Man's Best Friend
The most popular animal to merit a tartan is of course, Canis lupus familiaris or Canis familiaris, the dog!
Click any picture to navigate to the page of interest for more information about this tartan or its associated day.
Greyfriars
Jan 14
Greyfriars Bobby Day
The Greyfriars Tartan represents the history of the area and the work of the community.
Skye Terrier
Feb 21
Skye Terrier Day
Tartan design by Kathleen Smith
Boxer Beauty
Mar 23
Puppy Day
Designed to celebrate the Boxer dog, which is known for its handsome looks, playfulness, and warmly affectionate nature. The Boxer can be all white, brindle (black on brown or brown on black), and fawn (various shades of ginger, caramel, strawberry blonde), with or without white 'flash' throughout the coat.
Canine All Dogs
Apr 11
Pet Day
In recognition of all dogs
Sea Dog Bamse, Pride of Norway
Jul 22
Memorial Sea Dog Bamse
The symbolism of the Sea Dog Bamse tartan is inspired principally by the colours of Norway's national flag and ensign of the Royal Norwegian Navy. Red for blood, the Viking colour, blue for the ocean and white for the snow. Those colours are mirrored in the Scottish Saltire, the Scottish national flag and in the Royal Standard of Scotland which is a red lion rampant on a gold field - Gold, also represented in the Royal Standard, is priceless, as is the value of Freedom.
Caledonian Labrador Retrievers
Aug 26
Dog Day
This tartan was designed by Maurice Givan to celebrate the history of the Labrador Retriever, introduced from Newfoundland to Scotland in the 1830s by the 5th Duke of Buccleuch, Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott. It incorporates the three colours of the Labrador breed: black, yellow and chocolate, with purple and green to represent the Scottish landscape.
Greyfriars Bobby Statue
Jan 14
Greyfriars Bobby Day
Photo courtesy of Margaret Harkness Bobby was a Skye Terrier, looked after by John Gray, who worked for the Edinburgh City Police as a night watchman. When John Gray died he was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard, the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in the Old Town of Edinburgh. Bobby then became known locally, spending the rest of his life sitting on his master's grave.
Skye Terriers
Feb 21
Skye Terrier Day
The Skye Terrier is a breed of dog that is a long, low, hardy terrier and "one of the most endangered native dog breeds in the United Kingdom" according to The Kennel Club.
Boxer Pupppies
Mar 23
Puppy Day
This tartan is designed to celebrate the Boxer dog, which is known for its handsome looks, playfulness, and warmly affectionate nature. The Boxer can be all white, brindle (black on brown or brown on black), and fawn (various shades of ginger, caramel, strawberry blonde), with or without white 'flash' throughout the coat.
Dogs of the World, 1936
Apr 11
Pet Day
The dog was the first domesticated animal. Its closest extant relative is the gray wolf, from which it diverged 40,000 years ago in northern Eurasia.
Sea Dog Bamse
Jul 22
Memorial Sea Dog Bamse
Bamse (Norwegian for "teddy bear") (1937 - 22 July 1944) was a St. Bernard that became the heroic mascot of the Free Norwegian Forces during the Second World War.
Labradors
Aug 26
Dog Day
Labradors are athletic, playful, and the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States (since 1991).