International Dog Day
26 August 2026 - 26 August 2026
Region(s): Nationwide
Type(s): national Events
This annual observance held on 26 August celebrates dogs of all breeds and backgrounds, promoting dog adoption, and raising awareness about the welfare of dogs around the world. It also recognizes working dogs and the roles they play in human society, including service, police, and rescue dogs.
Dog breeds
The selection of particular – or selective breeding – is how people have bred dogs for specific purposes. For example the 'sausage dog' – or dachshund were said to have been bred specifically for hunting badgers – their short, long body suited to entering badger holes.
Working dog breeds from The New Student’s Reference Work published in 1914.
Related content
Read about Kelvin – The ThermoKennel created for farm dogs and then see if your students could design a home for their pet or chosen animal. They will need to research the needs of the animal and the conditions of the environment it lives in before they commence their design.
Dogs play an important role in protecting New Zealand borders through the Ministry for Primary Industries Detector Dog Programme. Dogs are also well established detectors in conservation work. Read about how they are being trained to detect American foulbrood disease in honey bee colonies.
Visit our Dogs, cats and science Pinterest board.
Dog nose
Dogs have a highly developed sense of smell. Did you know that dogs can smell different smells in each nostril at the same time? Research also shows that dogs can sniff with each nostril separately. They predominantly use their right nostril and switch to their left if the smell is something they know or is non-threatening.
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