Although not everyone wants to own a puppy, we think that most people would agree that they are cute little animals. So much so, that the term puppy dog eyes have come to become the standard for cuteness in the world. However, what really makes these animals so great is that they will eventually grow into full-size dogs, and dogs are our most trusted companions.

Of course, before that can happen, we need to make sure that our puppies are well taken care of so they can reach their full potential. It’s for this reason that National Puppy Day was created. This holiday falls on March 23rd and is not only a day to honor our puppies but also to acknowledge the awesome responsibility of caring for one.

The History Of National Puppy Day

Before we go into the history of National Puppy Day, we’d like to explore the history of dogs for a little bit. Scientists have gone over the genetic history of dogs and most of them agree that they were directly descended from wolves. Not just any wolves, however.

They came from a line of now long-extinct wolf lineages. It’s believed that this domestication occurred sometime between 27,000 and 40,000 years ago in Eurasia. No one really knows for sure. It’s believed that mankind didn’t so much as domesticate these wolves as these wolves likely domesticated themselves.

What we mean is that the wolves decided to come closer to human encampments for warmth from the fire and to feed off of the scraps that humans left after hunting. This wasn’t a single event, but a lot of little events over the course of thousands of years. Once dogs were domesticated, they served a number of important jobs for humans.

They were bodyguards against predators, livestock guardians, and herders, and they provided companionship. Nowadays, dogs are used for a seemingly endless number of jobs. Jobs that include police work, military work, and of course, livestock tending work. All of this leads us to this holiday.

A holiday that was created in 2006 by Colleen Paige. Paige was, and still is, an author, animal behaviorist, and pet lifestyle expert. She created this holiday to raise awareness about the need to properly take care of your puppy. Not only to make sure that they grow up happy and healthy but also so that they are well-trained and well-behaved.

Some Quick Facts About Puppies

Okay, let us all turn our attention to some fun facts about puppies. We know everyone who is reading this article today likely loves puppies, so we decided to give them some real information they can enjoy. After a ton of research, we have compiled the following list of fun puppy facts that we believe everyone will appreciate.

• The largest litter of puppies ever recorded was 24 puppies. This is recorded in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records.
• Puppies should double their birth weight after the first week.
• Every day, over 1.2 million pups are born.
• Puppies will have “baby teeth” until they’re about 4 months of age. Then they’ll develop their adult teeth.
• Puppies are considered adult dogs when they reach one year of age.
• Puppies often have puppy breath. This results from clean teeth, drinking mother’s milk, and the kinds of bacteria that exist in the puppies’ mouths.
• Puppies are both blind and deaf at birth.
• Puppies can sleep up to 15-20 hours a day.
• Smaller breeds tend to have smaller litters.  Larger breeds tend to have larger litters.
• Dogs are more likely to make “puppy dog eyes” when their owners are watching. This shows that they know they can manipulate us by looking cute.
• A puppy once ate half of John Steinbeck’s master manuscript for Mice and Men.

Observing National Puppy Day

This holiday can be observed in any number of different ways, but we’re going to start with some of the most important ways. This piece of advice isn’t so much for people who currently own puppies and already know how hard it is to raise a puppy, but for people who are thinking about getting a new puppy.

Buying a puppy shouldn’t be done on a whim, but should only be done after considerable research. It also shouldn’t be done until the person knows for a fact that they can give the puppy the time and attention it’s going to need to grow up happy and healthy. It also should be mentioned that puppies are quite an investment.

New owners are going to have to buy potty pads, puppy food, toys, and a lot of other things. Okay, now that we have taken care of the serious part of raising a puppy we can now turn our attention to the more fun part of this holiday.

This is a day that can be celebrated by posting pictures of your new puppy online using the hashtag #NationalPuppyDay, taking the puppy to the park for a day of play, or simply spending some playtime with the new puppy. It’s also a good idea to learn about the breed that you’re raising so that you can be the best pet mom or dad ever.