If National Puppy Day isn’t the cutest obscure holiday you’ve ever heard of, then you live in quite an adorable world– because it doesn’t get much cuter than puppies!
Who doesn’t love a cute gif of a puppy running with floppy ears or seeing a picture of the puppy your friend on Instagram just adopted? There aren’t many unanimous agreements in this world, but puppies being awesome is certainly one of them.
In a world of puppies, there are so many puppy non-profits, sweet quotes, and fun activities, and we’re here to share them all with you! We hope you get a kick out of what we have to share with you this National Puppy Day, and we also wish that if this is your 1st time hearing about National Puppy Day that it will continue to be an annual tradition and you’ll share the National Puppy Day love with someone else!
In this article
When Is National Puppy Day?
When is National Puppy Day? It’s annually celebrated on March 23rd!
That’s right, each year, you can come up with different National Puppy Day traditions with your pup, family, friends, or community to make this fun and sweet day shine. Be sure to look at our fun list of activities, captions, and puppy non-profits to get the most out of your National Puppy Day!
Why Is It National Puppy Day?
According to our sources, we have Colleen Paige to thank for National Puppy Day! Founded in 2006, Paige is an author and animal behaviorist who felt so passionately about spreading information about rescuing puppies from shelters rather than puppy mills due to the horrid conditions and lack of humanity.
This is a day to educate yourself and others on the dangers of puppy mills/irresponsible breeders, proper pet care, rescuing animals from shelters, and loving your puppy, of course!
With that in mind, let’s carry on with the rest of this fun National Puppy Day adventure and get into it.
We love pups here; who doesn’t?! Take a look at our other doggo-related articles and see which one woofs your fancy!
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National Puppy Day Captions/Quotes
Want to share some facts about National Puppy Day or an adorable picture of you and your little pup? Try using one of our National Puppy Day captions/quotes!
We’ve gathered some heartwarming, funny, cute, and sincere quotes that fit the vibe of National Puppy Day perfectly.
- “Dogs, for a reason that can only be described as divine, have the ability to forgive, let go of the past, and live each day joyously. It’s something the rest of us strive for.” – Jennifer Skiff
- “You had me at woof.” – Unknown
- “You can’t change a dog’s past, but you can rewrite the future.” – Agnes Carass
- “A dog is not a thing. A thing is replaceable. A dog is not. A thing is disposable. A dog is not. A thing doesn’t have a heart. A dog’s heart is bigger than any “thing” you can ever own.” – Elizabeth Parker
- “Today’s Good Mood is sponsored by Advocacy and Puppies.”
- “Animals are sentient, intelligent, perceptive, funny, and entertaining. We owe them a duty of care as we do to children.” – Michael Morpurgo
- “The best things in life are rescued.” – Unknown
- “Adopted dogs take three days to decompress, three weeks to start to know your routine, and three months to start to feel at home. Give them that chance.” – The Humane Society
- “You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it.” – Anonymous
- “You can do something big, or you can do something small. Because whatever you do … it’s better than nothing at all. Foster. Adopt. Rescue. Advocate.” – Cjiro
- “Secondhand animals make first-class pets.” – Unknown
- “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa
- “Rescue is my favorite breed.” – Unknown
- “The dog is a gentleman. I hope to go to his heaven, not man’s.” – Mark Twain
- “All dogs are therapy dogs, most are just freelancing.” – Unknown
- “Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.” – Karen Davison
- “Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong.” – W.R. Purche
- “Adopt, don’t shop.” – Unknown
- “A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” – Eeyore
- “Whoever declared that love at first sight doesn’t exist has never witnessed the purity of a puppy or looked deep into a puppy’s eyes. If they did, their lives would change considerably.” – Elizabeth Parker
- “Who rescued who?” – Anonymous
- “I’m convinced that petting a puppy is good luck.” – Meg Donohue
- “Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.” – Roger Caras
- “When you foster a dog, you are the bridge between home and homeless.” – Unknown
- “I talk to him when I’m lonesome like; and I’m sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that.” – W. Dayton Wedgefarth
- “After we bring food home from the grocery store…Dogs must think we are the greatest hunters ever!” – Ann Taylor
- “The face of a golden retriever feels like home.” – David Rosenfelt
- “Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, and filling an emptiness we didn’t know we had.” – Thom Jones
- “Rescue dog parent club.” – Unkown
- “Being a hero to someone, even if it is a dog, is a feeling like no other. Though it can be frustrating, it can be the most rewarding thing to give someone a second chance at a happy life.” – Elizabeth Parker
Puppy Non-Profits
One of the pillars of National Puppy Day is the advocacy of donating, volunteering, and rescuing puppies/dogs. With that, we’ve provided a few Non-profit organizations down below that you can check out and hopefully find one that touches your heart!
