It is also a day to recognize how hard service dogs work on our behalf and also to draw attention to the plight of abused and abandoned dogs.
National dog day history
National Dog Day serves to raise awareness of the thousands of dogs that need to be rescued and encourages appreciation for family dogs and working dogs, such as bomb dogs, service dogs, rescue dogs and law enforcement dogs. Dogs are owned by many families in the world, however many other dogs are homeless and or have been abandoned. Every year, these dogs are taken into shelters, where millions of them are euthanized.
In 2005, National Dog Day was conceived and promoted by Colleen Paige, a pet lover and advocate.
Facts about dogs
There are more than 150 dog breeds, divided into 8 classes: sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, herding, and miscellaneous. Dogs can vary in size from a 36 inch (150+ lb.) Great Dane to a 2 lb. Chihuahua. An adult dog has 42 teeth. Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not sweat by salivating. They sweat through the pads of their feet. Dogs can also see in the dark because of the tapetum lucidum, a mirror-like membrane in dogs’ eyes.
Man's best friend
Often known as man's best friend, dogs were the first animals to be domesticated by humans and they were often used for guarding property, herding stock, and for hunting game. Today, dogs are used as companions and are considered to be a member of the family in many parts of the world.
A brief history of the domesticated dog
The mysterious history of dogs has been revealed primarily through archaeological research. Evidence of prehistoric dog-like creatures shows us that the evolution of the dog can actually be traced back millions of years. The transition of some wolves into dogs probably began upwards of 100,000 years ago, but the domesticated dog likely dates back anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 years. Some believe that humans set out to domesticate dogs by "breeding" for specific traits, though this may not actually be the case. By nature, dogs are scavengers, so one theory suggests that dogs began to follow human hunters for food. Regardless of how it all started, the human-canine bond has blossomed and strengthened over time and will likely continue to grow.
Benefits and risks of having dogs
There's a reason dogs are dubbed man's best friend. Dogs make amazing companions and provide many emotional and physical benefits, in other hand; it has some disadvantages which we should be aware of. So we’ll discuss some of advantages and disadvantages of keeping dogs as a pet.
Advantages of having dogs
1-The most obvious benefits of pet ownership are love and companionship.
2-Dogs are fun. They play with you and will run with you.
3-Dogs are loyal. They wouldn’t ever betray you. They'll follow you everywhere, protect you, and don’t ask for much in return.
4-They keep your heart healthy. Your heart rate and blood pressure lowers just by petting a dog!
5-A dog is not only a pet but a best friend at the same time.
Research shows that dog owners fared better when it came to depression, loneliness, disease, self-esteem, meaningful existence, stress, and activity.
Disadvantages
1-Shedding: Some dogs shed a lot. You will find fur everywhere! Though the amount of shedding depends on breed.
2-Time commitment: A dog is not happy if he doesn’t have daily exercise and can only do his business in the backyard or at the street corner. That is why it is harder to have a dog, especially a big one, inside the city. Dogs need to run, enjoy their freedom, and use their noses in natural surroundings. So if you don’t live close to a park, forest, or other green area, you should consider not getting a dog.
3-Bath and cleanliness: Regular baths are important so as to keep your dog away from ticks,etc. That may cause allergies and sickness. Also, while it is still a pup, it will poop anywhere in the house until it gets proper potty training. So be ready to constantly clean it every now and then!
4-Cost: You need to buy dog food, go to the vet at least once a year (provided your dog is healthy), and pay a kennel when you go on vacation. Dog kennels are not cheap.
5- There are sanitary risks associated with dog ownership: dogs can carry parasites that can be transferred to humans.
Animal feces carry all kinds of bacteria that can make you sick. Dogs can also cause allergic reactions in some dog owners.
Arguments for dog ownership
Many people consider their dogs to be members of the family and thus treat them with love and respect. Oftentimes, this feeling appears to be mutual, as dog seeks out their owners to play. These animals provide unconditional love and devotion — to deny them and us this relationship seems unthinkable to some.
Also, keeping dogs and some other pets is a much more humane way for them to live as opposed to factory farms, animal testing labs or circuses use and abuse the animals.
Arguments against dog ownership
On the other side of the spectrum, some animal activists argue that we should not keep or breed dogs regardless of whether we have an overpopulation problem — there are two basic arguments that support these claims.
One argument is that dogs and other pets suffer too much at our hands. Theoretically, we may be able to provide good homes for our pets, and many of us do. However, in the real world, animals suffer abandonment, cruelty and neglect.
Another argument is that even on a theoretical level, the relationship is inherently flawed and we are unable to provide the full lives that these animals deserve. Because they are bred to be dependent on us, the basic relationship between humans and companion animals is flawed because of the difference in power. A sort of Stockholm syndrome, this relationship forces animals to love their owners in order to get affection and food, oftentimes neglecting their animal nature to do so.
Owning dogs could be fun and has some benefits as we mentioned; however, some people disagree with keeping dogs and they have their own reasons, so we refer to some religious point of views to see what their opinion about dogs is.
Religions’ perspective on Dog
Judaism
In Judaism, Jewish law does not ban the action of keeping dogs and other pets.
