National Dog Day Want to find your new best friend A guide to canine companionship #DogDay

it's National Dog Day here's why I'm not celebrating sure our canine friends provide plenty of companionship but let's not mistake them for the humans in our lives let me State for the record that I really like my dog a 14-year-old cutie named Lulu she plays a good game of fetch she forces me to get a little more exercise with her constant need for walks she has also mastered house training well almost but let's not get into the details but would I plan a big celebration for her on National day which happens to be today not on your freaking life lately it seems there are no limits to what we do for our four-legged friends some of us buy them a $3,550 Louis Vuitton MC 0.13% carrier some of us have no qualms booking them a stay at luxury pet hotels that come complete with inset entertainment featuring dog TV and more and more of us subscribe to a high-end dog food service the basic cost of owning a dog from food to poop bags to routine Veterinary Care can easily top $2,000 a year but add that Louis Vuitton bag to the mix and you might be spending more on your pet than you'd pay for a nice European Vacation it's all part of a trend to treat our pets like people one study noted that 95% of American pet owners consider their animals to be family members little wond so many have us have taken to calling them our fur babies but I don't need a study to tell tell me that I just have to look at all the pet owners I know who post more pictures of their dogs on Instagram than of their spouses children and grandchildren you know they're Human family members speaking of which consider this statistic from the folks at Lending Tree 28% of pet owners spend money specifically with those social media posts in mind you know for important things like pet Halloween costumes and for younger pet owners as in Jen Zur that figureing increases to 47% which makes me want to head to the nearest dog park with a megaphone and announce Pho doesn't care if you dress him up like Batman this is not to say our canine companions don't provide us with well companionship but I think it's important to distinguish the relationship you have with your dog from the ones with the people in your life and however cute Lulu may be she doesn't meet the qualifications to join the homo sapiens family no less than Dog Whisperer Cesar Milan has noted that dog owners give affection affection and more affection when what the dog really needs is exercise discipline and then affection but it's not simply that I see no point in pretending my dog is human I also don't think that's good for my mental health as Martha tossle a registered nurse who specializes in psychiatric issues writes wonderful as it is love for a pet is not a suitable substitute for human companionship moreover we're not necessarily doing our dogs any favors when we start pretending that they're one of us most pet experts will tell you that dogs need boundaries and they need to understand that they're dogs that is they have different needs and desires than we do no less in Authority than pet trainer Caesar Milan AKA The Dog Whisperer has noted that dog owners give affection affection and more affection when what the dog really needs is exercise discipline then affection I get the whole fur baby Temptation particularly now that my kids are all grown up and out of the house on a quiet day I'll chat away with Lulu and feed her one treat too many and when we go for one of our walks during a Winter's day I'll take care to put on her coat but Lulu is still a pet not my child does she deserve a day all her own I suppose there's no harm in the idea in the same way there's no harm in celebrating National Margarita day or remember your first kiss day so maybe I'll take Lulu for an extra long walk today just don't expect me to be toing a Louis Vuitton dog bag in case she wants a lift home national dog day want to find your new best friends a guide to K9 companionship if you catch yourself looking at photos and videos of cute dogs on social media national dog day is the perfect time to research which dog would be best for you National Dog Day held annually on August 26th is a great time to start researching whether or not you should adopt a furry four-legged bestie but which is the perfect pup for you experts say it depends but here are 2024's top dog breeds rover.com an online market for Pet Care teamed up with ancestry to find out which dog breeds are the most popular across the country and what their personalities are like it's the sixth time they've conducted the survey dogs are our companions from the time we learned to crawl to the time we take our last breath so it's no wonder that around 65.1 million Americans own a dog making them the most popular pet in the country according to Forbes almost anyone who has had a dog knows the joy of getting home at the end of the day and being greeted by a wild wagging tale Phil teski a professor at The Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver who runs a program focused on human animal connection told USA Today in July 202 four Rover surveyed 1,000 us pet parents to learn more about which dog breeds are popular and what personality traits each breed is likely to show flights for Life doctor uses plane to rescue hundreds of dogs from high kill shelters what are the most popular breeds in America the eight most popular kinds of dogs are according to Rover the following non-designer mixed breed labador retrievers golden doodle golden retriever German Shepherd Chihuahua French Bulldog daund personalities and connections over breeds around 88% of the dog parents that were surveyed said understanding their dogs mix of breeds would help them better understand their dogs and 56% said knowing more about their dog's genetic makeup would help strengthen their bond another 62% of those surveyed said that breed was also an important factor for them when considering which dog to add to their family while a Do's breed is important when deciding if a dog would fit into