7 WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL DOG DAY

Today is National Dog Day! Of course, every day is a great day to celebrate dogs, but National Dog Day, held annually on August 26th, is a day that gives us an extra special reason to show our Greyhounds just how much we love and appreciate them. After all, they deserve it. Dogs bring so much joy to our lives and we'll always be grateful for them!  Here are 7 suggestions to celebrate National Dog Day:

 Extra Cuddles

We probably cuddle every day, but this is an excuse for extra snuggles! Cuddling with your Greyhound shows them how much you love them and will actually benefit both of you. Every time you snuggle with your pup, their levels of oxytocin — the hormone associated with love, attachment and trust — rise, as do your own.

 Walk Someplace New

Visit a park you haven’t been to before, or walk to a local business or school – even new parking lots have so many new and exciting smells for your dog. And they can check “pee mail” along the way.

 Go for a Drive

You could take your hound for a drive to new park, or how about a pet store?  They could pick out a new toy! Even just driving around with you on errands would be exciting to them (as long as you don’t leave them in the car) because they get to go with you!

 Make (or buy) Some Yummy Dog Treats

If you like to bake, why not try some of these easy recipes https://bit.ly/EasyDogTreatRecipes  All ingredients in these recipes are considered safe for dogs, but as with humans, it's always good to make sure there are no dog allergies or sensitivities to any of the ingredients. Or just pick up their favorite treats. Either way, you will get their tail wagging!

 Try Out a New Game

The best games to play with dogs tap into their natural drives, and there’s nothing quite like the thrill of stalking and taking down prey. Since Greyhounds are good at chasing, but not so greyt about retrieving, how about this variation of “Fetch”?  Just gather a bunch of balls and throw one at a time.  As soon as they come back to you (with or without the one you threw), throw the next one. Or you could try “Toy on a String”. Cats love chasing string toys, but many pet parents are surprised to discover that dogs love it, too. A game of toy on a string mimics the joy of the chase. Take a long piece of string or yarn and tie it to a fave toy. Drag the toy slowly at first so your dog can get used to chasing it. Then, as they get better at tracking the toy, make it more challenging for them to catch it. Let your dog grab onto the toy sometimes, otherwise the game will get frustrating for them. To discourage jumping, try to keep the toy on the ground rather than pulling it up in the air.

 Variations of Hide and Seek are fun too – either you can hide or your dog can search for a toy or a treat.  Start slowly till they get the rules, and let them “Find It” once in a while so they don’t get discouraged.

 Watch a Dog-Themed Movie Together

There are so many classic dog movies, it’s hard to choose, but we are going to watch “The Art of Racing in the Rain” this time.  OK, it’s not about Greyhounds, but we will be snuggled up on the sofa, so it’s a win-win anyway.

 Make a Donation

The purpose of the National Dog Day Foundation is to rescue 10,000 dogs each year by galvanizing the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, either from public shelters, rescues or pure breed rescues.

 National Dog Day celebrates all breeds and honors family dogs and dogs that work selflessly to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort. Dogs put their lives on the line every day - for their law enforcement partner, for their blind companion, for the disabled, for our freedom and safety by detecting bombs and drugs and pulling victims of tragedy from wreckage. https://www.nationaldogday.com

 Of course, if your local adoption group is near and dear to your heart, that would be a greyt place to donate.  If you don’t have a favorite group, how about donating to the National Greyhound Pets of America? http://www.greyhoundpets.org/

 We’d love to hear about your plans for National Dog Day – please share in the comments below.