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2018 Pet-Related Holidays and Themes to Blog About

Could you use some inspiration developing great blog post ideas? What if we could offer you an entire year of pet-related holidays and themes to blog about? This list is meant to be a guide, an idea generator, and, in addition to blog fodder, these ideas lend themselves well to social media. For example, remind your followers on Facebook that it’s “National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day” and pair the reminder with a cat health blog post linking directly back to your blog. The same holds true for Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Twitter, any other platforms with which you engage.

2018 pet related holidays

Note: If you know the hashtag associated with a certain pet-related holiday or theme, be sure to use that in conjunction with your blog post and social shares. This is a creative way for folks to find your content.  Here’s how to develop a hashtag strategy for Instagram. Hashtags can be quite tricky, especially if you have no clue what they mean. Discover what hashtags mean, and add your own definitions with tagdef.com. Note: When creating a new hashtag, ensure that it isn’t already being used. No one actually “owns” a hashtag, but you certainly don’t want to tweet with a hashtag that has previously been used. You can easily find this information by searching for a hashtag on tagboard.com. Type in “funnydogs.” Of course, this is heavily used so there is nothing new about it. However, you can jump on the #funnydogs hashtag bandwagon if you post a funny photo of your dog on social media.

Bookmark this post, refer back to it, and save it for a year’s worth of 2018 pet-related holidays and themes to blog about and share on social media.

Without further ado, here’s a month by month idea generator of pet-related holidays and themes with some bonus material along the way:

Important BlogPaws Dates, Reminders, and To Do’s

  • Every Tuesday except the third Tuesday of the month, #BlogPawsChat takes place at 8:30 pm ET on Twitter.
  • BlogPaws Facebook Live events take place several times throughout the month on both the BlogPaws Main Facebook Page and the BlogPaws Social Learning Community Facebook Group.
  • Every Wednesday on the BlogPaws blog is a networking opportunity called the Wordless Wednesday blog hop. Visit the blogs listed to put the social in social media and help grow your blog.
  • Get the very latest BlogPaws News in the official BlogPaws News and Boost Facebook Group.
  • Join the BlogPaws Social Learning Community to learn, connect, network, grow, and develop as a blogger and influencer.

On the Chinese Calendar, 2018 is the Year of the Dog.

January

Overall themes:

  • Adopt a Rescued Bird Month
  • National Train Your Dog Month
  • Walk Your Pet Month
  • Get Organized Month
  • Adopt a Rescued Bird Month

Holidays:

January 1: New Year’s Day (great post for resolutions, jump start the year)

January 2: National Pet Travel Safety Day and National Mew Year for Cats Day

January 5: National Bird Day

January 6: Epiphany

January 8: National Bubble Bath Day (fun post for pet bath tips, shampoo safety, grooming, etc)

January 14: National Dress Your Pet Up Day, National Seeing Eye Dog Day, Bald Eagle Appreciation Day

January 15: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Hat Day

January 18: Winnie the Pooh Day

January 19: National Popcorn Day

January 20: National Penguin Awareness Day

January 21: National Squirrel Appreciation Day (um hello, cute photos time), National Hugging Day

January 22: National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day

January 24: Change A Pet’s Life Day, Belly Laugh Day, Compliment Day

January 25: National Opposite Day

January 26: Australia Day, Rattlesnake Round Up

January 29: Seeing Eye Guide Dog Birthday

January 31: Backwards Day


February

Overall themes:

  • National Pet Oral/Dental Health Care Month
  • Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month
  • Beat the Heat Month
  • International Hoof Care Month
  • American Heart Month
  • Spay/Neuter Awareness Month
  • National Wild Bird Feeding Month
  • National Cat Health Month
  • Unchain a Dog Month
  • Dog Training Education Month
  • National Bird Feeding Month

Holidays:

February 2: Groundhog Day

February 4: Super Bowl Sunday, Thank a Mailman Day (great for bite prevention tips, training)

