Go Ahead, Let Your Pup Have That Extra Treat (or 5) On National Dog Day

To put it mildly, I worship the ground my dog walks on. I slept on the floor next to his crate when he was a puppy, give him half my dinner most nights, and let him use me as a human pillow whenever he wants. He's the greatest creature on the planet, and if you can relate, you need to know exactly when National Dog Day is. Because all good pups deserve to be celebrated.

It's unsurprising there's a national holiday dedicated to celebrating puppers, because human adoration of dogs is no secret. They're commonly referred to as man's best friend, and I see a joke at least once a day on Twitter about people liking their dogs better than they like people. And as Business Insider reported, a study from 2018 found that humans are actually more likely to sympathize with dogs than they are other people, demonstrating just how deep the pup-person bond goes. If anything, I'm surprised National Dog Day isn't the kind of holiday the banks close for. For now, at least it exists, giving you an excuse to shower your doggo with extra love and care for a full 24 hours.

National Dog Day is on August 26 every year, according to the official National Dog Day website (yes, it's a thing), and that's a Monday this year — finally, a reason to look forward to the weekend ending. Since National Pet Day will have passed by the time National Dog Day rolls around, this is kind of your last chance to do it big for your doggo this year. From cheering you up when you're feeling sad to protecting your home from intruders, your dog is there for your fam no matter what, so honoring them on their day is the least you can do.

Unfortunately though, most kids will be back in school on that day, so you'll have to save the paw-fect party for the evening if you want the whole family to be there. But there's still a myriad of ways you can celebrate your favorite pup, even if you only have the evening hours free. You could do something simple, giving them an extra treat. You could give them a shout out on social media, not that they'll see the post. (It's the perfect day to use those baby and dog photos you took, by the way.) Or you could host an actual party, inviting all the dogs in your neighborhood over for a big celebration. HGTV has an entire how-to guide on how to throw the perfect party for pups if you need inspo.

But no matter how you decide to honor your dog on August 26, they'll feel how much you love them, which is really all that matters. They're your best pal for a reason, and spending some quality time together will help them know how special they are to you. As the saying goes, they're only part of your life, but you're their whole life. So give 'em some extra love on National Dog Day, and count your lucky stars you have them in your life. I know I will be.