![]() ![]() Since its rising also coincided with a time of extreme heat, the connection with hot, sultry weather was made for all time: "Dog Days bright and clear / indicate a happy year. The rising of Sirius does not actually affect the weather (some of our hottest and most humid days occur after August 11), but for the ancient Egyptians, Sirius appeared just before the season of the Nile's flooding, so they used the star as a "watchdog" for that event. The Almanac explains:Īugust 11 coincides with the heliacal (at sunrise) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. But, as with many popular expressions, have you ever taken the time to think about what the phrase actually means? What do dogs have to do with it? And what the heck is a "dog day" anyway?! (Sorry, cat lovers.) Since the aforementioned "dog days" just began on July 3, we took it upon ourselves to dig up the history behind the phrase and get to the bottom of its origin.Īccording to The Old Farmer's Almanac, the unofficial authority on all things folklore and weather-related, the phrase "dog days" refers to the hottest time of the year, which is the 40 days that span from July 3 through August 11. ![]() As advocates of "country living," the dog days of summer are something we're all too familiar with.
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