It isn’t an urban myth!  Leap Day does exist!  The day the Four Paws on the Floor Rule does not apply!  Oh sure I have foggy memories of it when it last occurred in 2012.  But I was still in the whelping box and focused on mastering bigger issues like walking on my wobbly legs.  As time passed I thought I had imagined it.  But here it is again, February 29th – Leap Day!  The day all dogs do not have to obey the Four Paws on the Floor Rule!

Yep, you read that right!  Approximately every four years dogs do not have to obey the Four Paws on the Floor Rule, and instead can spend the day leaping with reckless abandonment and glee!  From what I understand, in 45 BC Roman general Julius Caesar was a huge dog lover, and penciled in Leap Day onto his calendar every four years, so dogs could let loose and have fun.  However, as we all know, too much of a good thing isn’t good for us.  Apparently all that leaping every four years was causing the earth to get off track.  So in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII decided to make a new calendar that only allowed Leap Days to fall on years that could be evenly divided by 4.  However, if that year can also be evenly divided by 100, then it isn’t a Leap Year.  You see, Pope Gregory XIII was a strong supporter of the Four Paws on the Floor Rule, and knew that dogs are notoriously bad at math.  His goal was to confuse us, and hopefully make us err on the side of caution and not leap.

Well Pope Gregory XIII never factored in the dissemination of knowledge through the internet, making it easy for dogs to know just when they can start leaping without repercussions.  Now if you excuse me, I have some serious Leap Day celebrating to do!

[Editor’s Note: Chuck Billy is correct that today is Leap Day.  But his explanation is a bit off.  So if you’re a dog reading this, please keep Four Paws on the Floor if you want to avoid getting in trouble!]