National Dog Day is celebrated every year to honor dogs who are known to be man's best friends.

The day was first established in 2004 by pet & family lifestyle advocate Colleen Paige to bring awareness about adopting dogs from rescue centers.

Paige selected Aug. 26 as National Dog Day, as her family adopted her first dog from the local animal shelter on the same date, when she was 10 years old.

National Dog Day is a day for all dogs to be celebrated irrespective of breed. "Dogs should not have to lose their lives because of the atrocities they have been forced to endure at the hands of man", Paige said explaining the intention behind setting up the day for celebrating dogs.

Here are some interesting quotes about dogs' loyalty and their unconditional love for humans. (Courtesy: Country Living)

  1. "The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven not man's."- Mark Twain
  2. "I want to work like a dog, doing what I was born to do with joy and purpose. I want to play like a dog, with total, jolly abandon."- Oprah Winfrey
  3. "If you don't own a dog, at least one, there may not necessarily be anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life."- Roger Caras
  4. "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself,"- Josh Billings
  5. "There is no faith which has never yet been broken, except that of a truly faithful dog."- Konrad Lorenz
  6. "I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive."- Gilda Radner
  7. "Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one is a life diminished."- Dean Koontz
  8. "No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich."- Louis Sabin
  9. "The bond with a true dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth will ever be."- Konrad Lorenz
  10. "A dog will teach you, unconditional love. If you can have that in your life, things won't be too bad."- Robert Wagner
  11. "Before you get a dog, you can't quite imagine what living with one might be like; afterward, you can't imagine living any other way."- Caroline Knapp
  12. "I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source."- Doris Day
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