Your dog shows unconditional love and loyalty to your family.

It is therefore normal to return the favor on a daily basis, but also on special occasions like his birthday.

If you don’t know what to do to make this day memorable , don’t worry.

We guide you step by step to organize the best dog birthday party .

 

15 steps to a successful birthday for your dog

From choosing guests, to recipes for “homemade” cakes or even choosing a gift for your dog , discover our advice for making your dog’s birthday a success .

1- Choose the right day

We don’t always know the exact date of birth of our dog.

If you are one of those who do not know your pet’s actual birthday, do not panic .

There is little chance that your partner will hold it against you.

Choose the day you brought him home , or the day you first met him .

2- Choose the right place

The ideal place to celebrate your dog’s birthday depends mainly on the time of year.

In warm weather, a fenced garden is ideal.

If you don’t have a fenced yard, consider the park you usually go to.

In any case, make sure you have a place to take shelter in case of rain and especially to have shaded areas in case of sun .

For indoor parties, it’s obvious that you’ll want to host a dog-friendly venue, such as a dog training school that you can rent.

But no matter where, make sure the dogs can’t escape .

3- Select the guests

Even if you want to invite all your friends, consider your dog’s personality first .

Is he an outgoing , friendly pup who gets along with humans, other dogs, and children? Or does he prefer the company of one or two close canine friends ? Or maybe your dog is more comfortable with humans than he is with other dogs.

It’s your companion’s birthday, invite the humans and dogs he really likes.

And in any case, avoid inviting dogs that your pet has never met; a party is not the best place to get to know each other .

Also, if you’ve never invited a group of dogs into your home before, it’s recommended to start small .

Curb your desire for grandeur which could spoil the party rather than improve it.

4- Find a theme

Be creative in choosing a theme that will appeal to your dog.

The theme could for example be around water if it is hot.

In this case, fill a small pool for the dogs to swim in and set up some sprinklers for them to play with.

The theme can also be around balls .

Instead of filling the pool with water, fill it with colorful balls .

Place tennis balls here and there .

Fill buckets of water with floating balls for dogs to play with.

You can also hide treats in balloons for dogs to try to find.

Of course, all this requires constant human supervision , because, as with children, what begins as a game can end in a quarrel.

5- Choose the perfect gift

Our dogs are spoiled every day, but their birthday is all the more reason to please them!

Whether your pooch prefers tennis balls or stuffed animals , there’s no better reason than his birthday to hit the toy aisle at your pet store.

Take your dog with you to choose his gift .

6- Give your dog a makeover

You can also treat your dog to a spa day .

Just like humans, dogs love to be pampered and spoiled .

For example, you can take your dog to the groomer and order luxury treatments .

A bath, a haircut, whatever you want! Your dog will be all beautiful and in great shape on this special day.

You can also give him a spa experience at home . This can include a relaxing bath (if your dog likes that!), extra brushing, and lots and lots of petting and cuddling.

Is your dog prone to stress ? Offer him calming treats to relax him. In addition to feasting his lips, BotaLicious will soothe and relax your dog naturally.

7- Prepare the decorations

You’ve probably planned a million birthday parties by now.

So you know that a successful birthday party is a party with decorations.

Balloons and streamers are standard birthday party decorations, of course, but there are tons of other ways to decorate for a dog-themed party, too .

For example, you can make a cute bone-shaped banner , throw confetti on all the tables, and why not make a chalk board with the drinks and snacks menu.

In short, use your imagination to make this party exceptional.

8- Make the best dog birthday cake

Believe it or not, many dog ​​birthday cakes are also suitable for humans .

All you need to make a dog cake that’s suitable for everyone are everyday ingredients like whole wheat flour, eggs, and applesauce.

You can also mix in grated vegetables like carrots and top with cream cheese, peanut butter or blended bananas.

Here’s an easy recipe for dog birthday cupcakes to make at home:

You can also make cookies using dog or bone shaped cookie cutters.

Discover our article on dog biscuit recipes >

Don’t feel like getting out the baking equipment? Grab your dog’s favorite treats and cover them in peanut butter .

9- Make ice cream for dogs

While real ice cream isn’t good for your dog’s gastrointestinal system, it’s easy to make homemade dog ice cream with ingredients you probably already have around the house.

To do this, mix bananas with plain yogurt and creamy peanut butter , then freeze overnight to get the right consistency.

You can also make dog ice cream with just one basic ingredient: Chicken or beef broth . Simply pour it into a mold and freeze.

10- Stock up on treats

Besides birthday cake and ice cream, what would a dog birthday party be without tons of treats ?

Let your imagination run wild to delight your canines.

Prepare a buffet with:

• Sweet potato chips
• Frozen banana slices
• Baby carrots
• Apple slices

Think about all the things your dog likes. Today is the day to please him… In moderation of course! Beware of pancreatitis !

Also pay attention to what dogs can and cannot eat as well as intolerances ( allergies , etc.) and specificities of the guests.

Also, don’t forget to place several bowls of fresh water around the party venue.

11- Don’t forget humans

In addition to treats for dogs, plan to treat your human friends.

Cocktails, fruit juices, chicken wings, verrines, sweet treats to share… It’s time to treat yourself.

12- Prepare costumes

There is literally nothing cuter in the world than a party hat on a dog.

It is very easy to make one yourself by folding thick paper into a cone shape.

Next, decorate the hats with a permanent marker, pom poms, or any other accessories that will give your dog an extra festive feeling.

What to do if your dog can’t stand his party hat for more than 20 seconds? Make a bandana with cute fabric or a tutu with an elastic band .

13- Organize a photo space

Make your own photo booth backdrop and set up some props (that your guests can tolerate for a few seconds)!

This may be :

• A mustache
• A funny hat
• Sun glasses
• A wizard’s wand

Then ask your guests to post their photos on Instagram or Facebook with a personalized hashtag (#choupettebirthday), so you can see all the photos at once.

14- Play games

Make sure you have plenty of toys (and treats) for hide-and-seek and fetch games , which help dogs practice obeying commands like “sit,” “stay,” “come,” and “fetch.”

15- Offer a bag of gifts to your guests

What would a birthday party be without a well-stocked goodie bag ?

Give each guest a small package with a few toys, such as a tennis ball or chew toy, a handful of bones or jerky sticks, a party hat or bandana, and, of course, some treats for the humans.