Every year on July 2 , many countries celebrate International Dog Day . Although it has no official status, this does not prevent all dog breeders, cynologists and lovers of these four-legged pets from celebrating it, starting in 2012. In addition to honoring the “heroes of the occasion”, the holiday also has the goal of once again drawing the attention of society to the problem of homeless animals .

The famous American writer Josh Billings said: “A dog is the only creature in the world that loves you more than itself” , and the Soviet writer Ilya Ilf was sure that “A dog is so devoted that you don’t even believe that a person deserves such love!” And it’s hard to disagree with this.

After all, a dog is one of the closest and most important pets for humans – both from an emotional and practical point of view. According to scientists, the “domestication” of dogs by humans occurred several tens of thousands of years ago. Most likely, dogs were attracted by food left at human sites, and then the gradual “domestication” of these animals began, thanks to their trainability, hunting skills, and ability to get along with humans.

Initially assistants in guarding and hunting, dogs later became a loyal support for man in other areas. Having switched to a sedentary lifestyle, man began to breed cattle, and the dog turned out to be a skilled assistant to the shepherd, helping to graze and drive the cattle, protecting it from predators. And constant migrations of camps were no longer possible without sled and draft dogs , which were used for transportation. In subsequent years, these animals were also used to set in motion the mechanisms of butter churns, threshers, pumps and sewing machines.

Dogs played no less a role during wars and military operations. For example, during the Caucasian War (1817-1864), during the defense of Gagra, Russian soldiers, having made friends with local dogs, noticed that the animals became their loyal assistants – they took an active part in hand-to-hand combat and even died defending Russian soldiers, scoured the bushes and exposed the ambushes of the highlanders. For this, the soldiers loved them: a wounded animal was often brought on a greatcoat to the fortification and treated in the hospital on an equal basis with people. In combat conditions, dogs were also used during both world wars. Animals guarded territories, went on reconnaissance, defused mines, blew up tanks, pulled the wounded from the battlefield, delivered mail, carried cargo … And often – at the cost of their lives. More than 60 thousand dogs of different breeds served in the Red Army units on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War alone. They not only carried out orders, but also starved, froze and got wet in the trenches together with the soldiers, were loyal companions of people, and demonstrated courage and bravery. They were signalmen and orderlies, saboteurs and scouts, sappers and guards, escorts and sled dogs…

^{The holiday also aims to once again draw society’s attention to the problem of homeless animals (Photo: Sergey Kamshylin, licensed by Shutterstock.com)}

It is important to say that even in peacetime, the lives and health of dogs were at risk – for example, they were “sacrificed for the sake of medical science.” After all, in order to obtain effective medicines, scientists were forced to conduct numerous experiments on laboratory dogs. And dogs made their contribution to space exploration – these are the famous Belka and Strelka . But before them, more than 30 dogs flew and participated in experiments in the rocket and space industry. Unfortunately, not all of them survived.

So modern dogs are not only pets that bring joy and affection to their owners, they are also true professionals. After all, guard and search dogs work on the border, tracking down criminals. Others serve in law enforcement agencies , looking for drugs, weapons and contraband, and provide security and escort service. There are shepherd dogs, hunters, sled dogs… Rescue dogs serve in the Ministry of Emergency Situations and sometimes work in the most difficult conditions, rescuing people from under rubble, from water, after earthquakes, explosions and man-made disasters. Guide dogs help people with disabilities, and canine therapy dogs help them cope with such illnesses as neurosis, depression, autism… In addition, there are thousands of mongrel dogs that, at the right moment, save “their” people from loneliness, and also teach the younger generation kindness and humanity.

According to some data, there are more than 525 million dogs in the world today. And according to experts, this figure is constantly growing. Back in 1911, the International Cynological Federation, FCI (French: Fédération Cynologique Internationale, FCI) was created – an international association of cynological federations, with the aim of developing and protecting cynology and purebred dog breeding, as well as humane treatment of animals. Its members are cynological organizations from different countries. As of 2023, the FCI recognizes 356 dog breeds, classified into 10 main groups.

But besides the practical side, it is the dog that people call their “friend”. Apparently because these animals are able to understand people from a half-word and a glance, they remember and recognize by ear many words and gestures of the owner, feel his emotions and mood, are able to empathize and see dreams, know how to be friends and need love, they are always there… As scientists say, genetics and centuries-old evolution in parallel with humanity have allowed dogs to become true partners and friends of people in many areas of their life.

^{According to some estimates, there are more than 525 million dogs in the world today (Photo: Vitaly Titov, licensed by Shutterstock.com)}

It is not for nothing that since ancient times in many countries dogs have been idolized for their loyalty, mentioned in myths and legends. Images of dogs have been used in heraldry, in literary and pictorial works, films have been and are being made about them, there are many monuments to four-legged friends, as well as holidays dedicated to this animal. Some of the most famous are Hachiko Day in Japan (January 11), National Dog Day in Western countries (August 26), Guide Dog Day (April 27) and Domestic Animal Day (November 30). Many countries also have their own significant days dedicated to dogs.

Today’s date is another reason to pamper our four-legged friends and express gratitude to them for their service, devotion and love. Traditionally, on this day, cynological and public organizations hold thematic events – breed exhibitions, dog festivals, educational lectures in educational and children’s institutions about caring for “our smaller brothers”, charity events in support of animals, protection funds and dog shelters.

So today, pamper your pet with a tasty treat, a new toy or a long walk. Or you can even go to a dog SPA, have a photo shoot with your loyal friend and help the dog shelter in any way you can. If you are not a dog person yet, but only dream of finding a four-legged friend, then, as an option, take one from the shelter. After all, International Dog Day is a wonderful reason to decide on such an important step.

https://www.calend.ru/holidays/0/0/3897/

Machine Translated by Google