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August 26th is National Dog Day. Do you know how you are planning to celebrate? There are tons of different ways to spend the day. Maybe you want to go on a walk, maybe you’ll bake something special for your pooch. Maybe you just want to take the opportunity to spoil your furry friend with some new toys or a new collar or leash. Whatever you decide, one thing is for certain, you definitely want to take this opportunity to make sure to show how much your dog means to your family. Here are a few ways that you can do this!
Go On An Adventure With Your Dog
You probably walk your dog multiple times every day, but when you are out for your daily trot with your dog, you probably stick to well known routes that you travel often. You also probably stay pretty close to your home base. For National Dog Day, why not plan an adventure with your pup? Pick somewhere like an unfamiliar nature trail you’ve been wanting to try, and go on an extended excursion through the woods. Your dog will not only love the extra exercise, but will especially enjoy the chance to explore a brand new location, with new sights and smells.
Of course it should go without saying, but do careful research before you go bounding into the woods sight unseen. Take note of the local wildlife, and plant life that are likely to be present in an area you are planning to hike in, and make sure that you are aware of your surroundings. Also, we’ve talked about this before, but it is important to make sure that your dog is prepared for a longer hike than usual. Be sure to check out our guide on preparing to hike with your dog if you have questions about this.
Whip Up Something Special In The Kitchen
Why not take the opportunity to spoil your dog with some homemade healthy treats? There are a ton of recipes out there on the web that you can follow for delicious and healthy dog treats that won’t make you feel guilty about giving your dog unhealthy snacks. Something like making special treats, or a special meal for your dog’s special day really shows that you love and care about what happens to your dog. You’ll be happy too because while your dog thinks they are being spoiled (and they are) you are also making sure that your dog is getting a valuable assortment of healthy vitamins, minerals, proteins and other important things from the treats you are feeding them. We even did all of the hard work for you and compiled a list of our favorite healthy homemade treats. Check it out and see if any of the recipes appeal to you and your dog.
Buy Them Some New Accessories
One thing that my mother always did to celebrate our dogs was to hand sew them a new collar each year. Now, you may not have the technical know-how to create a dog collar yourself, but even a new store bought collar could mean the world to your dog. Every time we’d put the new collars on our family’s dogs they would spend the day prancing around the house showing it off to anyone who would look. Check out the wide assortment of awesome new collars that KeepDoggieSafe has for sale. I am fond of the rolled round collar from Dogline because it is made from super soft leather, and is available in stylish colors. If you are looking for something that is more utilitarian than fashionable, I like the Alcott reflective dog collar. It is available in all sorts of fun colors, and the reflective stitching makes it easy to spot your dog from far away.
Go Swimming
A trip to the lake, or the pool is the perfect way to celebrate your dog on a hot August day. Who doesn’t love a refreshing dip in some cold water? Your dog will have a blast splashing around with you. It’s important to be safe when you are in the water, so if you are planning a trip to the lake or another large body of water, you should invest in some safety gear for such an activity. A dog life jacket would be a great gift for your aquatic dog, because they can safely swim without you having to worry about them getting too tired and not being able to stay afloat. I am a personal fan of the Water Adventure vest from Alcott. Not only is it made from durable materials, but it also features reflective strips for high visibility, and a sturdy handle on the back of the vest to make lifting your dog out of the water a snap!
Pamper Your Pup
While your dog may not love the process of grooming, they are sure to love the end result. Pamper your dog by taking them to get a fresh haircut, and shampoo! After all, who doesn’t feel great when they leave the salon? If your dog is not a fan of the groomer, or if you are just looking to save some money, you can also groom your dog at home. If you need tips on how to do this, check out our handy guide.
Vet Check Up
While it’s not the most exciting way to celebrate your dog on National Dog Day, I can think of no better way to show your dog that you truly care about their health and well being than to take them to the vet for a check up. This will ensure that your dog is up to date on all required vaccinations, and will help you to make sure there are no other health problems that you need to worry about. You can take your dog to the vet, and then reward them for good behavior with one of the other 6 ways I suggested to celebrate your dog!
There we go folks, those are 6 awesome ways to show your dog how much you love and care for them. How do you like to celebrate your dog on national dog day?
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