in, “Hey, I’m here. I’m cute. Pet me.”
• Licking may be a way of playing. Many dogs who’s owners report as engaging in excessive licking behavior may be substituting their tongue for their teeth in the reserved dog’s version of a raucous play-fight.
• In many cases, licking is a learned behavior. Dogs learn that when they lick their owners they get more attention, so they come to incorporate licking into more and more of their daily behaviors.
• It proves that you taste good

>> National Dog Day 2018: 5 Dog’s Gestures Show The Dog Loves You

Yep, they’re called doggy kisses for a reason. To show affection is one of the top reasons why dogs lick their people. Touching their tongue to your skin releases feel-good hormones, and they can’t help but feel all fuzzy inside.

It’s like when you hug and kiss someone you love; the intimate interaction signals a chemical response to go along with the emotional one you’re already feeling. So go ahead and feel good about yourself. If your dog’s licking you, it may be their way of saying, “I love you.”

• They Want Something

Your attention may be number one on the list of things your dog wants, but it’s not their only objective. Sometimes they want food. Okay, a lot of the time they want food. If you’re enjoying your juicy burger with a side of fries, your dog might come up and lick your thigh to say, “Hey, you gonna eat all that?” Or maybe they need to go to the bathroom and want you to get off the couch to open the door. And in best-case scenarios, they simply want to cheer you up.

Dogs are emotionally sentient animals, and they can usually tell when you’re feeling down. Their licks may mean they want you to feel better.

Understanding the exact reasoning behind your dog’s slobbery smooches isn’t always obvious. Pay attention to their body language and your own response to get a better idea of what’s going on. But most of all, your job is to enjoy the moment. Regardless of the exact reason, doggy kisses are a sign you and your pet have a great relationship, so enjoy the moment and soak up that slobber.

A Funny Cute Dog shirt, wearing it and together go around to enjoy the weekend can make you and your dog enjoy most on National Dog Day. Let’s find more at HERE.

National Dog Day 2018: 5 Dog’s Gestures Show The Dog Loves You

August 26th is National Dog Day, a holiday designed to honor man’s best friend. To celebrate, there are local events going on around the country ranging from adoption events at local shelters to happy hours at prestigious hotels, complete with doggie champagne. What is your plan for this day? Wearing a funny cute dog t-shirt and have a whale of the time with your own dog!

You can find more way to celebrate this day with him at: 

Dog lovers are affectionate. More importantly, they are generous with affection both verbally and physically. When you’re in a relationship with one, they know how to make you feel loved. In casual, everyday hugs and in big gushy strings of compliments. When you are loved by a dog lover, you’ll know it.

How can you guess the meaning of his behavior? Let’s find out.

1. Stares into your eyes

When your dog stares directly at you, he/she releases a hormone called oxytocin which is the same hormone released by moms to their babies. When your dog is staring into your eyes, it is essentially giving you a big hug.

Go ahead, try this at home but don’t have a staring contest with your puppy or he/she will know something is not right. Relax your face. Just naturally maintain eye contact during your normal routine and see how your dog responds.

Do this throughout the entire day. You may notice them become more relaxed. Or their tail may wag faster than a propeller.

2. Leaning on you

If your dog has ever been frightened or anxious you’ve probably noticed it lean on you for support, safety and security. Dogs tend to physically lean on us when they want something, but leaning is also a great sign of affection. When your dog leans on you – rest assured – he’s telling you he loves and trusts you. He is purposely seeking you out when he feels stressed.

In the same way, your dog may lean on you when you’re feeling stressed. Dogs have an innate sense when it comes to reading our behavior. Somehow, they know when we’re feeling down. Your dog may lean on you to let you know that everything will be okay.

You can read more to totally understand your dog’s gesture at:

 

>> National Dog Day 2018: Do You Really Understand Your Dog’s Gestures?

3. They Wag Their Tails

Tail wagging may seem like an obvious sign of love, but this behavior is more complex than you may think. A tail wag can have a lot of different meanings — and they’re not always friendly. Thankfully, when your dog gives a full-body wag with the tail held at mid-height, accompanied by other signs of positive body language, the message is pretty clear: He’s happy and excited to see you. Now, if your dog’s tail wags more to the right side of his rear, it just might be an even better sign he loves you. An Italian neuroscientist and two veterinarians discovered this by using cameras to track the tail-wag angles of 30 pet dogs as they were each shown their owner, a person they didn’t know, a cat and an unfamiliar dog. When the pups saw their owners, their tails wagged most strongly to the right side of the body.

