The Seven Days of September that Changed the World of Dog

“Try to be the god on earth, the all-powerful and all-mighty your dog thinks you are. Never let him learn his mistake.”  Will Judy, Founder of National Dog Week

Yes Rover, there really is a National Dog Week, and this author has made it a daily habit to sit, stay, and heel by her keyboard in an effort to “convince” the American Public that each September brings seven special days dedicated to dogs and the humans who love them (and that they deserve it).

This Diamond in the Ruff, was brought to us by Captain Wm. Lewis Judy who in 1928 dreamed up the occasion to promote dog ownership, the monthly issues of his Dog World Magazine and to encourage his followers to honor the emotional bond between themselves and their dogs. In 1935, he and his colleagues, established the Dog Writers Association of America giving dog writers a new degree of professionalism. 

Long before there were tweets, Judy barked his way into the hearts of dog lovers using nothing but a pedestal phone and manual typewriter. Dog World, headquartered in Chicago, was Dog-Central; pages of his magazine dedicated to every dog topic imaginable. Whether giving advice to a young family who’d just welcomed a new puppy, or die-hard breeders participating in the high-stakes world of dog showing, Judy dispensed words of wisdom and gentle encouragement to all.

In 2010, I began my research on the history of “Will’s World” and launched this blog to discuss the state of the dog in the states of the nation, then and now. As the old saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

Judy, trained as a minister in his Pennsylvanian youth, vilified those involved in dog-fighting rings, irresponsible dog owners who let their dogs roam freely about in urban areas, puppy factories (mills) and dog breed prejudice – many issues that still require attention (and action) today.

In Dog Weeks of Yore, Canine Calvacades took over Rockefeller Center in New York City complete with celebrity spokespersons and festivities. In cities across America schools, scouts and other organizations organized parades, parties and fund raisers to benefit dogs in need and military dogs.

We’ve come a long way since that first National Dog Week Observance held 91 years ago. It’s remarkable really; in the shadow of the Great Depression, how could dogs get a week when most humans couldn’t a day? How could Mother’s and Father’s only be given one day of honor each year while a dog got seven?

But as is often stated, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” and we have Captain Will Judy to thank for this week that brought him, and Americans, to the dogs with his wisdom, kindness, intelligence, perseverance and genuine love of all things dog.

For many years, National Dog Week had an annual theme complete with a poster and a slogan. This year, we invite you to join a Virtual Parade honoring Man’s Best Friend and do your part, no matter how small, to show compassion for and to thank our best four legged companions for all the ways they make the world better for us, asking for nothing in return.

Nothing has brought me more pleasure than watching the National Dog Week Facebook Page grow and thrive – filled with daily Love, Licks and Likes. Sometimes I feel like the “Wizard of Dog Week” – sitting quietly behind my computer “wall” trying to encourage intelligence, courage and heart at a time it is needed most, while nurturing those qualities in myself through the wisdom imparted by so many of our thoughtful page visitors. Sadly, it often seems that we still have a long walk down that Yellow Brick Road to make things truly right for our dogs, and their humans.

Keep up the Good Fight. I’ll do my best to keep up the “Good Write.”

Happy National Dog Week 2019!   https://www.facebook.com/NatDogWeek/

To learn more about the man behind National Dog Week and its evolution read Dog’s Best Friend: Will Judy, Founder of National Dog Week and Dog World Publisher (McFarland & Co. – 2014) the only book of its kind! Ask your library to stock it, too!