Let’s celebrate the International Dog Day

August 26 is International Dog Day, and we like to call it the International Dog Celebration because it’s a special day, during which our little sweethearts are celebrated and honored all around the world.

First, however, a clarification: even though August 26 is a date entirely dedicated to our furry ones, every day should be World Dog Day, because our four-legged friends don’t know the calendar and every day they show us their loyalty, their friendship, and their unconditional love.

We humans should therefore do the same and, every single day of the year, return the affection they give us with all the care and love we can.

That said, today we celebrate World Dog Day and to do it in the best way, we thought of gathering some works of art that celebrate our four-legged friends.

So, we thought of taking a journey through comics, music, sculpture, painting, and cinema, choosing works that have them, the four-legged sweethearts, as protagonists.

After all, art has always had the ability to tell emotions and feelings, also bringing them to life in us every time we admire it.

So, what better way to celebrate the International Dog Day than through artistic expressions that tell of their greatness?

How to celebrate the International Dog Day?

When is the International Dog Day celebrated?

As mentioned just before, this day is celebrated on August 26th every year. It was first established in 2004 by Colleen Paige, an expert in animal behavior and an advocate for animal rights in the United States.

Why this date?

Because Paige wanted to commemorate the adoption of her first furry friend. That day, in fact, changed her life and inspired her to commit to dog adoption and to the cause of animal rights and welfare on a global level.

Like every World Day, International Dog Day also has a goal that goes beyond the celebration itself: to raise public awareness about the importance of adopting from shelters.

This day is also an opportunity to show gratitude to our four-legged friends for the friendship, loyalty, and love they give us and show us every single day.

How to celebrate the International Dog Day?

There are many ways to celebrate this International Dog Day, and the most important one is to dedicate time and attention to our beloved furry friend.

We can spend the day with them by going for a walk, perhaps in the middle of nature, taking a day trip out of town or, since it’s summer, enjoying a little outing somewhere with water where they can splash around happily.

Of course, August 26th should be a day full of extra cuddles, and let’s just say that a little biscuit is more than welcome, every celebration deserves a sweet treat!

Let’s not forget, however, that the International Dog Day’s main goal is to raise awareness about the tragedy of abandoned dogs and the importance of adopting from shelters.

We’ve talked about this topic in this article dedicated to the global dog population, where we focused on the importance of adoption, both as an act of love and as a commitment to our furry friends.

On the occasion of the International Dog Day, its very founder has compiled a list of things to do to give back the love of our furry companions and also to support the well-being of those less fortunate.

These actions mainly include donating blankets, food, toys, and useful items to organizations that, locally or worldwide, are committed to caring for and protecting dogs in shelters.

Moreover, Colleen Paige suggests, for this global event, to become a volunteer for a day (or longer, if one feels the desire and has the chance), in order to give an active and even more concrete contribution to the well-being of dogs all over the planet.

Works of art that celebrate dogs

And now, let’s celebrate International Dog Day through art!

Throughout history, our furry friends have inspired artists of all kinds to create masterpieces in which they played the starring role.

We’ve selected one artwork for each form of art. Surely, there are countless more, because every day around the world, these little hearts, just like all animals, inspire genuine creations, born from the equally genuine emotions and feelings they awaken in us humans.

Snoopy, the most famous dog in the world!

Let’s begin our journey to discover the artworks that can celebrate International Dog Day with him, the most famous dog in the world: Snoopy.

The beagle created by Charles M. Schulz in the comic strip “Peanuts” is much more than a dog: he’s a dreamer, a philosopher who talks with his faithful bird friend Woodstock, and sometimes even a pilot, when he imagines himself fighting the legendary Red Baron during World War I.

Snoopy has accompanied, and still accompanies, entire generations in dreaming, with his independent spirit, his funny (and sometimes mischievous) friends.

We can truly say that, in his simplicity, Snoopy reminds us that dogs are extraordinary beings who deserve all our love and care, especially because they often have so much to teach us.

Dogs in painting: a journey through time!

Telling the story of the dog in painting is a true journey through time, and we are pleased to do so on the occasion of the International Dog Day.

We can start from the very ancient cave paintings dating back to the Meso-Neolithic period at the Cueva de la Vieja, in Valencia, Spain, all the way to the ancient Egyptians, who depicted their furry companions with slender legs and pointed little snouts.

Over the centuries, these little hearts have been painted using every technique and on every surface, but if we want to talk about actual paintings as we know them today in more recent art, we can make a leap in time to the Renaissance, when people from wealthier classes would often have themselves portrayed together with their trusted four-legged friends.

Starting from the 18th century, dogs began to become the absolute protagonists of paintings all around the world.

An especially curious case is that of American artist Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, who, between 1894 and 1910, painted many dogs engaged in the most diverse activities, from baseball to testifying in court, even ballroom dancing, although the most famous are definitely the dogs playing poker.

