When your dog holds an important place in your heart, you want to celebrate special occasions in a festive way, birthdays included. While the nature of your pup’s birthday party should be based on his temperament, you can plan to host anything from a quiet family party to a high-energy event with other well-behaved, well-socialized dog friends.
Dog Park Party
If you have a favorite dog park you frequent, prepare special treats for your dog’s birthday and bring enough to share with everyone. You may opt to bake your own “puppy cakes,” or a canine-friendly version of cupcakes, or buy treats from a dog bakery or pet supply store.
Neighborhood Get-Together
If your dog is on good terms with other pups in your neighborhood, invite them and their owners for an afternoon of backyard fun.
- Set up an obstacle course and offer prizes for the human-dog team that completes it in the best time.
- Design a photo area where people and their pups can play “dress up” in fun hats, scarves and glasses and get their picture snapped.
- Pass out doggy goody bags with special treats, chew toys, mini bottles of pet shampoo or a special brush or comb.
People Party
Invite your friends to a human party in honor of your dog’s birthday using fire hydrant-shaped invitations. Decorate in a puppy theme with washable paint paw prints leading to your door. If you’ll have young guests attending, construct a faux dog house across a doorway as their own special entrance. Dog bone-shaped crackers or sandwiches and snacks will taste puppylicious served in clean, new dog dishes. Hot dogs and “puppy chow” cereal mix are a must-have.
Quiet Celebration
If your dog is the shy type and not interested in big crowds, spend his birthday doing a favorite activity. This might include a run on the beach, a hike in a park or an outdoor picnic with his family where he gets to play catch and enjoy favorite treats. Don’t forget the presents. A new “lovey” or blanket, a bigger dog bed or a brand new collar and leash will fill the bill.
Author
Lisa McQuerrey has been a business writer since 1987. In 1994, she launched a full-service marketing and communications firm. McQuerrey's work has garnered awards from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the International Association of Business Communicators and the Associated Press. She is also the author of several nonfiction trade publications, and, in 2012, had her first young-adult novel published by Glass Page Books.