February 6: Chinese New Year

February 7-14: Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week (great blog topic to raise awareness and provide actionable tips to help dogs who are chained)

February 13: Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday

February 14: Valentine’s Day, National Pet Theft Awareness Day, World Whale Day, National Hippo Day, Pet Theft Awareness Day

February 16: Chinese New Year

February 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day

February 19: President’s Day

February 20: Love Your Pet Day

February 22: Walking the Dog Day

February 23: International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day

February 26: March 4: National Justice for Animals Week

February 27: Polar Bear Day, World Spay Day

February 28:  Public Sleeping Day

OTHER: Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City: February 12 and 13, 2018 AND DWAA Annual Banquet and Awards: February 10, 2018


March

Overall themes:

  • Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month
  • Craft Month
  • Women’s History Month
  • Dolphin Awareness Month
  • Pet Poison Prevention Month

Holidays:

March 1: National Pig Day, National Horse Protection Day

March 3: If Pets Had Thumbs Day

March 4: Oscars Night on TV

March 4-10: Professional Pet Sitters Week

March 6: National Frozen Food Day

March 8: International Women’s Day

March 11: Daylight Savings Time Begins (spring forward one hour in many areas of the US)

March 13: K9 Veterans Day

March 14: Learn About Butterflies Day, Save a Spider Day

March 16: Panda Day

March 17: St. Patrick’s Day, Saint Gertrude of Nivelles Day (patron saint of cats)

March 19 – 25: National Poison Prevention Week

March 19: Poultry Day

March 20: International Earth Day, World Sparrow Day, World Frog Day, International Day of Happiness (Reasons a Pet Makes You Happy is a great topic), first day of Spring

March 22: International Day of the Seal and World Water Day (great for water intake, etc)

March 23: National Puppy Day

March 25: Manatee Appreciation Day

March 28: Respect Your Cat Day

March 30: Passover Begins in the Evening, Take a Walk in the Park Day (great for walking a pet)

OTHER: Crufts (The World’s Largest Dog Show) in England: March 8-11, 2018


2018 Pet Related Holidays

April

Overall themes:

  • World Habitat Awareness Month
  • National Pet Month
  • Stress Awareness Month
  • American Red Cross Pet First Aid Awareness Month
  • Garden Month
  • Heartworm Awareness Month
  • National Frog Month
  • Adopt a Greyhound Month
  • Zoo and Aquarium Month
  • Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month
  • Decorating Month (great for craft ideas with a pet theme)
  • Poetry Month
  • Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs

Holidays:

April 1: Easter, April Fool’s Day, Talk Like Shakespeare Day

April 1- 7: International Pooper Scooper Week

April 2: National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

April 4: World Rat Day

April 7: Every Day is Tag Day

April 8:  National Dog Fight Awareness Day

April 16: National Librarian Day (great post for pet-themed books)

April 16-22: National Pet ID Week

April 17: Bat Appreciation Day

April 18-20: BlogPaws 2018 Conference: Kansas City, Missouri (the 10th Conference: great blog topic of BlogPaws through the years)

April 19: Pet Owners Day

April 20: Look Alike Day

April 22: Earth Day

April 23: National Lost Dog Awareness Day

April 24: National Pet Parents Day

April 25: World Penguin Day

April 26:  Help a Horse Day, National Kids and Pets Day (instill ideas in kids to respect pets, bite prevention, how to pet a cat: Ideas for posts)

April 27: Hairball Awareness Day

April 28: World Veterinary Day

April 30: National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, Animal Advocacy Day, World Veterinary Day, National Tabby Day, Bulldogs are Beautiful Day, National Pet Parents Day


May

Overall themes:

  • National Pet Month
  • Chip Your Pet Month
  • Pet Cancer Awareness Month
  • Responsible Animal Guardian Month
  • Lyme Disease Prevention Month
  • National Service Dog Eye Examination Month
  • National Photograph Month

Holidays:

May 1: Save the Rhino Day, National Purebred Dog Day, May Day

May 3: National Specially Abled Pets Day, National Hug Your Cat Day

May 4: May the Fourth Be With You: Star Wars Day, Bird Day

May 5: Cinco de Mayo, National Ferret Day

May 7: Mayday for Mutts

May 7-13: National Be Kind to Animals Week

May 8: National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day

May 13: Mother’s Day, Frog Jumping Day

May 14:  National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day

May 16: National Sea Monkey Day

May 19: Armed Forces Day

May 20: First Day of Spring

May 21-27: National Dog Bite Prevention Week

May 21: Victoria Day (Canada)

May 23: World Turtle Day

May 24: National Escargot Day

May 27: National Heat Awareness Day

May 28: Memorial Day

May 30: International Hug Your Cat Day


June

Overall themes:

  • Adopt a Cat Month/Adopt a Shelter Cat Month
  • National Pet Preparedness Month
  • National Microchipping Month
  • Social Petworking Month

Holidays:

June 2: National Go Barefooting Day (good for paw safety)

June 4: Hug Your Cat Day

June 4-10: Pet Appreciation Week

June 5: World Environment Day

June 8: Best Friends Day

June 10: World Pet Memorial Day

June 14: Flag Day

June 16: Fresh Veggies Day

June 17: Father’s Day

June 19: National Pets in Film Day, National Kissing Day

June 19-23: Take Your Dog to Work Week

June 20: American Eagle Day

June 21: Selfie Day, National Dog Party Day, First Day of Summer

June 22: Take Your Dog to Work Day

June 29: Camera Day (pet photo contests, photo tips for pets all make for great blog posts)

OTHER: CWA Annual Conference: June 7-9, 2018


July

Overall themes:

  • National Blueberry Month
  • Dog House Repair Month
  • National Anti-Boredom Month
  • National Hot Dog Month
  • National Ice Cream Month
  • National Picnic Month
  • Pet Hydration Awareness Month
  • National Lost Pet Prevention Month

Holidays:

July 1: Canada Day, ID Your Pet Day

July 3: Stay Out of the Sun Day

July 4: Independence Day (dangers of fireworks and escaping to pets as blog fodder)

July 11: All-American Pet Photo Day

July 13: Cow Appreciation Day

July 14:  Shark Awareness Day

July 15: I Love Horses Day, National Pet Fire Safety Day

July 16: World Snake Day

July 17: National Pig Day

July 21: National Craft For Your Shelters Day

July 23: National Hot Dog Day, Parents Day

July 31: Mutt’s Day, International Day of Friendship


August

Overall themes:

  • Family Fun Month
  • National Catfish Month
  • Water Quality Month
  • National Picnic Month

Holidays:

August 1: DOGust (Universal Birthday for shelter dogs)

August 5-11: International Assistance Dog Week

August 7: National Friendship Day

August 8: International Cat Day, National Happiness Day

August 9: National Book Lovers Day

August 10: National Lazy Day, Spoil Your Dog Day

August 11: National Sons and Daughters Day

August 12: World Elephant Day

August 16: Saint Roch’s Day (patron saint of dogs)

August 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day

August 18: National Honey Bee Day

August 19: International Homeless Animals Day

August 20: World Mosquito Day (topic starter: mosquito dangers and prevention to pets)

August 22: National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day

August 26: National Dog Day

August 28: Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

August 30: National Holistic Pet Day


Pet related holidays and themes

September

Overall themes:

  • Catalyst Council’s Happy Healthy Cat Month
  • Animal Pain Awareness Month
  • National Disaster Preparedness Month
  • National Food Safety Education Month
  • National Service Dog Month
  • Responsible Dog Ownership Month
  • Chicken Month

Holidays:

September 3: Labor Day

September 9: Grandparents Day (think of all the pet grandparents of the human variety who would love a visit from pets today), Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown, National Pet Memorial Day

September 10:  National Hug Your Hound Day

September 11: 9/11 Remembrance, Patriot Day

September 13: Pet Birth Defect Day

September 16: Puppy Mill Awareness Day, Responsible Dog Ownership Day

September 17- 23: Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week (great blog topic for the pets who are older, have health issues, have been in shelters a long time, different species, etc)