We say it’s a ‘curious’ case because beyond the subjects, many of the paintings were commissioned at the time as advertisements for a well-known cigar brand. Naturally, no one could have imagined that they would become so world-famous and iconic in the years to come!

Another flawless master of portraying dogs in everyday life is Norman Rockwell, who published a total of 321 original covers in The Saturday Evening Post over the course of forty-seven years, many of which were dedicated to the daily presence of our four-legged hearts in human life.

To celebrate International Dog Day, we had to choose one among the many artworks that portray furry companions, and so we selected one that is particularly sweet and inspiring: “Study for A Sunday on La Grande Jatte”, by Georges Seurat.

Dated 1884, the painting tells the story of a relaxed scene on the Seine, northwest of Paris, where people enjoy a Sunday afternoon in the company of their furry companions.

Can we consider it the forerunner of many other paintings? Certainly, and of many photographs too, which over time have captured those moments of fun and lightheartedness spent with our four-legged hearts.

“How much affection in ‘Martha My Dear’ by The Beatles!”

“Martha My Dear” by The Beatles was written by Paul McCartney and is included in the famous “White Album”. At first listen, it may sound like a love song, and in a way, it is, because it’s a true tribute to Martha, McCartney’s beloved Old English Sheepdog.

With its cheerful rhythm and lyrics filled with affection, “Martha My Dear” could be the perfect soundtrack for International Dog Day!

The Hachiko sculpture at Shibuya Station

Looking for a sculpture to celebrate the International Dog Day, we couldn’t help but choose the one located at Shibuya Station in Tokyo, which depicts the dog Hachiko.

Hachiko was an Akita who waited for his owner’s return for over nine years, becoming a symbol of unconditional love and loyalty, a story also told in the film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale.

And speaking of cinema…

Movies starring dogs

Movies featuring four-legged “little hearts” or “big hearts” as protagonists are many. The already mentioned Hachi: A Dog’s Tale is perhaps one of the most famous, but there are many others that tell of unconditional love, loyalty, and the friendship between humans and dogs, such as:

• The Art of Racing in the Rain: the sweet Labrador Enzo reflects on his life and the bonds he has formed with his human family, especially with his caregiver, Denny, in a film set in the world of car racing.
• Belle & Sebastian: Sebastian is an orphaned boy who forms a special bond with a wild dog, Belle. Together they face a world of adventures in the stunning setting of the French Alps during World War II.
• A Dog’s Purpose: Bailey, a loyal dog, is reincarnated into several canine bodies, trying to reunite with his beloved caregiver, Ethan.
• A Dog’s Way Home: Bella is a little dog who travels over 600 kilometers across rough terrain to find her best human friend, Lucas.
• Dog Days: an ensemble film where the lives of various dog caretakers intertwine in Los Angeles, showing how their beloved furry friends influence and improve their relationships.
• Marley & Me: the story of a married couple and their dog Marley, a very lively Labrador who, despite his turbulent behavior, teaches them precious lessons about life and love.

And now a few animated films! In fact, there are many cartoons and animated movies starring four-legged friends.

These works are aimed at children but contain very important messages for adult humans too. Watching one of these films can be a great idea to celebrate International Dog Day!

• 101 Dalmatians: a cult film, with two Dalmatians, Pongo and Perdita, trying to rescue their puppies and other Dalmatians from the clutches of the evil Cruella De Vil, who wants to turn them into fur coats.
• Lady and the Tramp: Lady, a purebred dog, and Tramp, a stray dog, live romantic (and sometimes dangerous) adventures together through the streets of the city. Who could forget one of the sweetest scenes in cinematic history, when the two dogs share a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, slurping them until they kiss?
• Bolt: Bolt is a Hollywood dog actor who believes he has real superpowers, and so he sets off on a real adventure to save his beloved caretaker, Penny.

Frankenweenie: Victor Frankenstein brings his beloved dog Sparky back to life through a scientific experiment, unleashing unexpected consequences in their small town.

 

Other famous dogs in the world of art and culture

International Dog Day is a wonderful opportunity to remember many other sweethearts who have made history.

How could we not mention Lassie, the most famous Collie in Hollywood, who goes on countless adventures to help and protect her human family, or Balto, who in the 1920s in Alaska saved many lives by transporting medicine, and even people, by sled during an epidemic?

Today, Balto is immortalized with a statue in Central Park in New York, so this work of art must absolutely be included among those that celebrate International Dog Day.

And finally, our thoughts go to the sweet and unfortunate Laika, to whom we’ve dedicated this article, the first little dog to orbit the Earth in space.

From the loving notes of the Beatles to the clever comic strips of the Peanuts, and the moving sculptures of Hachiko and Balto, all these works remind us of the greatness of our four-legged hearts.

On the occasion of International Dog Day, we can take some time to hug our furry friends and reflect on how precious they are to us.

And, as mentioned before, what matters most is spending time in the way they love, going for a walk and giving them an extra treat. Simple things, yes, but the ones that make them happy… because in the end, that’s the only thing that truly counts!