One of the best ways to make your feed unique and timely is to plan your content around holidays and themes. These could be a pet-related special designated day or a holiday the humans celebrate too.
How to Make your Dog Holiday Instagram Content Shine
Rather than simply taking a themed photo and adding an expected caption acknowledging the holiday, add value to spark a conversation and encourage engagement.
For example, on National Pet Day (April 11), don’t just caption “Happy National Pet Day!” with a cute photo of your pupfluencer. Instead, caption something like “We’re celebrating National Pet Day today by going through our vaccination records and making an appointment with the vet if we find any overdue. How are you honoring our four-legged companions today? #NationalPetDay”
This will help your post stand out and could positively impact one of your followers. Plus, it starts a conversation with your online community.
Some other ideas on how you can make your holiday captions more valuable include:
- Explain the history of the holiday
- Share a fun fact that people wouldn’t necessarily know about the holiday
- Provide helpful tips or advice related to the holiday
- Tell a story – either how you’re celebrating, how you’ve seen others or any other relevant story.
The more value you can provide your followers, the better! Have fun and get creative here!
The Ultimate List of 2021 Dog and Pet Holidays
Here’s a list of every pet-related holiday and traditional U.S. holidays I could find for 2021. Bookmark this page and refer back often throughout the year!
January
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 2: National Pet Travel Safety Day
- January 8: Bubble Bath Day
- January 14: National Dress Up Your Pet Day
- January 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- January 16: Get To Know Your Customers Day
- January 22: National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day
- January 24: Change A Pet’s Life Day
- January Month-long:
- Walk Your Pet Month
- Weight Loss Awareness Month
- National Train Your Dog Month
February
- February 2: Groundhog Day
- February 3: Annual Doggie Date Night
- February 3: National Golden Retriever Day
- February 7: Super Bowl
- February 14: Valentine’s Day
- February 15: President’s Day
- February 15-16: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
- February 16: Mardi Gras
- February 19: International Tug-of-War Day
- February 20: Love Your Pet Day
- February 22: Walking The Dog Day
- February 23: National Dog Biscuit Day
- February 25: World Spay Day
- February Month-long:
- Pet Dental Health Month
- Dog Training Education Month
- National Cat Health Month
- Responsible Pet Owners Month
- Spay/Neuter Awareness Month
- Pet Dental Health Month
March
- March 6: Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Raise begins
- March 13: K9 Veterans Day
- March 14: Daylight Savings Time Begins
- March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
- March 23: National Puppy Day
- March 23: Cuddly Kitten Day
- March 27: Passover begins
- March 28: Respect Your Cat Day
- March 30: Take a Walk in the Park Day
- March Month-long:
- Poison Prevention Awareness Month
April
- April 1: April Fools’ Day
- April 3: Passover ends
- April 4: Easter
- April 4: World Stray Animals Day
- April 6: National Siamese Cat Day
- April 8: National Dog Fighting Awareness Day
- April 10: National Hug Your Dog Day
- April 10: National Siblings Day
- April 11: National Pet Day
- April 11: Celebrate Shelter Pets Day
- April 11: Dog Therapy Appreciation Day
- April 16: Get To Know Your Customers Day
- April 19: National Cat Lady Day
- April 21: Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day
- April 22: Earth Day
- April 23: National Lost Dog Awareness Day
- April 24: World Veterinary Day (observed the last Saturday in April)
- April 25: National Pet Parents Day (observed the last Sunday in April)
- April 26: National Kids and Pets Day
- April 28: International Guide Dog Day (observed the last Wednesday in April)
- April 30: Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
- April 30: National Therapy Animal Day
- April Month-long:
- Heartworm Awareness Month
- National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
- Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
- Canine Fitness Month (AKA Active Dog Month)
- April 1-7: International Pooper Scooper Week
- April 1-7: National Raw Feeding Week
- April 11-17: National Dog Bite Prevention Week (observed the second full week of April)
- April 17-24: National Pet ID Week (observed annually for 7 days beginning on April 17)
May
- May 1: National Purebred Dog Day
- May 2: Mayday for Mutts (observed the first Sunday of May)
- May 3: National Specially-Abled Pets Day
- May 5: Cinco de Mayo
- May 8: National Dog Mom Day (observed the second Saturday of May)
- May 8: Vet Nurse Day
- May 8: National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day (observed the second Saturday of May)
- May 9: Mother’s Day
- May 14: International Chihuahua Appreciation Day
- May 17: Tax Day
- May 20: National Rescue Dog Day
- May 30: International Hug Your Cat Day
- May 31: Memorial Day
- May Month-long:
- National Pet Month
- National Service Dog Eye Examination Month
- National Foster Care Month
- Chip Your Pet Month
