The holiday most associated with June is of course Father’s Day, but since I have written about that each of the last two years, I decided to focus on a lesser known holiday this time. On June 20th, people from across this nation will celebrate National Take Your Dog To Work Day. The holiday was officially recognized in 1999 on the Friday after Father’s Day. It was designed to promote adoption from local shelters. Over the years it has grown into another way to celebrate your furry best friend and share their joy with others.

Now, as a sportswriter, I have the perfect job for Take Your Dog To Work Day. I mean it’s outside on the green grass of a ball field and there are probably plenty of other dogs that people have brought for my dog to play with while I am working.

The only problem is, my dog is a Chessie named Gabe. While he would love to come with me to the ballpark, and it seems like I am at one every day during the Summer, I can just imagine the scenario. Gabe would be determined to play ball and when he is determined to do something, Gabe usually accomplishes his goal. Mom has washed numerous loads of sheets from my bed when Gabe has run in after a thunderstorm as evidence.

I can imagine Gabe running on the field, grabbing the ball and then using his athleticism to avoid security for about 10 minutes. That would certainly give me something to write about in my next blog, but I probably would not get the game covered. With Gabe’s athletics and antics however, he would be the perfect fit for the Savanah Bananas.  

Now, if the holiday was “Take Your Pet to Work” day, my duck Corona would be the perfect candidate. She doesn’t let anything bother her and rarely gets her feathers ruffled, both literally and figuratively, about anything. She relaxes in her pool or by her food dish most of the day, preening and digging for worms for good measure. At night, Corona comes in and listens to relaxing music before bed. Her favorite is Tracy Lawrence’s Paint Me A Birmingham. She also doesn’t mind playing dress up on occasion, so Corona would probably wear the home team’s jersey if she ever went to a game while, enjoying some peanuts and Quacker Jacks.

Even though Gabe is not a good fit for the ball park, Arin’s Good Girl Dog Treats are. I always keep some in the car and in my pocket to share if I see a dog while I’m at work. Not only does the dog get a tasty all-natural treat, I get to take a few minutes to share Arin’s inspiring story and mission with the owner. It’s a win-win situation for all of us.

I encourage everyone, if able, to celebrate Take Your Dog To Work Day on June 20th, by doing just that. It will make Workin’ 9 to 5, as Dolly Parton says, go a lot faster. If you have a dog like Gabe, and taking them to work would be akin to releasing the Tasmanian Devil on the unsuspecting public, take some Arin’s Good Girl Dog Treats with you to share with co-workers and their dogs instead. If your work does not allow dogs, do a quick Google search and see what teams in your area are having a Bark In The Park Night. Be imaginative and have fun or if you a really crazy like me, maybe even take a duck!