National Fire Pup Day Date in the current year: October 1, 2024

The history of using dogs in organized firefighting can be traced back to the 19th century. In the days of horse-drawn fire engines, Dalmatians would run alongside the horses to make sure they weren’t spooked. While on scene, the dogs would stay behind to guard the equipment and keep the horses calm. Soon enough, Dalmatians became closely associated with the fire service.

As horse-drawn fire engines gave way to motorized vehicles, this role of the dogs became unnecessary. However, fire departments still use various dog breeds in other roles. For example, dogs are widely used nowadays in search and rescue operations. They search for lost or missing people in wilderness, urban, and disaster environments.

Dogs can also be useful in fire investigations thanks to their superb sense of smell. The so-called accelerant detection canines (ADCs), also known as arson dogs, are trained to detect ignitable substances that can be used to start a fire and therefore help investigators to confirm or rule out arson. Detection dogs can also be trained to sniff out human remains, which can help to bring closure to families of wildfire victims. Some detection dogs can sniff out embers or hotspots that haven’t been properly extinguished.

Another type of working dogs used in firefighting are crisis response dogs, also known as comfort dogs or therapy dogs. They are trained to handle stressful situations and help people to stay calm during disasters. Comfort dogs help people affected by fires and firefighters to decompress and recover.

Finally, a lot of fire departments have dog mascots that live at the firehouse and are cared for by the firefighters. They are not used in firefighting, but many of these dogs are trained to teach children the stop, drop and roll technique at community outreach events.

Today, many different dog breeds are used as firefighting dogs depending on their roles. For example, popular arson dog breeds include the German Shorthaired Pointer, Labrador Retriever, and several spaniel breeds, while Border Collies, German Shepherds, and Labradors are common search and rescue breeds. Dalmatians are popular mascots due to their historical association with firefighting, but other dog breeds (and mutts) can serve as mascots too.

Canine members of fire departments across the nation are honored on National Fire Pup Day, celebrated annually on October 1. You can join the celebration by learning more about firefighting dogs and sharing the facts you’ve learned with others, donating to or volunteering at your local fire department or animal shelter, helping your fire department organize a community event or fundraiser, and spreading the word on social media with the hashtag #NationalFirePupDay.

If you’ve been thinking about adopting a dog, you can reach out to your local fire department to inquire whether they have a pup up for adoption. Some fire stations take in dogs that survived a fire and got left behind; these dogs are often adoptable.