Each year, the International Dog Day is celebrated on the 26th August since 2004 to foster and cultivate a kind and caring attitude towards all dogs, irrespective of their breed, shape, size, territory etc. On this day, people are motivated by animal welfare activists and encouraged for adopting dogs.
"If you want to experience unconditional love, unmatched loyalty and true care then you must have a dog as your pet because it is the only thing in the world who can love you selflessly for eternity," states website bestmessage.com while wishing a Happy Dog Day!
We too have adopted a pet dog called Google. Earlier, we had the pet dog called Twitter, whose portrait photograph was given the 'photograph of the day award' by the 'Art House' group.
I am training Google to become a therapy dog for interventions for children with learning disabilities such as dysgraphia, dyslexia and discalculia. A neighborhood child with learning disability is made to spend sometime with the dog and feed him. And, it is working.
Here are excerpts from an article "Every Dog Has a Day: International Dog Day Observed Across Globe" which I had written earlier.
-In many countries, including India, the International Dog Day is observed on August 26 to promote dog adoption, care, control and training. As we know that the dog is termed as the 'most faithful and loyal animal on the earth' and it can be trained for many tasks
-Dogs are being used by humans in many ways, such as for detection of criminals, drugs, cancer, type-I diabetes, mines, etc. Besides the common use of dogs for security purposes, they are being used as service dogs for bringing things, showing way to the blind, retrieving and hunting, pulling the sledge, and keeping herd of sheep together.
-In the army and security forces, trained dogs are treated like employees who get a monthly salary for their care, food and shelter.
-Dogs are deemed as the perfect creatures for animal therapy of the depressed, old, sick and differently abled. Such dogs are trained extensively and licensed for therapeutic purposes.
-It has found that trained dogs can be helpful in improving our mental and physical health because of their playfulness, faithfulness, companionship and friendliness. All these can boost our oxytocin levels; aid in overcoming depression; improve immune system, and lower blood pressure.
-Many agencies are training dogs as 'Mobility Assistants' with at least one year of training to help people with physical disabilities. They can also be trained to carry and pick up objects, open doors, bring cordless phones, bring newspapers, etc.
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