Dog Farting Awareness Day [2022]

Dog farting.

It’s everywhere!

April 8 is Dog Farting Awareness Day, and my dogs and I are doing our part by spreading the word about dog farts.

Dog farting is noooo joke.

All dogs of all sizes, ages and breeds are affected by farting. And dog farting affects all dog owners.

Anyone planning on adopting a dog must understand you are going to have to deal with some major dog farts for the next several years!

And let me tell you, farts from my dog can really clear a room!

Do any of you have dogs with serious farting issues? Please let me know in the comments. #DFAD

Quick facts on dog farting:

• It’s not the size of the dog that determines the smelliness of the dog fart.
• Some dog farts are silent but extra smelly!
• Dog farting affects millions of dogs.
• If you have multiple dogs, be prepared for multiple dog farts at once (known as group farting).

Does your dog have farting problems? Let me know in the comments!

OK, time to get serious …

I didn’t come up with the idea for Dog Farting Awareness Day, but thanks to all the awareness from last year’s campaign, we are not missing out this year.

Dog Farting Awareness Day even has its own Facebook page here.

Positive campaigns featuring dogs tend to get all types of dog lovers involved, so rescue groups are also embracing Dog Farting Awareness instead of focusing on campaigns that rely on fear.

Check out some of the photos the groups have uploaded for #DFAD such as:

This one from Heritage Humane Society in Virginia:

And this one from Animal Rescue League of Iowa:

When raising ‘awareness’ raises fear

My inspiration for this post came from Kim Wolf who maintains the blog and nonprofit Beyond Breed.

Wolf is a pitbull owner and has spent much of her career advocating on the behalf of pitbulls and all dogs.

She wrote a post about Dog Farting Awareness Day and how campaigns involving fun, positive messages work well to educate people on serious issues vs. using fear. (Remember my post on pitbull memes?)

Here are some of her points:

Important takeaways from ‘Dog Farting Awareness Day’:

1. #DFAD brings thousands of dog lovers together.

People from around the country are posting photos of their dogs. The majority of Americans love their dogs and view them as family members.

2. Dogs of all breeds and sizes are cherished family pets.

Traditional thinking has been that certain dogs, such as pitbulls, are “unwanted” or more likely to be abused.

In reality, most pitbulls are everyday, loved pets. The photos and memes created from “Dog Farting Awareness Day” show this!

3. Dog-related messages spread quickly and have lasting effects.

People love to share and spread messages about dogs.

When we discuss more serious issues like dog fighting, we need to make sure our messages are raising true awareness and not raising unnecessary fear of certain types of dogs or their owners.

What you can do to help

• Remember the common goal is to decrease negative stereotypes about pitbulls and pitbull owners. Share positive messages about pitbulls such as these. Think carefully before sharing violent or negative messages/images.
• Take part in the Majority Project, and remember that most pitbulls are loved family members.
• Fact check messages before sharing. Is there a source for those statistics?
• Donate to specific, local groups with clear mission statements you support and relate to.

Are you and your dog going to celebrate Dog Farting Awareness Day?

Let me know in the comments!

Related articles:

• Are pitbull memes doing more harm than good?
• Black dog syndrome doesn’t exist
• Why we need dog awareness, not pitbull awareness