Hey, fellow pet lovers!
Today is National Puppy Day, so I thought I would write a post that talks about this beautiful canine caring day, our universal love for puppies and how this great day came to be? I also plan to briefly touch on the unfortunate reality and horrors of the many puppy mills worldwide and a few telltale signs to watch out for when buying a puppy. Lastly, I want to mention my two gorgeous girls who were once puppies, though it feels like so long ago that Nia and little Lily where pups as they grow up way too fast.
Let’s jump straight into today’s post and learn all about National Puppy Day 2019!
National Puppy Day, 23rd March 2019
Photo by Chevanon Photography on Pexels.com
National Puppy Day is such a wonderful day to celebrate. It is all about the unconditional love, joy and happiness our canine pups bring us each day, as well as raising awareness about the importance of orphaned and shelter puppies and the horrors of puppy mills worldwide. National Puppy Day is celebrated on the 23rd of March each year and was founded by Colleen Paige, who is a Pet and Home Lifestyle expert with a serious passion and love for animals.
As well as National Puppy Day Colleen is responsible for creating other days that celebrate the worlds, unconditional love, for canine and feline companions, as well as horses and wildlife and below you can see a list of the other national days Colleen has founded.
National Pet Day, 11th April
National Mutt Day, July 31st
National Dog Day, August 26th
National Black Dog Day, 15th October
National Cat Day, 29th October
National Horse Protection Day, 1st March
National Wildlife Day, 4th September
National Walk Your Dog Week, 2nd October.
As you can see Colleen has created a variety of national days to help pet lovers and owners celebrate our companion animals all over the world, to learn more about these special days then head over to Colleen’s website. Some of you may remember one of my previous posts from last year which was all about National Walk Your Dog Week and if you haven’t read it yet then check it out after reading today’s post.
Puppy Love; Nia & Lily đź’“
Now we know the reasons behind National Puppy Day I want to quickly talk about my two gorgeous girls Nia and Lily and reflect on when they were puppies. Above are a few of their puppy photos and it feels like a lifetime ago that they were little balls of fluff. Nia was such a sweet puppy but somewhat destructive, and she managed to eat her way through a fair amount of our possessions, some odder than others! The first thing Nia destroyed was the skirting board, then a pair of my partners’ shoes, then her puppy bed, then the corners of a chest of draws, a chair cushion, a roll of toilet roll and lastly, two homegrown chilli plants much to my partners’ despair.
You’ll have to excuse the quality of these photos as they were taken a good while ago, but above you can see Nia when she was almost a year old just after she had ripped up a chair cushion, her little face says it all! The next photo of Nia is when she decided to run down the long passage in our flat with a whole roll of toilet roll that was still attached to the toilet roll holder, she ran into the sitting room and wrapped it around herself, she is too cute!
Nia was an only dog until she was just over one years old and then I talked to my partner about getting her a little friend to grow up alongside, we both agreed that it was a good idea and I started hunting for the perfect pooch which ended up being little Lily.
Lily was an utterly crazy puppy, and we introduced her into our little family back in January 2016. I had just started a Real Estate Degree a few months before in September, probably not the best time to get a puppy in all honestly, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. However, the first few months were so tough because every morning between 3 and 5 am all she wanted to do was play, she had no interest in sleep what so ever. Thankfully, she has grown out of this now and loves sleeping which I’m super happy about, as those first few months were quite tricky, but I got through them and managed to pass my first year of study despite the lack of sleep.
Having a puppy is fantastic; watching them grow and creating that special bond with your pup is one of the best feelings in the world. However, a lot of people forget that when you get an adorable little puppy, it is one day going to grow up and become a fully mature dog. Which is why it is so essential that people take the time to consider whether getting a pet is the right option for them? I’ve written two posts that talk about a few questions every potential pet owner should ask themselves if they’re considering introducing a canine or feline friend into their lives and if this is you then check them out after reading today’s post.
Pets aren’t just for Christmas; they’re for life!
Questions to ask yourself before getting a pet?
Also, if you’ve enjoyed learning about my girls and would like to learn more about Nia and Lily then here are two of my previous posts that talk all about their little personalities, what they like to get up to and much more.
Adopt Don’t Shop!
Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com
One of the main reasons Colleen created National Puppy Day was to raise awareness about orphaned and homeless puppies who are hunting for their forever homes. There are so many poor pets out there who are waiting to be adopted and if you’re considering getting a canine companion, then why not adopt a puppy?
When my partner and I wanted to bring another dog into our home so Nia could have a little friend to grow up alongside and play with, we went to the local kennels three times with the hopes of giving a poor pooch a new start. However, we couldn’t find the right match since we had to make sure that if we did adopt a dog, it was the right one for Nia. I felt awful leaving empty-handed each time, and it took days to forgive myself, but I’m sure that one day we will adopt a dog from a shelter and give them a loving home.
