August 26th is International Dog Day! A day to celebrate and spoil your dogs! Although in my house they are spoiled pretty much every day so it’s not really all that much different…
History of International Dog Day
Founded in 2004 by Collen Paige, International dog day was the day when Paige’s family adopted a 10 year old Sheltie. While people everywhere celebrate their dogs on this day, it was actually intended to bring attention to dog adoption. It also encourages people to learn to take better care of their dogs.
According to the ASPCA, approximately 3.3 million dogs end up in shelters EACH YEAR in the USA alone. This is an incredible amount of animals in need. To read more on this, you can check out their website HERE.
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Types of Shelters
There are different types of shelters, including charitable organizations and private organizations. Some choose to stay private so that they can continue to advocate for animals without restrictions that can come with being organized as a charitable organization.
These organizations do an incredible amount of work for our beloved cats and dogs. They accept surrenders, strays and rescue dogs from a wide variety of situations. Much of the work done is by volunteers. If you are not in a situation where you can adopt a dog or cat from a shelter, consider a donation instead, foster or volunteer. They are always in need of more assistance as food and medical assistance for dogs can take a lot of resources.
Benefits of Adoption
Besides giving a dog another chance at a healthy and happy life, adopting a dog can be beneficial for a variety of reasons. I know that it sounds a bit hypocritical coming from the family that has two Bernese Mountain dogs. But I did try to adopt first from a couple different organizations. Unfortunately, already having cats and a younger daughter at the time made it so that I was not approved.
Adopted dogs can thrive in a new home! They can transform from sad and subdued animals to loving and wonderful companions. You are saving a life, and typically they come with all their shots and are already spayed or neutered.
Many dogs at shelters are also past the puppy stage. So much less of a risk of accidents around the house, they sleep the night and may already know some commands! As anyone who has had a puppy knows, they are a LOT of work! If you end up adopting a puppy be sure to check out some unusual tips HERE!
Things To Keep In Mind
While dogs are screened for health and temperament at a shelter they may not act the same once they are in your home. The shelter can be a scary place for dogs. So you may not know exactly how your dog is going to behave until they have been in your home for a few months. Or at least enough time to become comfortable enough to let their true personalities show. This can also be the case if the dog is fostered.
There may also be underlying health or behavior issues with a shelter dog. If these are known, consider carefully whether you have the time and resources to dedicate to your dog’s well being. Separation anxiety can be a common problem in dogs that come from a shelter or rescue so be sure to check out our tips to deal with that behavior HERE.
General Well-Being
This is also a good time to focus a little more on your dog’s well being. Pay a little extra attention to them and see if there is anything that you can do to increase their overall care. My dogs put on a little extra weight while I was away. So I have been watching their food intake a little more closely. It has been far too hot to go for long walks so we have been doing shorter jaunts close to home with lots of rest and water.
I have also noticed that Grace has a little bump on her back that I will be making a vet appointment for just to be on the safe side!
So no matter how you choose to celebrate International Dog day, make sure you give your pups a little extra loving today!! And every day!
