Are You Thinking of Throwing a
Dog Birthday Party?

Do you think you are the only one who has thought about throwing a dog birthday party? Well, think again…

According to the National Pet Owners Survey, pet parties are on the rise, with a reported 9% of dog owners throwing birthday parties for their dog. Although 9% may not sound like much, there are approximately 77.5 million owned dogs in the United States, according to the Humane Society of the United States – now that is a lot of birthday dogs!

It is no wonder why we want to throw our dogs a birthday party - they are part of the family and after all, that one special day comes around for them too! Yes, dogs have birthdays, too!

This comprehensive dog birthday party website will help you with dog birthday party ideas, such as dog birthday cake, dog theme party ideas, dog birthday gifts, fun dog games, but most importantly…where to start.

Planning a Dog Birthday Party

Planning a dog birthday party is much like planning for any other party. You can make it as casual or fancy as you want. Is there something your dog really loves to do? Unleash your dog’s dreams and desires!

• Set the date. You can plan it for the weekend, so more guests are available or plan it on your dog’s actual birthday. If you do not know your dog’s actual birthday, choose whatever date you want or whatever date you adopted him or her into your family.


• Choose the location. There are so many options to choose from, inside or outside, but keep in mind wherever you choose; it will need to accommodate the size of your party. Have an alternate place as “plan B” in case you need to take the party indoors due to weather. Make sure your location has easy access to an area where your furry guests can relieve themselves.


• Decide who to invite. Keep the location of the party in mind when creating a guest list. How many fuzzy butts and humans can your location accommodate? Invite family, friends, neighbors – all of which do not necessarily have to have a dog and of course, your dog’s buddies. If there are going to be children around, you will want to be sure that they are supervised at all times.

"Dogs love company. They place it first in their short list of needs."

• Send out invitations. The dog birthday invitations can be as simple or elaborate as you want. You can make a birthday card by hand or find a Microsoft word template. If you have e-mail addresses for all your guests, you can e-mail an e-vite. Of course, there is the option of buying dog theme invitations.


• Decorations. Is the birthday pup and the pawty crowd going to wear a dog birthday hat? Other décor to consider – balloons, table ware, banners, dog party favors – just to name a few.


• Plan the Party Menu. If it were up to your dog, this would have been the first thing to plan! Be sure to have several water bowls always filled with water. You will need to have snacks for humans and the fur balls. Find out if there are any human and dog allergies. Maybe have a variety of three different dog treats, such as frozen dog treats, chicken dog treats and dog bone treats. You can buy all of these at a pet store or search for dog treat recipes.


• Fun Dog Games. Besides the food, fun dog games are what make a dog birthday party a hit! Many of the human games can be turned into fun dog games, such as Simon Says, costume contests, relays races and musical chairs. Let the creative juices flow and create 3-4 games.

Most important of all – have a doggone fun time! Take pictures because this will be a party you will not want to forget! Buy a few disposable cameras and lay them around so other human guests can snap some pictures, too.

Dog Party Etiquette

With the trend of dog birthday parties on the rise, there is a good possibility that you may find yourself hosting or attending a dog birthday party – maybe both! Whether hosting or attending, all human guests need to know what to expect.

Below are some dog party etiquette tips to be mindful of before heading out to a dog birthday party.

Hosts

• Let your guests know they may get a little dirty, so dress accordingly. At dog parties there will be drooling, digging and jumping.


• Ask guests if their dog has any food allergies. If so, you can either create a hypoallergenic menu for all guests or have additional dog treats for those who have food allergies.


• If gifts are optional, indicate this in your dog birthday invitations; otherwise guests will bring a gift. If your dog has a gift registry, put this information in your dog birthday invitations. You will also want to include a map of location and contact phone number incase anyone gets lost or has additional questions.


• Provide extra waste bags and water bowls. Guests may bring these for their own dog, but it is better to be over prepared than not.


• Zip tie, lock or post a sign on all your gates just as a reminder to shut the gate behind them so dogs do not escape. Where there is a will, a dog will find a way (to escape that is)!


• Create a time out area to separate dogs incase of a disagreement.


• Send a “Thank You” card to your guests. Thank them for coming and whatever gift they brought.

Dog Humans

• Only take your dog to a dog birthday party if your dog is socialized, dog and human friendly. If your dog is aggressive (especially toy and food) and starts fights, the party maybe cut short.





• Dogs have their own way of introducing themselves to other dogs. Let them sniff and smell and get to know each other on their own terms. If a fight breaks out, do not reach for their collar or anywhere near their head. Pull them apart by their tails.


• Watch after your dog. Do not assume the host or another guest will be dog sitting.


• Bring waste bags to scoop up after your dog. No one likes to step in that stuff! The party host may provide these, but just to be prepared, take some yourself.


• Bring a gift for the birthday pup unless the party host indicates otherwise.