New York Times Bestselling Author John Grogan will headline the Adirondack Museum’s annual Dog Days of Summer event with a public program called &#8220Marley &amp-Me: What Man’s Best Friend Can Teach Us About Being Human.&#8221 The program will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 4 the museum’s center campus. Dogs are welcome. In addition to the public program, there will be a question and answer session, and a book signing. Copies of Grogan’s bestselling books will be available at the Museum Store.

The day will offer additional excitement for dogs and owners. Demonstrations include an introduction to clicker training, paddling with your dog, and water retrieving. Visitors will meet hardworking North Country dogs and learn about their jobs in search and rescue, therapy, and racing. Bill Smith, musician and storyteller, will share humorous stories about people and their dogs.

Dog will be able to try out a rustic agility course and join the pooch parade and costume contest. There will be category winners for the parade, and participation prizes.

As part of the event, patrons and their pooches will have a special chance meet and greet with Grogan as part of two exclusive fundraisers for the Adirondack Museum. A luncheon ($75 per person) featuring tasty fare at The Hedges on Blue Mountain Lake begins at 11:45 a.m. Also, for those wishing to stay for the entire day, or just the evening, join Grogan at a cocktail reception ($40 per person) at 5 p.m. under the museum’s Marion River Carry Pavilion. Both events have limited seating. Reservations are currently being accepted online or by calling (518) 352-7311.

There are a few rules and regulations to ensure a fun and safe day for all visitors: dogs must be on a 4&#8242- leash- owners must clean up after their pets- dogs are allowed on the grounds, in the Mark W. Potter Education Center and the Auditorium, but not in exhibit buildings or the Lake View Cafe- Doggy Day Care will be available throughout the day at no charge- and poorly behaved or aggressive dogs will be asked to leave the museum grounds with their owners.

Generous support for the event comes from Larry and Nancy Master, William Coffey Studio, Lakeside Veterinary Clinic, Kate Litchfield, Dawgdom, Benson’s Pet Center, Schroon River Animal Hospital, Sutherland’s Pet Works, and Curtis Lumber. Adirondack Explorer and Modern Dog Magazine are media sponsors of the Dog Days of Summer event.

Author John Grogan was a columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer when he wrote a column saying goodbye to his incorrigible 13-year-old Labrador retriever, Marley. When hundreds of messages flooded his inbox and voicemail the next day, John recalls, &#8220That’s when I knew I had a bigger story to tell.&#8221 The story became Marley &amp- Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog, a book about what a misbehaving dog meant to his family. A touchstone for people worldwide, the book grew into a runaway #1 New York Times bestseller with more than 3 million copies in print in 30 languages. Made into a movie starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, the book is now part of Grogan’s conversation about family, loyalty, optimism, and what really matters in life. Grogan now writes a children’s book series called The Marley Series. A new DVD for children entitled Marley &amp- Me: The Puppy Years was released in August 2011.