However, If you want a pet into your life, then please remember there are countless out there waiting adopted from shelters all around the world. So please don’t just consider buying a puppy from a breeder or a pet shop but also consider adopting or rescuing. If you live in the UK and want to adopt a pet then head over to one of the many animal charities websites that help to rehome stray dogs, puppies and cats each year.
Puppy Mills
Puppy mills are truly awful things, and unfortunately, statistics show that they are an everyday reality worldwide. In the US it’s estimated that there are about ten thousand puppy mills and a massive aim of National Puppy Day is to raise awareness about puppy mills/farms and help decrease this number as much as possible. Shockingly, a lot of pet owners purchase a puppy from a pet store, or a breeder who they think is honest and ethical, but the harsh truth is that a lot of these pet stores and breeders are supporting the puppy mill trade.
How can you tell if you’re buying a puppy that came from a puppy mill?
Thankfully, there are a few telltale signs you can look out for to see if your puppy is coming from a reputable breeder or a puppy mill, so make sure to keep these signs in mind if you’re purchasing a puppy at any point in your life.
Ask To See The Pups Parents
The first thing to do is to ask to see the parents of your pup, make sure you meet them in person as a breeder who owns a puppy mill can comfortably lie and send you a fake photo. If the breeder makes up excuses and doesn’t allow you to see your pup’s parents, then this is a worrying sign and could be a clear indicator that your pup is likely from a puppy mill.
See The Puppy With Its Mother!
Just like the point above this is another crucial thing to do, if you see your puppy with its mother and everything looks fine, both mum and her pups look healthy then this is an excellent indicator that your puppy is from a reputable breeder. However, if your breeder doesn’t allow you to see mum and shows you your puppy alone or with their siblings, then this is a worrying sign that your pup may come from a puppy farm.
Poorly Looking Puppies
Another indicator that your puppy is from a puppy mill is if they or their fellow siblings have any eye or ear problems or visible health conditions. Puppies who have weepy eyes and are overall lethargic may, in reality, come from a puppy mill, even if you are viewing them from a typical home. A breeder who owns or runs a puppy mill can easier find a regular home to show you the pups in, but the reality is they could come from a puppy mill and live in awful conditions.
Bad Odour & Poor Living Conditions
When you go and visit your potential pup, and if you are greeted with an awful odour or can see that their living conditions are poor then this is another sign that your puppy may come from a puppy mill. These are just a few of the many indicators that a puppy may come from a puppy mill and make sure you’re always aware of this potential danger and if adopting a pet from a shelter or rescue centre feels right for you. I would always suggest doing so as there are plenty of loving pets searching for their forever home. To learn more about puppy mills and see the awful living condition which these poor dogs have to survive in then follow the link to this short video, The Reality of Puppy Mills.
The Kennel Club
Today’s post has inspired me to write another post shortly that will go a lot more in-depth about puppy mills, as it’s something that needs to discuss with the hopes that raising awareness will help to decrease the number of pups that come from these horrible places. Thankfully, in the UK, the Kennel Club is trying to raise awareness about puppy farming and has various standards in place to help ensure responsible breeding takes place. If you’re searching for a puppy within the UK, then you can go on the Kennel Clubs Website and use their Assured Breeder Scheme to search for responsible breeders.
Your Dog Advisor
However, if you are in America, then you want to keep an eye out for the AKC Breeder of Merit recognition, which should be present on any assured breeders website. To learn more about the American Kennel Club Breeder of Merit then head over to this excellent site called Your Dog Advisor, where you can read a highly informative post that talks all about; What To Look For When Choosing A Breeder. As well as this wonderful blog post there are many pet-related posts written by dedicated pet parents and lovers who all want the best for your canine friend, so be sure to head over to their site and give them a like on their many social accounts.
Writing today’s post was both upsetting and uplifting as I got to think about all many joy-filled moments that our canine companions bring us. Still, I also had to learn about the harsh reality of puppy mills across America. Thankfully, we have national days like today which help people all across the globe realise how important it is to adopt instead of shop for pets and to help raise awareness about puppy mills with the hopes that one day they will be a thing of the past.
Thanks for reading today’s post, and I hope you all liked learning about National Puppy Day. If so then let me know by hitting that like button or giving it a share so other pet parents can learn about this particular day, but more importantly, raise awareness about the importance of adopting one of the many pets in shelters worldwide. While also learning about the horrors of the many puppy mills worldwide.
Together we can help make the world a better place and save the lives of countless animals in need. Thanks for checking in and be sure to follow/subscribe to the epoch.pet to never miss a post and follow us on social media, or get in touch with us on Facebook @epoch.pet
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