Yes, March 23 is indeed National Puppy Day. So if you have puppies, or want to adopt puppies, today is their special day. If you have dogs, you’ll have to wait until August 26th for their national holiday. But let’s be honest, every day with your canine friends is a holiday. So break out the treats, the tennis ball, and head down to the dog park - it’s time to celebrate with your pups!

Golden retriever puppy smiles
Puppies are golden. Source: Men's fitness

Adopt!

At pets before, and the first step to enjoying your national holiday with your puppy is to get one! If your home is ready and able, adopt a puppy and gain a furry little companion in your life. Not only will they be your friend, but dog lovers tend to be in better health too. The very act of petting a dog lowers stress and blood pressure.

Tiny little itty bitty puppy
The tiniest puppy. Source: I heart tea cups

Spreading Awareness

The principal reason for National Puppy Day is to educate people on puppy mills, and the rough conditions that they make for living animals. Because breeders in the USA are only required to provide six inches of space for a mother dog, this can lead to cramped conditions, behavioral problems, and a reduction in vaccinations for little puppies. Also because international laws are even more lax, it is thoroughly encouraged that you do not use a breeder online. Instead, adopt a rescue from a shelter.

  • Best Friends Animal Society
  • Arizona Animal Welfare League
  • Dane County Humane Society
  • Nevada Humane Society
  • Tompkins Country SPCA
  • Richmond SPCA
  • Members of the Metro Denver Shelter Alliance
  • Multnomah County Animal Services
  • City of San Jose Animal Care & Services
  • MSPCA
Little puppy paws on glass windows
Puppy paws. Source: Forbes

Spoil your Dog

It’s a national holiday entirely devoted to your tiny furry friends. So let them know you love them. Give them a treat, or a new toy, knit them a sweater, or just let them run around chasing things. If you’re feeling overly generous, you can subscribe to Pupbox and receive a monthly cache of puppy supplies mailed directly to your door. What better way to let your little furry companions know you’re thinking of them?

Look at his little face! Look at his faaaaaace.
Adorable little dog. Source: Pinterest

Pictures with Puppies

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” - Josh Billings

What’s better than hanging out with puppies? Taking pictures of them for all to see. Social media could always use a few more puppy photos, if for no other reason than to balance out pictures of food and babies. Some shelters even have live puppy cams to help increase adoption rates. So not only is this adorably cute, it’s also helping a good cause.

Puppy cams: bringing more puppies to more of the world
Puppy and camera. Source: Live puppy cams

So this National Puppy Day go out and make a difference in the world. Be it a simple trip down to a park with other dog owners, or taking on the responsibilities of dog ownership. Not matter what the reason, National Puppy Day does a lot of good in the world for a whole lot of reasons.

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