Love Your Pet Day

If you know me, it’s not a secret that I absolutely love dogs. Well, I love all sorts of animals, but dogs are at the top of the list! Growing up, I was surrounded by them. We always had dogs in my house, my grandparents had dogs, my aunt and uncle had dogs… I was destined to be a canine lover. One of my best memories is when we had a Weimaraner, a Chocolate Lab, and two Dalmatians all at one time. So many puppy snuggles!

My mom was even involved in a Dalmatian rescue for more than 10 years, and I got to help her with fundraisers, transporting Dalmatians to their forever homes, and planning the yearly rescue picnic. We fostered several along the way and even adopted a few.

At the top of this post is a picture of my dog, Bowie. He is a 5-year-old Dalmatian that has stolen a huge piece of my heart. Bowie was actually born deaf, so he and I worked hard together when he was younger to learn hand signals for commands like sit, come, stay, lie down, etc. He’s very special to me and is (deservedly) extremely spoiled.

So why am I going on and on about dogs and my pet? Because Love Your Pet Day is on February 20! In celebration, here are some great picture books about pets (not just canines) that you can check out from your local library branch and read with your child.

Not Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennett

A Boy and His Bunny by Sean Bryan

No More Bows by Samantha Cotterill

Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj

A Piglet Named Mercy by Kate DiCamillo

Some Pets by Angela DiTerlizzi

Dog’s Colorful Day: A Messy Story About Colors and Counting by Emma Dodd

If I Had a Horse by Gianna Marino

Charlotte and the Rock by Stephen W. Martin

What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems

How to Give Your Cat a Bath in Five Easy Steps by Nicola Winstanley

And here’s a craft idea: make a pet rock! Go outside and find a decent-sized rock, then paint it however you’d like. You can even add fun features like googly eyes or pipe cleaners to give your pet rock even more character.

Now that you’ve read all about pets, it’s time to share a photo of yours on either our Facebook page or on Twitter!