Esther Verhoefs age 15, of Sanborn, Iowa

What are the Dog Days?

The Dog Days occur during the period from early July to early September, a varying four to six week period when summer hangs hot and sultry over the Northern Hemisphere  The expression goes back to ancient Egypt when the star‑gazers noticed that this was the tame when Sirius the Dog Star rises with the sun 

Later, people noticed that this was also a time of year when dogs tended to go mad with rabies  The rising of Sirius with the sun may vary and dogs do not necessarily go mad when the Dog Star is in the daytime sky  The term Dog Days is not scientific, but it is a poetic way to describe those sultry, oppressive days of the summer ‑ which shouldn’t happen to a dog.