英语课程计划-National Dog Day（在线收听）

There is a well-known expression that says a dog is a man’s best friend. It is right, therefore, that there is a special day to celebrate dogs. This day is National Dog Day. It takes place on the 26th of August. On this day you should let your dog know just how important he or she is. Dogs are very important in our society. Of course, many of us keep a dog as a pet. However, working dogs help many people every day. Our world would not be the same without police dogs, sniffer dogs (who find drugs and bombs), rescue dogs and guide dogs for the blind. National Dog Day's founder, Colleen Paige, said we need “to show deep appreciation for…their endearing patience, unquestioning loyalty, for their work [and] their capacity for love.”

Humans have kept dogs as pets for over 15,000 years. It’s amazing how quickly word spread around the world that dogs were so intelligent and helpful. The fact that people could tame dogs meant they interacted easily with humans. This led to dogs helping humans hunt, herd animals and protect people. It’s also amazing how dogs migrated around the world. Historians believe it is because of sled dogs that the species moved from Russia to Alaska, across the Bering Strait. Today there are about 400 million dogs in the world. Dogs are now big business. Breeders sell pedigree dogs for big money. Unfortunately, many dogs are abused or abandoned and end up in shelters.