Happy National Dog Day, August 26th, 2025! In 2004, animal welfare advocate, author, and pet lifestyle expert Colleen Paige founded National Dog Day. Her goal for the holiday was to celebrate all breeds of our furry friends and to bring awareness to the number of dogs that need rescuing each year.
Have you thought about rescuing a best friend of your own? Adopting a dog is life-changing — for you and the dog! While owning a dog is a big responsibility, the benefits are undeniable. For starters, dogs make great companions to their humans.
Six reasons why dogs are great companions:
- Dogs provide social support
- Dogs make us more social
- Dogs are extremely trainable
- Dogs are loyal
- Dogs are adaptable
- Dogs can make us healthier
Dogs Provide Social Support
During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers found that dogs proved to be an important source of social support to their isolated owners. The authors of the study saw that “during the confinement, owners engaged in more shared activities with their dogs, hugged them more often and turned to them more as a source of companionship and comfort.”
Because dogs and their humans can “attach” to each other, it’s relatively common that a dog becomes part of the family. They can even regulate their emotions to match ours, making them the perfect friend to confide in. Plus, it’s nice to come home to someone who’s always happy to see you!
Dogs Make Us More Social
Not only can dogs provide social support in times of isolation, but they can get us out of the house, too. Whether it’s going for a walk, going to the dog park, or checking out a pet-friendly patio, dogs give us the opportunity to connect with other dog people!
Dogs Are Extremely Trainable
Since dogs and humans make mutual bonds, dogs observe us more closely than other animals. They’re able to learn by watching us, making them quite teachable.
This trainability helps with basic skills like potty training and sitting for treats. Yet, dogs make especially great companions for the fact that they can be trained to do more complex tasks, such as alerting their human to an oncoming seizure or guiding their blind owner.
Dogs Are Loyal
There are so many stories that demonstrate dogs’ loyalty to their humans. From protecting kids from busy streets to cuddling with us when we’re sad, our furry friends live to serve us. This level of loyalty to people, through thick and thin, is one of the main reasons dogs make such wonderful companions.
Dogs Are Adaptable
Depending on your dog’s personality and their history (particularly if they’re a rescue), dogs can be quite adaptable to different living situations. As long as they receive frequent walks and adequate play time, dogs can be happy living in cities, suburbs, and rural areas.
Puppies are especially easy to introduce to new environments, as long as any other pets or people in the house are open to it. Because young dogs are so trainable, they can adjust quickly to new houses, people, and pets.
If you’re considering rescuing a dog, make sure to get a full understanding of their past. While many adult dogs can adapt to new circumstances, some rescues may have certain preferences when it comes to other people and pets.
Dogs Can Make Us Healthier
Not only do dogs make us more active, but according to the Mayo Clinic, they also help reduce stress and anxiety. Research has also shown that man’s best friend can be a valuable part of rehabilitation for strokes, brain trauma, cardiac events, and seizure disorders.
Additionally, dogs can help older adults cope with long-term diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. A canine companion can improve an aging person’s quality of life drastically by decreasing distress and loneliness.
Celebrating Dogs Today And Every Day
The animal-lovers at Mounds believe every day should be National Dog Day! So, whether you’re considering a pup for adoption or you already have a furry friend, you can trust that the folks at Mounds Pet Food Warehouse care about your dog as much as you do. That’s why so many pet owners come to us for their best friend’s nutrition. Whatever breed, whatever background, whatever dietary needs, your dog will feel celebrated every day with food from Mounds!
