How to Host a Birthday Party for Your Dog
Looking for a reason to get together with some friends and enjoy a celebration that is out-of-the-ordinary? Why not host a birthday party for your dog? Doing so is a great way to connect with fellow dog lovers, and allow your dog to revel in all of the fun and excitement! Here is how to make sure your celebration is a fun and safe event for everyone.
Proper Planning Is Essential
Before you even put one doggie on the guest list, think about your dog’s personality. Is he or she going to enjoy having a lot of dogs and people around in the first place? If your honest answer is not really, you better just forget the idea. Remember that keeping your dog comfortable and happy is more important than having any party.
Think about how many guests you would like to attend, and how much space you have available in your home. Perhaps it would be better to meet over at the dog park for some fun and exercise? If you want to plan a big celebration, you might want to consider renting out a space at a doggie daycare.
Checklist for a Successful Party
- Talk to the owners of the dogs beforehand to find out if the dogs are going to be compatible with each other. If someone has a dog that is nervous or aggressive-natured, it would be better to not invite them to the birthday party and wait for another time to meet up.
- Decide if you want the party to be indoors or out, and what you are going to do if it rains. Will you reschedule or move the party inside? Figure out how much space you will need to play games and activities.
- Be certain that the dogs always have easy access to the outdoors so they can go potty. Place water bowls in various locations and encourage guests to bring their own as well.
- Keep everyone busy and entertained by planning some games for your doggie party.
- If you decide to serve cake, be sure that it is dog-friendly. There are also plenty of doggie treat recipes available online, so you can always make your own if you wish. For snacks, you can always cut up fresh fruit and veggies, making sure to avoid grapes and raisins. Stick with carrots, broccoli, and apples for example. Dogs will also appreciate little bits of beef, cooked chicken, or cheese.
- If you would like each dog to have its own gift, a safe dog toy or a bag with healthy treats inside are both good ideas. Be sure to avoid wrapping gifts with strings, ribbons, or bows as these can harm dogs.
- When the party is going on, pay attention to your dog’s body language, and that of the other dogs. Make sure that they don’t become jealous of one another and try to take each other’s stuff.
Doggie Entertainment
Nobody wants their doggies or guests to become bored at your birthday party! Having various tasks and challenges available will help keep things rolling.
- Why not set up a simple agility course in your backyard and have the dogs run through it? Whether they do it or not, it will be fun for them to try!
- Play doggie musical chairs, except the dogs have to sit when the music stops.
- You could always do paw prints in clay to have a souvenir to take home.
- Play a game where the doggie parents are blindfolded and they have to identify their dogs only by touch.
Since our doggie friends won’t be with us forever, why not take time out every year to celebrate the time we have spent with them? Happy Birthday!