National Mutt Day

To celebrate National Mutt Day I asked my friend and wonderful dog walker from my pet care business to provide a guest post for us.  Ameera Skandarani has a unique exposure to all types of mixed breeds and pups in her various professions but holds her education in professional writing.

Ameera entered the pet service industry as a dog walker and apprentice trainer after years in the service industry. She is currently competing in agility with her dog, Sansa. They also train in nosework and obedience. She has begun the same training with her Boxer puppy, Flash Gordon, who has been featured on our Facebook page many times!

In her spare time, Ameera writes, volunteers for The Boxer Rescue and visits local nursing homes and schools with Sansa who is a therapy dog.

December is upon us – and with it comes an abundance of holidays to celebrate: Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus, Winter Solstice, the ending of one year, and beginning of the next; it can be difficult to keep track of them all. But today is a very important holiday – National Mutt Day.

It is a day to celebrate your lovable furry friend. Whether he’s a Shepherd Lab mix, or she’s a Pitbull Hound – today is a day for them! A day to remember the joy you felt walking into the shelter and laying eyes on George, the Boxer mix for the first time and knowing he was the one for you – or the happiness at seeing the litter of adorable Rottie Husky puppies on PetFinder knowing you just had to have that little girl pup looking lovingly back at your from the computer screen.

In the pet world, we often see purebred pups given a higher status or more recognition – in conversation, in the purchasing of puppies – even in TV commercials we are more likely to see a purebred dog cast for a role than their mixed-breed counterparts. We often forget about the mixed breeds in the world and the important role they play in the lives of their humans.

For mutt owners: mixed breed dogs are simply the best! No one else can find better. They have such quirky personalities and unique appearances that you couldn’t possibly find in a pure breed.

This morning, I had the pleasure of meeting a Husky Hound mix that had the most vibrant honey-colored eyes I have ever seen. When she looked into your eyes, she looked into your soul. She knew your secrets and she promised to ease your pain.

As I watched her play, she exhibited various famous traits from the two main breeds she was mixed with: she had the drive and endurance of a Husky, and her Hound’s nose was constantly sniffing the air and ground – on the hunt for the next exciting scent! She blew my mind away.

These wonderful dogs – who tend to come from shelters or rescues – have so much life and love to give. They are a pleasure to share your home and your life with.

They are given a second chance and a new purpose when their new owners walk into the shelter and choose them to come home with.

They bring their families as much joy as the holiday season. I know that after a stressful day of Christmas shopping, I am just as happy to come home and cuddle with my dog on the couch as she is. And when I picture a “winter scene” I usually picture blinking lights on a tree, a warm fire lit, a carol playing in the background, and an inconspicuous dog sleeping at someone’s feet. Without that dog though, the image is incomplete.

So today, regardless of how Spot or Bruiser came into your life, take a moment to celebrate them. Buy her a new toy to play with, take him out for a puppachino or a frozen treat, take them on a nice brisk hike on the trails near your home. Celebrate them. Treat them to the happiest day of their lives – because they make every day the happiest day of your life.

*All pups pictured are friends of Active Paws Inc. We share in their daily lives and will celebrate each and everyone of our mutt friends today and every day.