Dog Mom Day, or National Dog Mom's Day, is a special day celebrated on the second Saturday in May (May 10th in 2025) to honor the unique bond between women and their canine companions, recognizing them as mothers to their furry family members. It's a chance to show appreciation for the love, care, and joy dogs bring, offering an alternative to or addition to Mother's Day for those whose children are four-legged.
Observed on the second Saturday each May, National Dog Mom's Day is the perfect opportunity to spend some extra time with woman's best friend!
Being a dog mom isn't just about caring for a pet; it's about building a bond, offering unconditional love, and sharing a life together. Dogs aren't just “pets” they are family. They bring us joy, comfort, and companionship, and we are their entire world.
But there is an actual U.S. National Dog Mom's Day which falls on the second Saturday in May, the day before Mother's Day. The push for a day to celebrate dog moms came from Dig, a dating app for people who love dogs. Founded by a pair of sisters, Leigh and Casey Isaacson, Dig was created to help dog lovers connect.
National Dog Mom's Day is celebrated annually on the second Saturday in May. In 2025, that date will be May 10th. It's a day to recognize and celebrate the special bond between dog owners and their canine companions, much like Mother's Day recognizes human mothers.
The 3-3-3 rule for dogs is a guideline for the adjustment period after adoption, outlining three phases: 3 Days (decompression, feeling overwhelmed/scared), 3 Weeks (starting to settle in, learning routine, personality emerges), and 3 Months (feeling secure, bonded, and truly at home). It helps new owners manage expectations and be patient as their rescue dog transitions, emphasizing calm energy, routine, and space in the early days to build trust.
Is it weird to celebrate Mother's Day if you “only” have a dog? Absolutely not! If you love, care for, and treat your dog like family, you're a mom in every sense of the word. Celebrating Mother's Day as a dog mom is about recognizing the nurturing bond between you and your pup—just like any other kind of motherhood.
An hour for a dog feels much longer than an hour for a human because dogs perceive time more slowly due to their faster metabolism and heightened awareness of routines, so a 10-minute wait can feel like 70 minutes to them, and your hour-long absence feels like an eternity, though they don't grasp clock time but rather the intervals between events like meals, walks, and your return.
To say "I love you" in dog language, use soft eye contact, raise your eyebrows, give gentle massages (especially ears), lean into them, and engage in play or shared activities like walks, which build trust and affection through shared experiences and physical connection, releasing oxytocin for both of you.
Dog Mom (dôɡ mäm) noun: 1. An affectionate term for a female dog lover who believes that her pets are her fur kids. While some dog owners may never think of their dogs as their children, dog moms are an entirely different breed.
The "10 10 10 rule" for dogs refers to two main concepts: a potty training method for puppies (10 mins outside, 10 ft space, 10 mins supervision/reward) and the 80/10/10 guideline for raw feeding (80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 10% organ), both offering structure for training or diet. Another interpretation is the 10% rule for treats, limiting them to 10% of daily calories to maintain a balanced diet, ensuring most nutrition comes from complete dog food.
However, dogs are never included in lists of (ritually) unclean animals, and passages elsewhere indicate they did serve more positive roles. Job, for example, mentions in passing the dogs tending his flocks (30:1), and Isaiah refers to both sheep dogs and guard dogs (56:10–11).
The silky moms emerged in direct opposition to the crunchy moms. Silky moms embrace all that modern-day advances have to offer. These moms live a lifestyle of convenience and technology, which influences their parenting choices. Screen time, processed foods, and disposable everything make a silky mom's life easier.
International Dog Day, celebrated on August 26th each year, is a special day dedicated to celebrating and honouring the bond between humans and their dogs.
They also experience a sense of loss when their dogs pass away, just as a mother would experience when her child grows up and moves out. In conclusion, dog moms are indeed moms in every sense of the word. They care for their dogs in the same way that a mother cares for her child, providing love, attention, and support.
Your fur babies are so lucky to have you, and I'm grateful to know you. Your children might have fur, but your love is the same. Happy Mother's Day, dog mom! Pets are family.
Dogs say "sorry" through submissive body language like tucking their tail, lowering their head, making "puppy eyes," licking, and rolling onto their backs to show they're not a threat, which are appeasement signals to diffuse tension after a conflict or misbehavior, often combined with whining or approaching and retreating. They recognize when their human (or another dog) is upset and use these signs to seek forgiveness, though it's more about reducing stress than human-like guilt.
How to spot the signs of stress
Perhaps unsurprisingly, treat(s) takes the top spot as our pooches' favourite word, having featured in 35% of all the videos analysed, followed closely by walk or walkies in second place (34%).
The 3-3-3 rule for dogs is a guideline for the adjustment period after adoption, outlining three phases: 3 Days (decompression, feeling overwhelmed/scared), 3 Weeks (starting to settle in, learning routine, personality emerges), and 3 Months (feeling secure, bonded, and truly at home). It helps new owners manage expectations and be patient as their rescue dog transitions, emphasizing calm energy, routine, and space in the early days to build trust.
How do they do this? It's biological. All animals have circadian rhythms - physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle, responding to light and darkness in the environment. They may also be affected by factors like temperature and social cues.
Fortunately for us, dogs do not understand they are being put to sleep. They may behave differently at this time generally because they feed off the emotions of their closest humans, who are understandably destraught. Plus they also getting all of this extra attention so they probably wonder what is going on!
Your Dog Is Giving You a “Gift”
Some dogs may be protective of certain toys, so when they bring you their favorite stuffed animal, it can be a signal that they feel safe and comfortable with you. You can gently acknowledge this by offering praise and dedicated time with them as soon as you're home.
Can Dogs Recognize Their Parents? Studies show that dogs are capable of recognizing their parents later in life if they were around them during a crucial early period. Here's an amazing story, the stuff that movies are made of: A baby who was kidnapped at birth found her biological parents.
Practical dog mum gifts include dog walking bags, leads, harnesses, lick mats and Poop Pockets. Sentimental gifts include personalised phone cases, matching tweed sets and special colour ways that feel like “her”.