National Dog Day 2018: 15 Quotes, Cute Photos Celebrating Man's Best Friend

Saturday is National Dog Day, an annual observance to honor pups and dogs who play an important role in a human's life. This day is marked to spread awareness about rescue dogs.

Started by pet expert Colleen Paige, National Dog Day is held every year on Aug. 26 — the anniversary of the day she adopted her first canine. On this day, show some extra love to the best friend and also share some quotes with the pet parent you know.

"Millions of dogs are killed each year because they're simply unwanted. They're unwanted because no one realized how to properly care for the demands of the breed. They're unwanted because they were bought as a Christmas gift for a child that didn't keep their promises about caring for the dog...unwanted because they shed too much...unwanted because they bark too much. UNWANTED...simply because someone changed their mind. All a dog wants to do is love you and be loved by you. Dogs are amazing, courageous, sensitive and sentient beings that deserve compassion and respect. Please consider bringing what was once considered 'unwanted love,' into your heart and home on National Dog Day!" Paige wrote.

A police officer embraces a dog, during a ceremony to retire police dogs from the force and give them for adoption to families, in Quito, Ecuador May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Tapia

Below are some quotes to remember dogs and puppies, courtesy Goodreads and BrainyQuote:

1. “Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot little puppies.” — Gene Hill

2. “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.” ― Mark Twain

3. “What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”—Dwight D. Eisenhower

cute dog day — A dog wears a tiara and sunglasses ahead of Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, visit to Chester, June 14, 2018. REUTERS/Jon Super

4. “Everything I know I learned from dogs.” – Nora Roberts

5. “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” – Roger Caras

6. “Some of my best leading men have been dogs and horses.” – Elizabeth Taylor

cute dog — A Pug dog called Harley, and star of the film "Patrick" poses for photographs at the film's premiere in London, Britain June 27, 2018. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

7. “The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” – Charles De Gaulle

8. “Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.” – Franklin P. Jones

9. “No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does.” ― Christopher Morley

10. “We may have pets, but when it comes to unconditional love, they are the masters.” ― Donald L. Hicks

11. “Dogs never bite me. Just humans.” ― Marilyn Monroe

12. “A lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me.” – Barack Obama

13. “You can usually tell that a man is good if he has a dog who loves him.” ― W. Bruce Cameron

14. “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” ― Josh Billings

15. Fall in love with a dog, and in many ways you enter a new orbit, a universe that features not just new colors but new rituals, new rules, a new way of experiencing attachment. ― Caroline Knapp