In my opinion, every day is Dog Day. But having a National Dog Day gives us an opportunity to stop for a moment and think about dogs: what they mean to us, what they do for us, and the extraordinary relationship between humans and dogs that stretches back thousands of years.
How dogs became part of our lives
Dogs have lived alongside humans for thousands of years. From the earliest relationship between humans and ancestral wolves, our lives gradually became intertwined.
Dogs hunted alongside us, guarded our homes, protected livestock and helped humans survive. Over generations, selective breeding produced dogs suited to different jobs, environments and ways of life.
Today, dogs continue to perform some extraordinary roles. They work alongside the police and military, detect drugs, explosives and even changes associated with certain medical conditions. They find missing people, guide those with visual impairments and provide assistance to people with disabilities.
But dogs don't need an official job to play an incredibly important role in our lives.
What do dogs give us today?
Dogs are our loyal companions, providing us with unconditional love.
They get us outside when we'd probably rather stay on the sofa. They encourage us to walk, explore and spend time in nature. They can reduce feelings of loneliness and provide companionship — they are always there for us.
And it's not just what we think dogs do for us; it's backed up with a lot of evidence.
Research has repeatedly associated dog ownership with greater levels of physical activity, while interaction with dogs has also been associated with benefits for stress, emotional wellbeing and social connection.
There is even fascinating research into the effect dogs may have on our immune systems. Growing up around dogs has been associated with lower rates of allergic conditions in children.
Dogs don't care whether we've had a productive day, whether the house is immaculate or whether we've achieved anything particularly impressive. They're generally just delighted that we're home.
Keep them fed, loved, safe and topped up with treats and they'll happily continue being our companion through life.
So if they give us all of this, what do we give them in return?
Perhaps National Dog Day shouldn't be about celebrating everything dogs do for us. Maybe it's also an opportunity to ask a more important question:
Are we giving our dogs what they need from us?
- Are we providing the best nutrition we reasonably can to support their health and longevity?
- Are we giving them opportunities to exercise and, just as importantly, rest?
- Are we offering them opportunities to sniff, explore, dig, roll around and simply be a dog?
- Are we meeting their need for companionship while also respecting when they want space?
- When behaviour changes, do we simply try to stop the behaviour, or do we ask why it is happening? Could they be frightened, overwhelmed, frustrated or in pain?
- Are we looking after their physical health with appropriate veterinary care — avoiding unnecessary interventions while making sure they receive treatment when they genuinely need it?
- Are we supporting their emotional wellbeing?
- Do we allow them to make choices where we can?
Have our expectations of dogs changed?
Historically, many dogs had jobs and considerable freedom to express natural behaviours. Modern dogs may live very comfortable lives, but we also expect quite a lot from them. We expect them not to bark, dig, chase, chew, roll in revolting things, react to other dogs, dislike strangers and preferably not to spend fifteen minutes investigating one particularly fascinating blade of grass when we're already running late!
Essentially, sometimes we'd quite like dogs to stop being quite so… dog.
But it is so important that we give them the opportunities to be a dog.
On National Dog Day, and every day, think about what YOUR dog needs
Not your neighbour's dog who never barks, not the dog you meet in the park who can recall on a sixpence, and definitely not the dog from your past who, viewed through rose-tinted glasses, has somehow become the most perfectly behaved dog ever to walk the earth.
Think about the dog that is right in front of you now.
- What does your dog love?
- What makes them feel safe?
- What makes their tail wag?
- What do they need more — or perhaps less — of?
- And what have they taught you?
Every day might be Dog Day in our homes, but National Dog Day gives us an opportunity to stop and appreciate just how extraordinary the relationship between humans and dogs really is.
Perhaps one of the best ways we can celebrate them is by making sure we give as much consideration to their needs, their health, their happiness and their individuality as they give to us.
And maybe give them an extra treat. It is National Dog Day, after all.