September 18: Yom Kippur begins at sundown and ends in the evening September 19

September 19: Talk Like a Pirate Day

September 20: Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown

September 21: Peace Day

September 22: Elephant Appreciation Day, Autumn begins, International Rabbit Day

September 23:  Dogs in Politics Day (recognizing dogs of politicians through history)

September 24-30: National Dog Week and National Deaf Dog Awareness Week

September 28: World Rabies Day


October

Overall themes:

  • National Pet Wellness Month
  • National Animal Safety and Protection Month
  • Pet Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  • Bat Appreciation Month
  • National Pit Bull Awareness Month
  • National Service Dog Month
  • World Animal Month
  • Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
  • Wishbones for Pets Month (pet sitters that would like to collect and distribute pet goods/funds for local pet shelters and other pet related agencies in their own community)

Holidays:

October 1: National Black Dog Day, National Fire Pup Day

October 1-7: National Walk Your Dog Week – (First Week of October)

October 4: World Pets Day

October 8:  Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day (Canada)

October 10: National Pet Obesity Awareness Day

October 14-20: National Veterinary Technician Week – interview one, a day in the life, things they do, behind the scenes

October 15: Sweetest Day

October 16: National Feral Cat Day, National Bosses Day, Global Cat Day

October 21: Reptile Awareness Day, Sweetest Day

October 24: United Nations Day

October 28: Plush Animal Lover’s Day (fun post for those pets who love and love to shred stuffed animals)

October 29: National Cat Day, National Pit Bull Awareness Day

October 30: National Black Cat Day in the UK

October 31: Halloween


November

Overall themes:

  • National Novel Writing Month
  • Native American Heritage Month
  • Peanut Butter Lovers Month
  • National Sleep Comfort Month
  • Adopt a Senior Pet Month
  • Pet Diabetes Month
  • Pet Cancer Awareness Month

Holidays:

November 1: All Saints Day, National Cook for Your Pets Day

November 2: All Souls Day

November 4: Daylight Savings Ends (fall back one hour in many areas of the US)

November 4-10: National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week

November 6: Election Day (US), National Healthy Eating Day

November 7: National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day

November 11: Veterans Day, Remembrance Day (Canada)

November 13: Sadie Hawkins Day, World Kindness Day

November 17: National Take a Hike Day and National Black Cat Day

November 18: Mickey Mouse Birthday

November 22: Thanksgiving Day (United States)

November 23: Black Friday

November 26: Cyber Monday

November 30: Stay Home Because You’re Well Day


December

Overall themes:

  • National Cat Lovers Month
  • Safe Toys and Gifts Month

Holidays:

December 2: Hanukkah begins at sundown, National Mutt Day

December 4: World Wildlife Conservation Day, National Cookie Day

December 13: National Day of the Horse

December 14: Monkey Day

December 19: National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day

December 21: Winter begins

December 23: Festivus

December 24: Christmas Eve

December 25: Christmas Day

December 26: Kwanzaa begins, Boxing Day (Canada)

December 31: New Year’s Day

Go even more in depth for additional holidays and unique events with this fun 2018 calendar.

Don’t Stop Now

Generate more blog content ideas with these related posts:

The Ultimate List of Pet Blog Content Ideas

50 Holiday Content Ideas for Pet Influencers

How to Do Keyword Research for Your Next Blog Post

Your Turn

How far out do you plan for your blog and social media content? Will you use any of the ideas above? Let us know in the comments below along with any dates we might have missed for pet lovers.

Carol Bryant is the Marketing and Social Media Manager for BlogPaws and runs her own blog, Fidose of Reality and its fundraising arm, Wigglebutt Warriors. When not busy playing with her Cocker Spaniel, Dexter, she stays far away from cooking. Her trademark is her mantra and is tattooed on her arm: My Heart Beats Dog.®

Images:  9dream studio /rattiya lamrod / wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock.com

 

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