[16] Jewish law requires Jews to feed dogs (and other animals that they own) before themselves, and make arrangements for feeding them before obtaining them.[16] The Book of Exodus (22:31) includes the exhortation "And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs" which implies that dogs have an accepted role in Hebrew society, and that God does not expect them to observe the dietary restrictions imposed on their human masters.
But in case of praying, Jewish people must consider some restrictions about dogs. In Judaism, Shulchan Aruch forbids moving animals during Shabbos or holidays. It is forbidden, concretely, to wear them or even to stroke them. We must therefore be careful during Shabbos not to touch them. Cleanliness: If you have touched your dog, you are not allowed to bless or pray until you have made Nétilat Yadaïm (without blessing). Holiness: It is best if the animal is not present during Kiddush or other times of holiness.
The Talmud does not approve of keeping a dog at home, where he must be constantly shackled. It is forbidden for a widow to live alone with a dog for fear of being suspected of having "forbidden relationships".
Christianity
There is not one verse that mentions dogs as domestic pets except those owned by ungodly people. The scriptures make it clear what dogs were created for – scavengers to clean up rotting carcasses like vultures do. If we take a dog for a walk even on a leash, it will instinctively pick up any food that is left on the ground. Dogs will eat what other carnivores will not touch – rotting food.
But this negative view of verses of the Bible is not a reason to be forbidden keeping a dog as pet. The Bible does not really address the issue of keeping pets. The only possible example of a pet owner is the poor man in Nathan’s parable, a man who “had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him” (2 Samuel 12:3).
We can draw some conclusions about pets, however, based on what the Bible says on other topics. The key note is that it is not forbidden to keep a dog in our houses despite of negative view of Bible on dogs.
Islam
Traditionally, dogs have been seen as impure, and the Islamic legal tradition has developed several injunctions that warn Muslims against most contact with dogs and there is not any dispute in this issue. But why Islam disagree with keeping dog? Is it prohibited everywhere and every time?
For those of us—Muslims or otherwise—whose most regular interaction with a living nonhuman animal is with a dog, the story of dogs in Islam offers another lesson as well. Humans did not always keep dogs for affection, love, or cuteness. For most of history, they were not pets. They were laborers, economic necessities, hunters, and street cleaners. Apart from dogs that sniff drugs, aid the blind, or chase criminals, very few of us today experience dogs as anything other than that joy that licks our face in the morning. There are a number of traditions concerning Muhammad's attitude towards dogs. He said that the company of dogs, except as helpers in hunting, herding, and home protection, voided a portion of a Muslim's good deeds. [13] On the other hand, he advocated kindness to dogs and other animals.
Islam gives permission to keep dogs for certain purposes, such as hunting, guarding livestock and protecting crops, but keeping a dog as a pet, always in the house is not recommended.
In Islam it is permissible to keep a dog, although it is preferable not to. For what? The reason is that dogs and pigs can smell when the woman is horny and dogs come closer to the woman and will attempt to have sex. If woman is naked and if you bring any animal towards that naked woman then no other animal will go near to that naked woman except the dog and pig. And in fact they will attempt to have sex with them. In today world you can see woman’s now have sex with pigs and dogs not forcibly but willingly. That’s why it is not allowed inside the house but can stay in farm for livestock or farming protection.
The only thing that it is considered forbidden in Islam is to grow up the dog inside the house as pethouse, probably because of its saliva, and few other derogatory habits. The saliva of dogs often contains microscopic worms, science has shown. A dog licks his own feces, and it has been proven by scientists that a dog’s tongue is filthy and filled with bacteria and the only way to get rid of this bacteria is by washing your hands six times with water and once with dirt. How often do you see a cat licking someone? How often do you see a dog licking someone? See the difference? Dogs are not to be kept inside the house at all times. They should be kept outside.
We have some verses in Quran about dogs confirming our claim:
You would have thought them lay awake, as they were sleeping While to the left and to the right We kept them turning While their dog with paws outstretching On the threshold, kept lying Had you observed them, surely in hurry you would have turned your back on them and been filled with awe of them. Quran (18:18) So dogs may be used as guards.
They will ask you (Oh Mohammad!) what all they are permitted Say, “All good things of life, to you are permitted” And such hunting creatures whom you teach, and teach them as Allah has taught you Eat what they seize for you and mention Allah’s name over it Fear Allah and (remember) Allah in reckoning is swift. Quran (5:4) So Dogs may also be used for hunting, but they should be trained for it.
So, if we try to clarify the viewpoint of Islam on dog, this is the summery:
1. It is NOT forbidden to own a dog, though it is not hygienic to keep a dog in the house.
2. It is NOT forbidden to touch a dog or any other animal. If the saliva of a dog touches you or any part of your clothing, then it is required of you to wash the body part touched and the item of clothing touched by the dog’s mouth or snout.
However, as these verses show us, it is not forbidden keeping a dog in our houses as pet but also it is not recommended keeping it in the house.
Ritual activities force believers to avoid touching dogs and their hair, sweat and nails. Although, washing hands after touching it, solve the problem and make it allowable for praying. So, it is possible to keep dog as a pet and enjoy it…
