Someone on Twitter announced that today is National Dog Day! I came right over here to celebrate with a post. I believe EVERY day is National Dog Day, so it’s a delight to have the rest of the world (or even just one guy on Twitter) ascribe to my perspective.

I scrolled through the dozens of adorable pictures I’ve taken of our giant rescue pup since she waddled into our lives in March, and realized: she sleeps a lot. And I take a lot of pictures of her sleeping, because it charms me. For instance, right now, she’s asleep on the floor by the couch.  Adorable, no?

I have similar pictures of her asleep under the dining room table, in a hole she dug in the backyard, and on the sidewalk when I got caught up in a conversation with a neighbor while we were out on a walk.  THIS DOG knows how to relax.

But if the grey and white cat who patrols our streets tries a shortcut through our back hedges? The Berg is up in a FLASH, hurling her heft through the shrubs to chase the intruder away. First gear to fifth in under a second. It’s a thing to behold.

I wasn’t sure there was room in my heart to love an new dog after we said goodbye to Kylie.  I mean, I’d loved one dog for eighteen years.  And yet God sent us Bergie all the way from Tennessee: entirely different, equally lovable, and keeping with our tradition of canine genetic mystery.

If you don’t have a dog, today might be the day to consider getting one! It takes awhile to acclimate to having a new family member in your life, but it’s worth it. There are lots of great organizations out there that can help. Here are two I appreciate:

Angels Among Us. They rescued Bergie after she was thrown from a van, paid to have her treated for heart worm, fostered her for over a year, and then brought her to us. They are fabulous to work with and so devoted to these animals that they come to know and love personally.

National Great Pyrenees Rescue.  I knew nothing about this breed when our vet said he thought it might be the genetic foundation of Bergie’s look and temperament (clearly the super-alert & active foxhound piece wasn’t dominating).  I went home and researched the breed, unsure how even to spell it. What I found made me appreciate how awesome these big dogs are–calm, loving, protective but not aggressive–and was like finding the secret decoder ring for how to train her. They’re not like other dogs. After a few months with Bergie, I’m convinced they’re a little bit better :)

Happy National Dog Day!