International Dog Day was originally the idea of Colleen Paige in 2004, who wanted to recognise the important role of animal welfare and of dogs, from beloved pets to working service dogs and police canines.
If you’re a beloved family member, someone’s best friend, or you spend your days assisting humans – and you also happen to be a dog – then all your days may be more or less the same, and every day is your best day. But there’s a special day for your people to celebrate you, and that’s International Dog Day on 26 August.
The (dog) eyebrows have it
Dogs were almost certainly the first animal species to team up with mankind in a reciprocal relationship. The reasons for this have been debated: but the widely accepted theory lies with their expressive eyebrows, a phenomenon explored by a Portsmouth University team. While our canine friends are all descended from wolves (not foxes or any other dog-like species), the descendants that lent themselves to domestication had a genetic trait that enabled them to move their eyebrows. They developed a small muscle above their eyes over thousands of years, and this gives them a real head start in communicating expressively with humans. The rest, as they say, is history.
While wolves are, unjustly, still cast as the villains of nightmares (think Belle’s dark forest rescue in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), our canine friends generally get the heroic role, from Lassie to Beethoven or Enzo. So do they deserve an International Day of their own? Given that 98% of UK dog owners say their pet makes them happy, nearly as many say that it aids their mental health and that there are something like 12 million dogs owned in the UK, that’s a lot of happiness to celebrate!
Dogs help humans, but humans abuse them too
However, it isn’t just about our emotions. While dogs can and do support people through some of their darkest days, they also help us in a plethora of practical ways. One of the best known and supported British charities is Guide Dogs, but canine roles are far wider than physical assistance; they also include helping people with disabilities such as hearing, mobility, and muscle loss as well as conditions such as epilepsy. Dogs can also be trained to use their amazing sense of smell to detect disease or noxious substances, and to find victims of natural disasters such as earthquakes.
Sadly, not all pups are happy or valued. The dark side of our relationship with dogs is that their ready attachment to humans also makes them vulnerable to abuse and neglect. The RSPCA says that “Dogs are the most abused animal in this country”, and in in a year they receive over 40,000 reports of intentional harm, neglect or abandonment. They get about 27 reports a day of intentional harm such as killing, beating and poisoning, and a newer phenomenon is posting videos of cruelty on social media.
Perhaps the worst canine abuse is the illegal use of dogs to persecute and kill their own or other species for financial gain, for example, dog fighting and hare coursing, after which the abused animal is discarded like so much rubbish.
Animals are good for you
A question that has often been thought to distinguish between people is: are you a cat person or a dog person? Don’t be surprised if the answer, more often than not from someone incredulous that you could even ask it, is: both! Social media lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to cute videos of feline and canine mutual love. Many a household is not only home to cats and dogs, but finds that the two species get along very happily together. At one time, our marital house was home to four cats, one dog, one chinchilla and two rats, not to forget a child who loved them all. The cats, dog and child got along fine, but the smaller mammals did need their own safe space.
There is evidence that children benefit greatly from being reared in a pet friendly environment, and that pets, particularly dogs, help with socialisation and addressing loneliness.
Celebrate the dog in your life
Pet Plan has come up with seven ideas for International Dog Day to share some fun with your furry friend, by getting out and about in places near and far: from playing hide-and-seek in your garden or visiting your favourite local park, to a new expedition in a dog-friendly beach or a special adventure dog park that offers fun challenges. You could also look beyond your own pet’s needs and donate to or even help with an animal welfare project.
Whatever you decide to do, don’t forget to take some photos and treasure your memories!
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