National Puppy Day
National Puppy Day is March 23 and it's a date dedicated to raising awareness for puppy adoption. So, check out these world famous mini-canines and drop by a shelter to rescue one of your own.
Here, guests play with puppies from the Humane Society at Nutrish's Yappie Hour Hosted By Rachael Ray at The Standard Spa in Miami Beach, Florida, February 27, 2016.
MVP - Most valuable puppy
In 2016, for the 25th year in a row, the American Kennel Club announced that the Labrador Retriever was America's most popular dog breed. The AKC announced the news at a press conference in New York on February 22, 2016. And this little guy proudly represented his breed.
The gracious loser
At that same press conference, this Golden Retriever puppy showed good sportsmanship by mugging for the cameras, despite the fact that his breed came in third on the annual AKC list for the third year in a row.
Nothing wrong with third, right? It's like a bronze -- or rather, golden -- medal.
All about the puppies
This chihuahua, photographed in Japan on July 11, 2007, was born with a perfect heart-shaped marking on his back. How could you not love it?
Diner dog
Pat Too, a beagle puppy belonging to druggist Cliff Cross of Rockland, Maine, showed off his table manners on Jan. 5, 1967.
Stubborn survivor
In January, 2005, police in Medellin, Colombia, found two bags of liquid heroine in this puppy's stomach. The pup was one of 10 discovered in a farmhouse in this condition; three of the dogs were later adopted by police.
Hypo-allergenic
These 3-day-old labradoodle puppies were photographed near Tel Aviv on December 7, 2005. Selling at $1,000 each, the puppies, bred from a labrador father and poodle mother, were the first of that breed born in Israel. The breed is prized for its lack of shedding.
Beloved mascot
This puppy, named "J-Dam," was rescued during a mission by U.S. Navy Special Forces. Shown here on Feb. 11, 2002 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, the pup became a favorite of U.S. troops serving at the Kandahar International Airport.
Cute clone
This puppy is one of five cloned from Trakr, a German Shepherd search-and-rescue dog used to locate Ground Zero survivors after the September 11 attacks. The pup met (and maybe bit?) a few reporters on June 17, 2009 in Los Angeles.
Pricey pups
Would you pay $750,000 for a puppy? Wealthy Chinese reportedly are doing just that -- for the right breed. These in-demand Tibetan mastiff puppies were displayed for sale near Beijing on March 9, 2013.
Many of these adorable puppies are unable to adjust to the low altitudes though so the moral of this story is go to your local shelter and get a puppy who needs a home.
The face. The face!
In February of 2015, French bulldog puppy Louis appeared at the American Kennel Club's celebration of its top breeds of 2014. (One of those breeds? His, of course.)
Puppy blessing
Nicaraguan tradition calls for dog owners to ask San Lazaro (Saint Lazarus) to watch over their puppies. In return, the owners bring their pets dressed in costumes to attend a mass in honor of the saint.
Bombs away
"Prop Wash" was a cocker spaniel mascot for some U.S. troops during World War II. He was photographed waiting for his master on a load of bombs on May 5, 1944. The puppy was equipped with his own goggles, parachute and oxygen mask.
Glowing puppy
South Korean scientists cloned this fluorescent beagle puppy, shown here at 3 months old, in 2009.
Mourning companion
Army Spc. Justin Rollins found this puppy while on a tour in Iraq. Rollins was later killed by a roadside bomb. The puppy, Hero, was shipped home to live with Rollins's family in 2007.
New dogs, old tricks
These narcotic-sniffing puppies were cloned in 2008 from a labrador named Chase.
The ears. The ears!
Photographed at 4 months old in 2008, this Peruvian hairless dog goes by the name of -- what else? -- Ears. The bald and often toothless breed was popular among Incan kings.
Full steam ahead
Meet Ciuchcia, or Steam Train Engine, a 4-month-old dog who lost the use of his back legs after being hit by a train in Poland in 2011. Pet shelter workers later outfitted Ciuchcia with a wheeled rig, allowing him to do what he does best.
Pup or Muppet?
In 2002, Russian breeders introduced a new type of dog, the "Petersburg Orchid." It's considered one of the smallest breeds on Earth. This puppy, photographed in Russia in 2002, is named "Ulitka," or "Snail."