The Barnaby Blog 25 Apr 2025

rob72401
May 1, 2025
3 min read

ANZAC Day: A Paws for Remembrance

Woof! Barnaby here, your favourite miniature schnauzer and official mascot of Barnaby&Boo's. Today I'm taking a break from sniffing out the best coffee beans to share something important with my pack.

A Very Special Day

April 25th is ANZAC Day, and even though I'm just a small dog, I know it's a big deal for my humans. It's when everyone remembers those brave ANZAC soldiers who landed at a beach called Gallipoli way back in 1915.

My human explained that ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. These humans fought very bravely, just like when I protect our café from suspicious-looking delivery trucks.

Dawn Patrol

On ANZAC Day, humans do something that reminds me of my morning routine—they wake up super early! But instead of begging for breakfast like I do, they stand quietly at War Memorials as the sun comes up.

My sensitive schnauzer ears have picked up these special Dawn Service sounds:

A trumpet playing something called "The Last Post" (not as fun as the postman, apparently)
Everyone being very quiet for a minute (harder for some humans than for dogs!)
Solemn words being spoken
The laying of wreaths (which I'm told are NOT for playing fetch)

Around Our Pack's World

In New Zealand, my distant cousins tell me that humans gather in towns big and small. Some wear medals that jingle like my tags when I run.

In Australia, after the Dawn Service, humans sometimes eat something called a "Gunfire Breakfast." I've never been offered any, but it sounds exciting!

In Turkey, where the battle happened, they remember their own brave soldiers alongside the ANZACs. A wise human leader there once said something beautiful about how soldiers from different countries become like family when they rest together. That's a lot like how I make friends at the dog park—we might look different, but we're all part of the same pack in the end.

Here in London, humans from New Zealand, Australia, and Turkey all gather together at special places like Hyde Park Corner. They used to be enemies, but now they're friends—just like me and the vacuum cleaner (well, we're working on it).

Special Treats

Humans make these round biscuits called ANZAC biscuits. They smell AMAZING and were sent to soldiers long ago because they didn't go bad quickly. My human won't let me have any because of something called "oats" and "sugar," but customers seem to love them with their coffee.

What My Schnauzer Heart Understands

Even though I'm just a café mascot with a distinguished beard, I understand about loyalty and protecting your pack. That's what ANZAC Day is really about—remembering those who were loyal to their countries and protected others, even when it was scary.

When I see humans wearing red poppy flowers on their coats, I know they're remembering someone special. Sometimes they get water in their eyes (not as fun as when I get sprayed with the hose for digging in the garden).

Barnaby's Special Invitation

On April 25th, bring your humans to Barnaby&Boos for a special ANZAC biscuit and coffee pairing. I'll be wearing my special respectful bandana, and we'll donate some of our treats (the money kind, not my actual treats—I need those) to help veteran humans.

And if you see me being extra gentle with elderly visitors that day, it's because my schnauzer sense tells me they might be remembering friends who went to chase squirrels in the sky long ago.

Remember with me, won't you? Lest We Forget.

Loyal woofs and respectful tail wags,

Barnaby 🐾 Chief Biscuit Inspector and Remembrance Schnauzer

Keywords: ANZAC Day, Gallipoli, Dawn Service, Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, commemoration, remembrance, war memorial, The Last Post, ANZAC biscuits, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, reconciliation, April 25, Hyde Park Corner, Cenotaph, Westminster Abbey, two-up, poppy, Lest We Forget, ANZAC legend, Çanakkale, Whitehall