The Dog Days of Summer

Tina Lernø, Librarian, Digital Content Team,
An oversized hot dog fills the bun which is topped with mustard, ketchup and onions.
An oversized hot dog fills the bun which is topped with mustard, ketchup and onions, [1999]. Gary Leonard Collection

It's hot! It's boiling! It's sweltering! What do you expect for the Dog Days of Summer? Now I want a Dodger dog and some air-conditioning! But I also want to know where the term Dog Days of Summer comes from, so on I go down that research rabbit hole. And what I found is a scorcher. Read on!

 drawing of a hotdog by artist Bob Hyde

This drawing, by Valley Times staff artist Bob Hyde and published in an article dated May 19, 1961, depicts a "hot" dog suffering during the hot Nevada summer. Valley Times Collection

Did you know that the term Dog Days does not, in fact, have anything to do with hot dogs? This period of hot weather coincides with the year's heliacal (at sunrise) rising of Sirius, the brightest star in the sky (not including the Sun). Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Majoris—(Greater Dog), which is where Sirius gets its canine nickname, as well as the way Sirius follows the constellation Orion (like a dog on a leash) into the sky. Additionally, Sirius translates from the Ancient Greek to "scorcher" (Σείριος Seírios). The Ancient Greeks and Romans noticed that the "Dog Star" began to rise with the Sun after the Summer Solstice, so they put the two events together, thinking that the hot days were caused by how close the Earth was to the star. According to most almanacs, this period is generally from July 3 to August 11.

A very small dog poses as a hot dog in a roll, about to be eaten

A very small dog poses as a "hot dog" in a roll, about to be eaten, [nd]. Eyre Powell Chamber of Commerce Collection

Most folks refer to the Dog Days of Summer when discussing the extreme heat of July and August and the tiredness and lethargy accompanying it.

 little girl looks up at a St. Bernard dog on the beach

An animal show, primarily of dogs, on Venice Beach in 1936. Here, a little girl looks up at a St. Bernard dog. Eyre Powell Chamber of Commerce Collection

So, if you are looking for a place to go to beat the heat, I can't think of a better place to be than the Los Angeles Public Library! Did you know the Library functions as a cooling center during these Dog Days? Check out our locations and hours for the latest updates on which branches have extended hours or are open during non-library times. Stay cool and safe!

Local Resources

And just for fun, here's a list of Dog Day/Dog Star/Sirius-related media for you to check out from the Library!

a young woman in a bathing suit runs along the beach holding dogs

A dog show held in Long Beach in the late 1920s or early 1930s. Security Pacific National Bank Collection

Dog Day/Dog Star/Sirius Related Media


Book cover for Diary of a wimpy kid : dog days
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Kinney, Jeff

dogstar album cover
Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees
Dogstar (Musical group)

Book cover of Sirius : brightest diamond in the night sky
Sirius: Brightest Diamond in the Night Sky
Holberg, J. B.

Book cover of The Sirius mystery : new scientific evidence of alien contact 5,000 years ago
The Sirius Mystery
Temple, Robert K.G.

Book cover of David Hockney's dog days.
David Hockney's Dog Days
Hockney, David

Book cover of Dog days of history
Dog Days of History
Albee, Sarah

Book cover of Dog days
Dog Days
Øverby, Anja Dahle

Book cover of Dog days of summer
Dog Days of Summer
Wilson, Teri

Book cover of Dog star
Dog Star
Shepherd, Megan

Book cover of Sirius, the dog star
Sirius, the Dog Star
Perrow, Angeli


 

 

 

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