July 28th

By Mutt Mulligan

Celebrate National Mutt Day TurfMutt’s way

TurfMutt – a rescue pup who was saved as a stray living on the streets – has a life story that has gone from rags to wags. National Mutt Day, celebrated two times a year on July 31 and December 2, pays homage to mixed breed dogs like TurfMutt.

Here are TurfMutt’s top-dog suggestions for celebrating National Mutt Day on Monday with your pet, no matter their DNA!

• Play in the family yard.
  TurfMutt loves a rousing game of fetch or tug of war in the family yard. Get your kids in on the action, too, to help everyone get moving. Got grass? That’s great! Lawns can be 31 degrees cooler than asphalt and 20 degrees cooler than bare soil.
• Take a stroll in a neighborhood park.
  Dogs love to go for walks, and they’re really good about teaching us to stop and sniff the roses along the way! Good news is spending time in nature is beneficial for humans, too. A systematic research review concluded that knowing and experiencing nature makes us generally happier, healthier people.
• Picnic under a shade tree.
  After wearing out Rover with a walk or a backyard game, have a family picnic under a shade tree in the family yard or your community park. The temps under a tree can be up to 36 degrees cooler than a non-shaded area, so select your spot wisely. Also, pack your pooch’s favorite treat so she has something to snack on, as well.