a person's lifestyle it's also essential to get to know the dog's personality tesy who is also a Rover pet people panelist said the breed can give you Clues as to what environments dogs thrive in but it doesn't give you the whole picture get to know your pup it's essential to get to know the individual dog and their personality instead of stereotyping them by their breed yes dog breeds are unique from one another but individual dogs have their own characteristics and needs so often these are companions that we spend some of our most high quality recreational time said teski this bonding time often takes place when people are just able to relax building a relationship with a companion animal whether it be a dog or cat whose company you enjoy is responsive to your moods and emotions and that helps you feel a connection plays out frequently in the human animal connection there's this level of connection social support and enthusiasm that really kind of transcends or maybe even defines healthy relationships said teski and people really noticed this during the pandemic when people who were feeling isolated and had lost aspects of their social support system were really finding these connections to be very important common personality traits the following are some of the top personality traits people in dogs share loyalty 71 % playfulness 65% intelligence 61% friendliness 61% around 62% of parents also said they and their dogs are also socially anxious which dogs are more likely to have separation anxiety there are obstacles dog parents might have to overcome and separation anxiety is one of them around 42% of dog parents said their dogs separation anxiety is a challenge breeds that were most likely to have separation anxiety were do shuns Yorkshire Terriers while these dogs are more likely to have separation anxiety any dog can get anxious when they're away from their owners it can lead to dogs barking and crying showing destructive behaviors or soiling the house as their owner is leaving or shortly after they leave according to American Humane loyalty and other traits the most loyal dog breeds according to the survey are American pitbull terriers German Shepherds chihuahuas German Shepherds are big usually have a lot of energy and are constantly looking for something to do according to the Golden State German Shepherd rescue German Shepherds are big usually have a lot of energy and are constantly looking for something to do according to the Golden State German Shepherd rescue meanwhile pit bulls are also high energy and according to dogster daily exercise is crucial to ensuring they stay healthy still due to a controversial past pit bulls can be stigmatized and are banned in certain counties or cities for example after a 7-year-old girl was attacked by a pitbull in 1989 a ban made it illegal to own pit bulls in Miami Dade according to the Miami Herald in 2023 Florida GVS Ronda santis signed a bill that barred local governments and public housing officials from Banning dogs of a specific breed weight or size so what dog should you get sorry to complicate it but there isn't a single correct answer that applies to everyone dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years and each breed was created to do a different task according to the study people should think about the survey as more of a guide than a shopping list said teski just because mixed dogs and Labradors are the most popular doggy companions doesn't necessarily mean they are the best dogs for everyone hypothetically a Chihuahua might be the best companion for a single woman who lives on the 19th floor of a 20 story building while a 5-year-old mixed rescue from a shelter is an older gentleman's best pal and a golden doodle is the perfect playmate for a young family with three kids everyone's situation is different so it will take some research and time to figure out which dog would fit best in your life good luck National Dog Day deals at Petco stores on training treats and more dislike Mondays don't hate this one as Monday augre 26 is National dog day a day to love on your four-legged pal and take advantage of some doggy deals Petco stores have doggy specials through Monday September 2nd in honor of national dog day the deals are save 20% off online sitewide $50 off dog training group classes and packages with the code celebrate BOGO 40% off select one PB plus treats and Chuck it dog toys including the kick fetch ball the max glow Ultra fetch stick or the air fetch ball take 20% off native pet supplements for dogs online only including allergy support calming chews and formulated probiotic Powder made especially for your canine friends Labor Day Petco deals in store and online these Petco Labor Day deals are good in store and online from Friday oober 30th through September 2nd $115 off $75 with code 1575 some exclusions apply new customers can get $115 off $49 online orders with code newco 15 from 827 to 9 F some exclusions apply 25% off all items from Petco's premium Lifestyle brand ready including the denim jacket for dogs and indooroutdoor dog bed 30% off all KGO brand items including the puffer pup sack Zippy bowl and Journey Air dog harness 40% off the sherpa Cat backpack Tiff treats offers deal for dog owners on National Dog Day Tiff treats at The Fountains of far is celebrating national dog day by offering a deal on treats for human celebrate the Day with unlimited $15 cookie dozens with code dog day in honor of national dog day and clear the shelters month the business is donating $555,000 to Texas State Partners at Austin Pets Alive and SPCA of Texas when is national dog day 2024 national dog day 2024 is today August 26th the pet focused holiday is celebrated annually in late August what is national dog day national dog day is a holiday dedicated to dogs the annual holiday officially started in 2004 to raise awareness of animal abuse and animal Charities it has grown to be a day to pamper your best pal and take advantage of deals from pet retailers [Music] come [Music] on e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e