Celebrating dogs comes pretty effortlessly to those who adore them. Since most of us consider our four-legged pals fuzzy family members, it’s only natural that we enjoy celebrating their birthdays!
Whether you know your pup’s actual birth date or you just want to honor the day he came home with you from the shelter, we’ve got some great ideas to help you get the fun started!
1. Pick the Perfect Location
Location choice will depend on a number of different factors, such as the time of year, the number of guests, and the size of the dogs attending. A party of 10 Saint Bernards is probably going to need a larger location than a Dachshund party.
If you’ve got a large yard, you should have no problem holding it at your home. But apartment dwellers might need to find a dog-friendly park nearby. No matter what you choose, your pup and his furry friends are sure to have a blast!
2. Provide Drinks & Snacks
You’ll obviously have plenty of fresh water available at all times since dogs can get very hot and thirsty running around all day! But when it comes to snacks, make sure to check with the other owners about any ingredients you might want to avoid. Some pups have very sensitive tummies and can be allergic to certain ingredients. You don’t want to give out anything that would harm your guests!
RELATED: 10 Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog
3. Cake!
This is one of the best parts of the party! Following the same guidelines for choosing snacks, try to find or make a cake with ingredients that your guests should be safe eating. There are more and more dog bakeries popping up every week, and tons of dog-friendly cakes and treats can be made from simple ingredients in your home.
In fact, you might have as much fun baking the cake with your pup as you do feeding it to him!
4. Set Up a Photo Booth
Just like human parties, dog parties can be full of fun entertainment! A photo booth is a great way to capture wonderful memories while also giving dog owners a souvenir to take home and cherish forever.
Let’s face it; we’re all constantly taking photos of our dogs anyway. So why not have some fun dressing up your pooch with props and snapping some photos?
5. Try Out Agility
If you’re looking for more fun things to do at your pup’s party, consider giving agility a try. Agility equipment can be rented or purchased at discount prices if you aren’t looking for competition training, and your dog is certain to enjoy learning new tricks.
Teaching your pooch and her friends to go over jumps and run through tunnels for treats and toys will be a hit at the party!
RELATED: 5 Signs Your Dog Is Ready To Try Agility
6. Play Find-It Games
Find-It games are a fun way to teach your pup to use his nose. Hide your furry best friend’s favorite treats around your yard or use a stimulating snuffle mat. They’re perfect to use in a small space or in the case of inclement weather. Not only are they fun, but they help dogs develop their most vital sensory skill, and provide the same cognitive stimulation as a walk around the block!
Dogs don’t need training for this, and it’s a fun way to teach them how to use their noses and get their brains working for food.
7. Hold a Talent Show
Does your dog or any of her friends know any special tricks? Holding a doggie talent show will give you and your guests an opportunity to enjoy their special skills. If someone is especially good at obedience training, they can even put on a little demo to show the rest of the party the cool things their dog can do.
You can even offer a fun prize for the pooch who’s voted the winner!
8. Make It a Pool Party
If your dog’s birthday or gotcha day is in the summer, you can host a puppy pool party. Set up some kiddie pools, hop in the in-ground pool, or host your gathering on the shore of a dog-friendly beach or lake. For some breeds, being excited to swim is literally in their DNA. So if you’re looking for something spectacularly fun, taking the pack to a dog-friendly pool could be the key.
What’s a better way to cool off after an afternoon of chasing and sniffing each other? Just be mindful to warn your guests that there will be water, so they can be properly prepared with towels and such.
RELATED: 100 Denver Dogs Close Out Pool Season With A Splash
9. Have a Treat Eating Contest
It’s no secret that dogs love food, so why not make a game out of it? Doggie bakeries make mini pies, muffins, and cakes and are a great treat to use in an eating contest. If you’re not close to a dog bakery, you can also make these treats at home!
Make sure each owner has a hold of their dog so that none of the pups get angry with each other over the food, and see who eats the treats the fastest!
10. Make Sure to Supervise
While you likely know your friends and their dogs well, disagreements between pooches can and do happen. Make sure that no dogs are left unsupervised together at any time, and keep an eye on their behavior around treats and toys. While they may be best friends outside the yard, a dog could become possessive over their favorite item and act aggressively toward their friend.
Always be prepared for anything to happen, and you’ll likely have a fun, safe dog birthday party!
11. Presents
What’s a birthday party without presents? Your dog’s birthday is the perfect excuse to spoil them with something they’ll absolutely love. After all, they’re so amazing and definitely deserve it.
Why not handpick something special like a birthday-themed toy? Or perhaps something to share, like a comfy, cozy blanket for you to snuggle up under together?
12. Party Favors
You can keep the party going by sending your guests home with a small, doggy-themed goody bag filled with party favors like homemade treats and toys. Your friends will think of you and smile every time they throw the ball or tug on the rope with their pup.
But whichever activities you choose, what matters most is that you’re spending time together, celebrating your incredible furry friend, and showing them tons of love.
Toledo, United States.
