By Wanda Lou Willis
“Make hay while the Sun shines, for when old Sirius takes command of the weather, he is such an unsteady, crazy dog, there is no dependence upon him.” – author unknown
Early July begins the “dog days of summer” which lasts until September. Depending on latitude and climate, the *actual dates vary greatly from region to region. Nearly everyone has heard this expression and knows that it refers to the hottest, most sultry days of summer.
Some of the popular beliefs or claims connected with this period are that it is an evil time, there’ll be droughts and plagues, wine will turn sour, and humans will suffer from heat hysterics or go mad.
The Ancient Greeks believed that the “dog days” weakened men and women became aroused.
The phrase took on an ominous meaning by the 19th century. It was believed that dogs would most likely contract rabies during this period.
Today it’s a time to be laid back and carefree while sipping iced tea in sleepy contemplation.
The term seems a natural expression since dog’s pant and lay as flat on the ground as they can to avoid the heat; however, it has nothing to do with dogs.
Where does the expression “dog days of summer” come from?
What does it really mean?
The “dog” in this saying refers to Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky which rises and sets with the Sun. The ancient Egyptians named the star Sirius after their God Osirus, whose head resembled that of a dog. Both ancient Egyptians and Romans believed that the combination of the brightest luminary of the day (the sun) and the brightest star of night (Sirius) was responsible for the extreme heat experienced during the middle of summer.
In ancient Egypt, the New Year began with the return of Sirius. When it appeared, they knew that the “Nile Days” were at hand. It was a warning to the people who lived along the Nile River that the floodwaters were coming which added to the fertility of their lands. At this time the people would open the gates of the canals that irrigated their fields.
In recent years, the phrase “Dog Days” or “Dog Days of Summer” have been given new meanings. It’s frequently used in reference to the American stock market. Summer is typically a very slow time for the stock market. Poorly performing stocks with little future potential are frequently known as “dogs.”
Watch the summer sky for the Dog Star, Sirius. It can be seen with the naked eye. The star will appear to be brilliant white tinged with blue. When the air is unsteady, or when the star is low on the horizon it seems to flicker and splinter with all the colors of the rainbow.
Dog Day bright and clear
Indicate a happy year.
But when accompanied by rain,
For better times our hopes are vain.
Publishers Note: We published this piece a few years ago and just ran across it looking for something else in the archives. After the very hot weather we encountered in July, we thought it might be a good idea to print this again.
*The 2026 Farmers Almanac indicates that this year they started on July 3rd and will run through August 11th, however, we have a sneaking suspicion it will be much longer.