Dog Days of August

Don't know about you, but seemed like everyone was experiencing the dog days of August from start to finish today. Or, perhaps it was "what else"? Does anyone know why they call some days in August dog days anyway? Why not "cat days"? or "ferret days"? And now, for a totally random thought: When we were on vacation in Belgium, a couple travelling by bicycle stopped at the outdoor beer garden where we were. We laughed out loud when a ferret on a leash popped his head out of the wicker basket attached to the bicycle handlebars!