We are excited to be celebrating two national dog days in these dog days of summer: National Mutt Day (also known as National Mixed Breed Dog Day) is July 31, and August 1 has been designated “Dogust,” AKA the universal birthday of shelter dogs.
Mixed-breed dogs are wonderful! And shelter dog adoption is wonderful too — those pups deserve a birthday celebration even if we’re not quite sure what day they actually emerged onto this earth.
How will you celebrate the mutt in your life?
Share a photo of your mutt on social media! Take a pic of your adventurous mutt in their Happy Harness and share it with your networks. Please tag us in these posts! We’re @transpawgear on Facebook, and @transpaw on Twitter and Instagram.
Throw a birthday party! In this time of social distancing, you may not be able to have 10 friends over to share cake and treats with your birthday dog, but you can still have some fun. Make a dog-friendly cake, decorate your home, host a virtual party with other dog-loving friends, or take an extra special adventure on July 31 or August 1 (or both!) to let your shelter dog know how much they mean to you.
Make a donation in your dog’s name to a cause that you support. It could be your local animal shelter or the one you got your dog from (if they aren’t one and the same). You can also find another cause that appeals to you, or just spend a few hours volunteering for an organization that is doing good in the world.
Be an outspoken advocate for pet adoption. This shouldn’t be reserved for just July 31 and August 1, of course! Your shelter dog is always an ambassador to your community, highlighting the joys of pet adoption. That puts some extra responsibility on you to make sure your dog is an outstanding canine citizen. This includes everything from impeccable public manners (check out all of our training posts here if you need some tips!) to current vaccinations, but you got this! You’re always a rock-star caretaker for your adventurous canine, so these two days are no different. But if the mood strikes you, take a moment on July 31 and August 1 to chat with a friend, neighbor, or social media group about the joy that your shelter mutt has brought to your life! And remember that your Happy Harness makes you part of an important cultural shift that helps humans and dogs get the most out of their lives together.
Here’s to unleashing adventures and harnessing fun with your wonderful shelter dog or mutt this year!