Each one has a link directly to their website where you can find out how to lend a helping hand to an in-need paw. Make your National Puppy Day one to remember by helping out!
- Best Friends: Best Friends Animal Society, founded in its present form in 1993, is an American nonprofit 501 animal welfare organization based in Kanab, Utah, with satellite offices in Atlanta, Georgia, Bentonville, Arkansas, Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, California, New York City, and Salt Lake City, Utah. (Wikipedia) “With Best Friends, you are working to save the lives of cats and dogs all across America, giving pets second chances and happy homes.”
- American Humane: Founded in 1877 as the country’s first national humane organization, American Humane is committed to helping ensure the safety, welfare, and well-being of animals. For nearly a century and a half, our innovative, science-based leadership programs have been First to Serve in promoting and nurturing the bonds between animals and humans.
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing animal cruelty. Based in New York City since its inception in 1866, the organization’s mission is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. (Wikipedia) “The ASPCA is a national leader in animal rescue and protection, working tirelessly year-round to put an end to animal cruelty.”
- Humane Society of the United States: The Humane Society of the United States is an American nonprofit organization that focuses on animal welfare and opposes animal-related cruelties of national scope. It uses strategies that are beyond the abilities of local organizations. (Wikipedia)
- National Mill Dog Rescue: National Mill Dog Rescue is a non-profit organization based in Peyton, Colorado. It was established by Theresa Strader in February 2007, and legally incorporated on July 23, 2007. (Wikipedia) “To rescue, rehabilitate and rehome discarded breeding dogs and to educate the general public about the cruel realities of the commercial dog breeding industry.”
- Hope for Paws: Hope for Paws is a 501 non-profit animal rescue group based in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Eldad and Audrey Hagar in 2008, Hope for Paws rescues animals facing death or danger through abuse or abandonment. (Wikipedia)
National Puppy Day Activities
What’s something puppies and humans like to do? They like to have FUN! Here are some great activities that you, your pup, family, friends, and community can engage in this National Puppy Day.
Time to blow the woof off this dog house!
- Puppy Walk/Hike: March is the awakening of spring, so it’s a great time to get you and your pup outside for some bonding and good exercise. You can even take a picture together at the end of your walk/hike and use one of our National Puppy Day captions/quotes to spread the puppy love.
- Rescue: Of course, this is a HUGE responsibility not to take lightly, but you can plan ahead. If you’ve been thinking about adding a furry friend to your family, consider rescuing a pup on National Puppy Day. What a beautiful anniversary adoption date that would be. You can even look into fostering puppies in need until they find that perfect permanent home.
- Volunteer: The next best thing right next to rescuing is volunteering! Volunteers are always needed at animal shelters, and it would make a great National Puppy Day tradition to volunteer at your local animal shelter.
- Dog Park Date: Along with getting some exercise, take your puppy to the dog park to have some fun! You can even meet other puppies while you’re there or ask your friends to meet you at the park.
- Puppy Compilation Videos: Just that simple YouTube search can bring so much serotonin and make you even more in love and grateful for the puppy in your life.
- Educate Yourself: We encourage you to watch some videos or read some books on advocacy for fighting against animal cruelty. It takes all of us to help those in need, especially those who don’t have a voice to speak out.
- Donate: As you read in the section above, donating is a wonderful gesture to make any time of year, but especially on National Puppy Day!
- Watch Puppy Bowl Highlights: Have you ever watched the Puppy Bowl? Get on YouTube and watch some Puppy Bowl highlights for some cuteness and fun!
- Spoil Your Puppy/Dog: Last but absolutely not least, spoil that precious pup of yours this National Puppy Day. Buy them a new bone, or toy, or give them a nice bath and lots and lots of pets. There’s no one else in the world like them, and they love you more than you’ll ever know.
- Movie Night: Watch a movie about dogs with your pup curled up with you! Don’t worry, we know you don’t want to see a movie where something happens to the dog (We’re not recommending John Wick), so we’re providing a small list of dog-safe movies for you this National Puppy Day.
- Because of Winn Dixie (2005)
- Isle of Dogs (2018)
- Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021)
- Air Bud (1997)
- 101 Dalmatians (1961)
- Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)
- Dog (2022)
- Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
- Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco (1996)
- Call of the Wild (2020)
- White Fang (1991)
- Bolt (2008)
- Shiloh (1996)
- Hotel for Dogs (2009)
National Puppy Day is a day to celebrate the pups in your life with cuddles and amazing care and to educate yourself and gently others on the dangers of puppy mills and irresponsible breeding. Rescuing a puppy is one of the most caring things you can do for man’s best friend.
Find kindness and gratitude in your National Puppy Day, and check out our other Obscure Holidays like Pi Day!