National Dog Day!

Yes, there is a Santa Claus and Yes, there is a National Dog Day!

August 26th is a day to celebrate the animal we call "Man's Best Friend". This is only the 6th year of the unofficial holiday, but one I hope catches on and grows each year.

So why celebrate the dog? If you have ever had the pleasure of having one in your life, you probably can think of a million reasons to celebrate. Here are a few more.

1. Did you know that every year around 2-3 Million Dogs are up for adoption at a number of animal shelters? 2-3 Million! That would be like finding homes for every person in Minnesota every year!

2. Did you know that there are over 75 Million dogs living with their human friends in the USA?

3. Did you know that each year thousands of dogs are trained to serve as service dogs, police dogs, and rescue dogs?

4. Did you know that the most popular dog names are Lady and Bear?

5. Did you know that there are over 4000 dogs serving with our Armed Forces over seas and trained to do human rescue, bomb sniffing, and other highly dangerous jobs?

6. Did you know that dogs have been recorded and discussed over 40 times in the Bible?

7. Did you know a dog can smell 300 million times better than a human but has less than half the taste buds of a human?

8. Did you know that studies have found that people who have dogs (or cats) live an average of 8 years longer then those without?

9. Did you know that the average cost of owning a dog is around $1400 a year? What would a kid cost per year?

10. Did you know that people who own dogs have less health issues?

Crazy stuff and all worth celebrating! So, happy National Dog Day! If you own a dog you know how much your personal hairy friend means to you.

Check out the National Site for more information: National Dog Day!