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On this National Dog Day, let us bow our heads in wonder at some adorable MLB pups

Happy National Dog Day! Here are the best dogs in MLB

By Chris Landers

So far, the 2015 season has been a celebration of man's interaction with nature -- be it educational or slightly terrifying. With all due respect to Chuckie the clubhouse chinchilla, though, there remains only one animal deemed best friend to both man and baseball: dogs, of course. And so, given that today is National Dog Day (yes, really), we thought it only fitting to pay our respects to some of the best canines in MLB.

David Price's awesome French Bulldog, Astro

#Repost @kstatetif with @repostapp. ・・・ Look at my two sleepy heads! �� #creeplife #gunshow

A photo posted by David Price (@davidprice14) on

 

Astro lives the life of a V.I.P. (er, V.I.D.?). When he's not inspiring his owner to throw shutouts or being immortalized in bobblehead form, you can find him receiving a key to the city of Tampa or excelling at social media. And now that he finds himself in Toronto for the stretch run, he's already ingratiating himself to the locals:

Alex Cobb's adopted stray Oscar, who will melt your cold heart

Back in March, Rays pitcher Alex Cobb -- already the owner of one very cute American Bulldog -- noticed a stray dog wandering near a busy road. So, he followed the little guy, eventually catching up with him and taking him home. He had no tags, and after a couple of days searching for the original owner, Cobb decided to make him part of the family:

Sadly, Oscar shirseys haven't been made for sale ... yet.

Bryce Harper's chocolate Lab "Swag"

Bryce Harper makes seemingly impossible plays look routine -- all while rocking some excellent hair and the occasional patriotic bat. So, perhaps it's only fitting that his four-year-old chocolate Lab is named "Swag." Here's what we do know, though: His family gave him the puppy as a Christmas present in 2011, he's adorable and he often enjoys the great outdoors.

We would also like to take this moment to remind you that Thursday is Pet Calendar Day at Nationals Park, and the early word is that it's going to be the best. 

Hank, the Brewers Ballpark Pup

No list of baseball dogs would be complete without your reigning Dog of the Year, after all. Milwaukee found Hank during Spring Training last year, when he had wandered into the Brewers complex looking for a place to sleep. The club took him in, and before long, he had his very own Cribs-worthy home at Miller Park:

Hank was beloved by just about everybody, from then-GM Doug Melvin ...

Hank Melvin

... to the famed Sausage Race contestants: 

Hank hot dog race

Hank even helped raise more than  $130,000 for the Humane Society last Christmas, because that's just how Hank rolls.

Ryan Hanigan's Australian shepherd Vivian, who placed at the Westminster Dog Show

This is Vivian:

Vivian dog show

If you're thinking, "Wow, that is one remarkably cute dog," you're not alone -- she's not only competed in multiple Westminster Kennel Club Dog Shows, but she took home Best in Breed in 2014. And while Vivian (show name: The remarkably Downton Abbey-ish "Copperridge What's Your Dream?) only won an Award of Merit this past February, we think she's as adorable as ever.

Be sure to give any and all dogs an extra hug today, and if you have a baseball dog of your own, feel free to share.