Playful Pups Celebrate the Dog Days of Summer

It’s August, when those of us in the Northern Hemisphere want to just sit by a pool or fan ourselves while rocking on a porch. These are the dog days of summer.

The phrase dates back some 500 years, and, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t come from the heat-induced lethargy that affects even dogs. Instead, it refers to the days in which the dog constellation, Sirius, rises at the same time as the sun. (Read more about the origins of the phrase “the dog days of summer.”)

To provide some much-needed refreshment, and to pay homage to the dog days, we compiled our favorite photos of canines keeping cool.