Let’s Celebrate Our 4-Legged Friends on National Dog Day!

For some (most?) of us pooch-lovin’ people, every day is Dog Day. For the 18th year, our four-legged friends are once again getting a special day that makes it official. National Dog Day is on August 26.

This day is intended to encourage people to recognize the number of dogs needing to be rescued, as well as to honor pups who save lives, keep us safe and bring us comfort.

National Dog Day was created in 2004 by pet lifestyle expert and author Colleen Paige. She chose Aug. 26 because it’s the anniversary of the day her dad adopted her family’s first dog, a Sheltie, when Paige was 10 years old.

She founded the holiday “to honor dogs, to give them a ‘day’ to show our deep appreciation for the historical connection of companionship with one another,” Paige says on the official website. “For their endearing patience, unquestioning loyalty, for their work protecting our streets, homes and families as police K-9s, military working dogs, guide dogs and therapy dogs.”

She was inspired by her rescue dog, Sailor, who “was tortured and starved when I found her in the shelter at 7 months old, and she taught me what unconditional love and trust really meant.”

The National Dog Day website has plenty of suggestions for ways to celebrate with your pooch, such as buying them a new toy, throwing a party and/or teaching them a new trick. Special events are planned across the country.

Looking for a new four-legged friend? Check out National Dog Day on Twitter, which will be tweeting info about adoptable dogs all day long.

If you don’t have a dog, you are asked to donate $5 to your favorite rescue or shelter. And whether or not you have a pooch, you can also celebrate by spending some quality time on Aug. 26 (or better yet, any day) visiting the lonely dogs at your local shelter.

I wish you and your pooch(es) a very Happy National Dog Day!

Photo: That’s my Ella, the poster girl for i Still Love Dogs!