Celebrate National Puppy Day: How Dogs Saved My Life! 🐶🐾 🐕🦺
Celebrate National Puppy Day by sharing the love of dogs and making a difference for pups everywhere.
Hi, devoted doggie devotees, playful puppy parents, and remarkable rescue rockstars,
In this crazy time of chaos, confusion, and crisis, there’s one constant I can always count on, PUPPIES! Dump the DOGE and adopt a DOGGIE!
Dogs don’t doom scroll or stress about the latest news headline. Dogs are our best friends, our protectors, and our playmates (as long as we feed them).
Join me and celebrate National Puppy Day!
Dogs Save Lives 🐕🦺🔥❤️
It’s one of my oldest memories. I was around three years old, living in Denver. Winters were cold, with lots of snow, and snowdrifts sometimes taller than me. I loved playing in the snow with my family’s dog, a German Shepherd named Gretel (yes, Hansel and Gretel from the fairy tale). Gretel was every bit as brave and that winter and she proved it.
Then something special happened. Puppies! Right there in our garage. What’s better than playing in the snow than playing with puppies in the snow?
But Colorado winters are freezing, and it was important to keep the puppies warm. We set up a heater in the garage to help, and it was working hard until it wasn’t. A fire broke out, flames crackling and spreading through the garage. But Gretel wasn’t about to let anything happen to her puppies or her family. With the instincts only a dog could have, she sprang into action, barking as loudly as only a mama Shepherd could. Her tiny pups joined in too, their little voices loud enough to wake us all.
Gretel and her puppies didn’t just save the day, they saved our home and our lives.
Dogs Teach Responsibility 🐾🚶♂️🛠️
A few years later, big changes were happening in my life journey. Our family was growing, my little sister Becky was born, and suddenly our small house felt even smaller. So, we packed up and moved to a new neighborhood with a bigger house and more space. It was an exciting time, but I really wanted something more.
I remember asking my dad for a dog of my own. He took me to a dog rescue and loaned me $15 to adopt a puppy. But there was a catch. I had to promise to take care of her, feed her, teach her, clean up her poop, and mow the lawn every week to pay back the loan, 50 cents at a time.
That’s how Shelly came into my life. She was everything I wanted. I taught her to come when I whistled and she quickly mastered fetching her squeaky toy. But Shelly wasn’t just a dog, she was my best friend. She was with me and my family for 17 incredible years. She was there through every move (from Colorado to California), every adventure (sneaking her into hotels inside a pillow slip), and even when I left home for college at UCLA.
From Childhood Companions to Rescue Missions 🐕🌎✈️
It wasn’t easy to have dogs of my own during my time at UCLA. Dorm rooms and tiny apartments weren’t exactly ideal for raising a pup. But that didn’t mean dogs weren’t still a big part of my life. My family’s dogs, from Gretel to Shelly, Skipper and Matey, the playful Bichons; Cacahuete, the little peanut with a giant personality; and now Teddy, Morkie, and Sophie, kept my connection and love of dogs alive. Wagging tails greet me at the door, and walks and couch snuggles make everything feel right.
Dogs aren’t just pets, they’re family.
Over the years, we rescued dogs, starting with Daisy and then Prince Jasper, an older dog who loved to play hide and seek and tried his best at fetch, even though he often got distracted.
One summer, we partnered with Mexipets to help animals in need. We brought four dogs and two kittens from Mexico to their new homes in Northern California. It was a road trip like no other. Imagine us navigating the U.S. immigration process with four Mexican dogs and two adorable kittens.
A Summer with A Black Lab 🐾🌊☀️
Last summer, Kevin and his black lab, Kodak, nicknamed Snoopy, stayed with us. It was a dream come true. Playing fetch in the backyard, visiting the dog park, splashing in the river, and racing along the ocean coast. It felt like the perfect summer.
Your Call to Action for National Puppy Day 🐾 🐕
National Puppy Day was Founded in 2006 by Colleen Paige, a passionate advocate for animals, this day encourages action for puppies, dogs, mutts, and beyond.
This weekend, spend time with your pup, visit a dog park, or support a rescue organization like Mexipets.
Here’s a great list to get some ideas to celebrate puppies, dogs, mutts, black dogs, cats, and wildlife.
Leave a comment about how you will celebrate puppies today.
Another beautiful memoir Kacey! I love your writing.