Responsible Dog Ownership Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Dog-Human Relationship

The United States commemorates Responsible Dog Ownership Day on the third Saturday of September; this year, the 16th. Responsible Dog Ownership Day is designed to get all pet owners to ‘pawse’ and remember the promises they made to their ‘furever’ companions. This day encourages people to commit to their loyal dogs in the proper manner. This date occurs in the exact middle of Responsible Dog Ownership Month. The majority of affiliate organisations of the sponsoring company hold this event around the same time, but not necessarily on the same date (e.g., on Sunday instead of Saturday).

The background of Responsible Dog Ownership Day

How precisely right now? Dog domestication and evolution from wolves, which has been proved, is a hotly contested topic. Domestication is regarded by scientists as one of the most significant events in human history, but many agree that evidence demonstrates numerous independent domestication events throughout the globe. This makes pinpointing a date extremely challenging.

According to one study, this domestication occurred approximately 40,000 years ago. Studies of dog fossils from this time period indicate a relationship to contemporary European canines. Based on the differences between these specimens and modern canines, domestication occurred between 20,000 and 40,000 years ago. These dogs then accompanied migrating humans and, through breeding and interbreeding, gave rise to the modern canine varieties.

Regarding how this domestication occurs, there is once again no consensus. Some theories assert that humans captured wolf pups and progressively domesticated them by keeping them as pets. Another theory holds that wolves are self-domesticated, with the most sociable individuals assimilating with the hunter-gatherers of that era.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a non-profit organisation that operates in the United States and maintains a global registry of purebred canines. They also supervise purebred dog sports in the United States. These men began organising Responsible Dog Ownership Days annually across the United States in 2003. Annually, they host the premier event in Raleigh, North Carolina and invite their 5,000 or so affiliated dog clubs and pet organisations to organise their own events. The majority of these events feature educational booths, dog demonstrations, diversions, human-and-dog activities, as well as health clinics.

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5 Interesting Dog-Human Relationship Facts

The only example of a cross-species bond that induces the release of oxytocin, a hormone associated with maternal bonding and trust, is between dogs and humans.

A study revealed that, unlike wolves, canines rely on human assistance when confronted with impossible problems, such as an unopenable puzzle box.

Even better than children, according to a Yale study, the dogs were able to determine which actions were essential for problem-solving and disregard any ‘bad advice’ they received from adults.

Boris M. Levinson, an American psychologist, discovered by accident that bringing his dog to therapy sessions benefited children who were more withdrawn and uncommunicative.

The majority of dogs will look into a human’s eyes (and visage) for social cues; they can quickly determine what the human is interested in and what they plan to do next.

RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2022	September 17	Saturday
2023	September 16	Saturday
2024	September 21	Saturday
2025	September 20	Saturday
2026	September 19	Saturday