4. They can pick up on human emotions.

Dogs are naturally skilled at something called social eavesdropping, or the use of information collected by observing interactions between others. In one study, Italian scientists invited 100 dog owners and their pets to participate. In the experiment, the dogs watched as their owners requested help and were either rudely ignored or got the help they asked for.

The overwhelming majority of the dogs whose owners didn’t receive help ignored food offered to them by the person who had disregarded their owner. Your dog is definitely on your team. Dogs are also good at reading human emotions that they pick up on subtle changes in the tone of your voice, and they can also read the expressions on our faces, according to a study in Current Biology.

5. They anticipate punishment after doing something bad.

You know the moment you step into your house that your dog has done something he’s not supposed to, and then you find the trash can in the kitchen, overturned with its contents splayed all over the floor. Your dog is hanging his head down in what you assume is guilt, as he knows he’s not supposed to get into the garbage.

According to the book Decoding Your Dog from the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, your dog doesn’t feel guilty, but he’s learned to anticipate you yelling at him. Your dog can tell you’re upset and quite possibly angry, so they use their body posture to communicate that you should calm down. They also use the averted look, droopy ears, and downward-facing-dog pose to avoid punishment.

Buy a new funny cute Dog Shirt, take the photo with your Dog, Go walking with your Dog are some ways to celebrate the special day with your puppy.

You can find more ideas HERE.

Ideas For You To Enjoy Best On National Dog Day

Often known as man's best friend, dogs were the first animals to be domesticated by humans and they were often used for guarding property, herding stock, and for hunting game. Today, dogs are used as companions and are considered to be a member of the family in many parts of the world.

The unofficial holiday is also sometimes called World Dog Day, National Dog Appreciation Day, or International Dog Day.

National Dog Day is celebrated on August 26th annually and was founded in 2004 by Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert and Animal Advocate, Colleen Paige, also the founder of National Puppy Day, National Mutt Day and National Cat Day and many more philanthropic days to bring attention to the plight of animals and encourage adoption. The date of August 26th is significant, as it's the date that Colleen's family adopted her first dog "Sheltie" when Colleen was 10 years old.

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The National Dog Day Foundation supports all breeds and varieties of dogs and discourages purchasing from unethical backyard breeders and puppy mills; instead, support reputable breeders or adopt from rescue homes.

Ways to Celebrate National Dog Day

• To Celebrate The National Dog Day and show your love to the dog, you can wear a cute dog shirt on that day, and make your dog happy with these tips: 

• Adopt a dog from your local shelter or rescue organization. 

Alternatives: Volunteer at your local shelter and offer to walk or play with a dog, clean cages, or anything else they need help with. Donate blankets, food, and toys to animal welfare organizations. 

• Organize a peaceful demonstration in front of your community pet store that sells puppies. 

Alternative: Write your congressman and ask that he/she support the ban of puppy mills and gas chambers in your state. 

• Have a National Dog Day party and invite all your friends and their dogs! 

• Spend the day taking photos of your dog. 

Alternative: Hire a professional pet photographer for a fun photo shoot. Have a portrait painted of your dog to suspend the fleeting magic of dogdom. 

• Assist an ill or elderly neighbor by walking their dog. 

• Buy new gift

Alternative: Buy your dog a fashionable collar and leash. 

• Give your dog some fun exercise by taking him or her to a doggy play resort. 

Alternative: Take your dog to the beach. 

• Teach your dog a new trick. 

Considering Adoption? One of These Dogs Would Love to Come Home with You

If you're thinking about adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue organization as a way to celebrate National Dog Day, I hope you'll keep in mind that certain kinds of pets – through no fault of their own – have a much harder time finding a new home than others.

By far the pets least likely to find new families to love are older pets, followed by animals with medical problems, dogs suffering from breed prejudice (primarily pit bulls), shy pets, and pets that need to be the only animal in the home.

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Large dogs, black dogs, and pets with special needs also tend to languish in shelters much longer and are euthanized more often, than animals considered more desirable by adoptive families.

These tips on how to show our canine friends appreciation are good for any day of the year. Having a pet companion is a great responsibility not just financially, but one that must be taken with lots of love and care. They love us unconditionally, so the least we can do is show them some appreciation.