If you had to name one thing that gets you through life’s up and downs, what would it be? What motivates you to keep going, gives you a reason to keep on keeping on?
For many of us, the answer is our pets, in particular our dogs.
Throughout the trials and tribulations of the last couple of years, our canine companions have helped a nation to cope. Just their very existence, their unconditional love has been a lifeline for so many of us.
Never has there been a time when our dogs have been more appreciated, more integral to our lives, and played such a vital role in our well being.
As a tribute to these wonderful creatures that millions of us now share our homes with, I think they deserve a day dedicated just to them.
A chance for us to pay homage to this unique and unbreakable canine-human bond. To reflect on our dog’s loyalty, devotion, and most of all what they bring to our lives.
For many, dogs don’t just offer emotional support and love. For people with physical impairments they provide a lifeline to independence that they wouldn’t otherwise have. Medical support dogs, Guide Dogs, Hearing Dogs, Mobility Dogs, to name but a few. We rely on our canine companions in so many ways. Search and rescue dogs, sniffer dogs and police dogs all help emergency services to carry out their duties more efficiently.
We owe our dogs in so many ways. Yet in return they ask for nothing, only love and companionship. How many other species on earth can you say that about?
So join me once a year, on 2nd October for #CanineCompanionDay. Let’s show everyone just how much our dogs mean to us and get our pups trending all over social media!
#CanineCompanionDay
Are you in? Well, here are some ideas of how you can celebrate #CanineCompanionDay?
- Have a special doggy day out with your canine companion/s
- Wine and dine them with a special steak dinner and a glass of pawsecco (photos are obligatory of course!)
- Get together with fellow canines for a walk
- Have a doggy tea morning – after all who needs an excuse to eat cake!
- Raise money for a local dog charity and help dogs less fortunate than our own
- Share a photo of you and your dog/s on social media using the hashtag #caninecompanionday and encourage others to join in
- Throw a pawty! We have plenty of treat ideas on our Dotty4Paws website
- Give them an extra special hug.
- Above all, have fun with your dog! That’s what Canine Companion day is all about – celebrating our love of the best creatures on the planet.
The love for our dogs is like no other
Studies have shown that sharing your life with a dog can relieve stress, reduce the risk of heart attacks and improve our emotional wellbeing. So it is no surprise that they have helped us through the ups and downs of lockdown life.
Affectionate interactions with our dogs facilitates the production of oxytocin, the ‘happy’ hormone. And is it any wonder when they offer us friendship, companionship and love.
Nothing else on earth has the ability to promote the same feelings of happiness, trust and self worth. Dogs take us away from the rest of the world and give us a much needed release from what is going on around us.
Our dogs know if we’re feeling down. They’ll come and sit beside us and sometimes that’s all we need, that’s enough. They give us something that fellow humans often can’t.
Whatever our mental well being, dogs give us that reason to get out and about. To be at one with nature. To get out of bed! They teach us to love in a way no other being does. Their unconditional love shows no bounds, they make us laugh and fill a void that exists in so many of our lives.
So join us on 2nd October and let’s bark about our magnificent dogs. However you choose to celebrate Canine Companion Day we would love to hear about it.
Make sure you tag us in your photos @Dotty4Paws on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and remember to use the hashtag #CanineCompanionDay so we share your fabulous photos.
Woofs and Wags
Kate, Gertie and Winnie
xox