- May 2-8: Puppy Mill Action Week (observed the week before Mother’s Day)
- May 2-8: National Pet Week (observed the first full week in May)
June
- June 4: Hug Your Cat Day
- June 8: National Best Friends Day
- June 8: World Pet Memorial Day (observed the second Tuesday in June)
- June 14: Flag Day
- June 17: Take Your Cat To Work Day
- June 19: Juneteenth
- June 20: Father’s Day
- June 21: Dog Party Day
- June 21: PSI’s Take Your Pet To Work Day®
- June 24: Cat World Domination Day
- June 26: PSI’s Take Your Dog To Work Day®
- June Month-long:
- National Adopt a Cat Month
- National Pet Preparedness Month
- National Microchipping Month
- National Foster a Pet Month
- June 6-12: Pet Appreciation Week
- June 21-25: Take Your Pet To Work Week®
July
- July 1: ID Your Pet Day
- July 4: Independence Day
- July 6: International Kissing Day
- July 10: National Kitten Day
- July 11: All-American Pet Photo Day
- July 15: National Pet Fire Safety Day
- July 21: National Craft for Your Local Shelters Day
- July 25: National Parents Day
- July 26: National Dog Photography Day
- July 30: International Day of Friendship
- July 31: National Mutt Day
- July Month-long:
- National Lost Pet Prevention Month
- National Pet Hydration Awareness Month
August
- August 1: DOGust Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs
- August 4: Assistance Dog Day
- August 5: Work Like a Dog Day
- August 6: Fresh Breath Day
- August 8: National CBD Day
- August 8: International Cat Day
- August 10: Spoil Your Dog Day
- August 10: National Lazy Day
- August 15: National Check the Chip Day
- August 17: Black Cat Appreciation Day
- August 17: International Non-Profit Day
- August 21: International Homeless Animals’ Day
- August 22: National Take Your Cat To The Vet Day
- August 23: International Blind Dog Day
- August 26: National Dog Day
- August 28: Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day
- August 30: National Holistic Pet Day
- August Month-long:
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- National Back-To-School Month
- August 2-8: International Assistance Dog Week
September
- September 1: Ginger Cat Appreciation Day
- September 6: Labor Day
- September 6: Rosh Hashanah begins
- September 8: National Dog Walker Appreciation Day
- September 11: Anniversary of September 11
- September 12: Grandparent’s Day
- September 12: National Pet Memorial Day (observed the second Sunday in September)
- September 12: National Hug Your Hound Day (observed the second Sunday in September)
- September 13: Pet Birth Defect Awareness Day
- September 15: Yom Kippur (begins at sundown)
- September 17: National Pet Bird Day
- September 18: Puppy Mill Awareness Day (observed the third Saturday in September)
- September 19: AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day
- September 23: Dogs in Politics Day
- September 23: Remember Me Thursday
- September 28: World Rabies Day
- September Month-long:
- Happy Healthy Cat Month
- Back To School Month
- National Pet Insurance Month
- Pet-Sitter Education Month
- Animal Pain Awareness Month
- National Service Dog Month
- September 12-18: Adopt a Less-Adoptable-Pet Week (observed the third week in September)
- September 19-25: National Dog Week (observed the last full week in September)
- September 19-25: Deaf Pet Awareness Week (observed the last full week in September)
October
- October 1: National Black Dog Day
- October 4: World Animal Day
- October 4: World Pet Day
- October 9: Pet Obesity Awareness Day
- October 11: Indigenous Peoples’ Day / Columbus Day
- October 13: National Pet Obesity Awareness Day
- October 16: National Fetch Day (observed the third Saturday of October)
- October 16: Get To Know Your Customers Day
- October 26: National Pitbull Awareness Day
- October 27: National Black Cat Day
- October 29: National Cat Day
- October 30: National Pit Bull Awareness Day
- October 31: Halloween
- October Month-long:
- National Animal Safety and Protection Month
- Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
- National Pet Wellness Month
- October 1-7: National Walk Your Dog Week (observed the first week of October)
- October 17-23: Veterinary Technician Week
November
- November 1: National Cook for Your Pets Day
- November 7: National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day
- November 7: Daylight Savings Time Ends
- November 11: Veterans Day
- November 13: World Kindness Day
- November 17: National Take A Hike Day
- November 20: National Adoption Day
- November 25: Thanksgiving
- November 26: Black Friday
- November 27: Small Business Saturday
- November 28: Hanukkah begins
- November 29: Cyber Monday
- November Month-long:
- Pet Cancer Awareness Month
- National Senior Pet Month
- Adopt a Senior Pet Month
- National Adoption Month
- National Diabetes Month
- November 7-13: National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week (observed the first full week of November)
December
- December 2: National Mutt Day
- December 6: Hanukkah ends
- December 9: International Day of Veterinary Medicine
- December 24: Christmas Eve
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Kwanzaa begins
- December 31: New Year’s Eve
- December Month-long:
- National Cat Lovers’ Month
Mark your calendars, and good luck!
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