How do you celebrate your dog’s birthday? Do you make a big deal out of it, or celebrate in a low-keyed way? There are so many different ways to make their birthday special, even if they don’t really “understand” what is going on, they certainly enjoy it! Regardless of how you choose to spend it, your dog’s birthday celebration is all about celebrating and strengthening the bonds you share.
Our newest addition, Salem, is turning 1 on June 15th! It’s been so wonderful watching him grow and develop into this fearless, people loving, all around fun boy! I have been trying to figure out what we want to do and what HE would LOVE to do to celebrate his upcoming big day. I thought sharing my ideas would help some of you plan for your doggo’s big day! Here are my top 7 smashing dog’s birthday celebration ideas!
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1 Special Photo Shoot
Dress your birthday boy or girl up in their best birthday gear! There are birthday hats, bows, dresses, bowties; countless ways to make your dude look dapper and your princess perfect! A great idea too is to recreate the same picture year after year and chronical how your pup has changed.
2 Party!
Who doesn’t like to party? Even your dog loves to party! It doesn’t have to be a huge party but inviting some of his key friends (dog or human) to come share his special day is fun. There is no end to the creativity of this type of event. You could have a dog treat filled piñata, puppy pool games, Dog friendly birthday cake and ice cream. Oh… the possibilities are endless!
3 Shopping Spree!
This is by far my favorite way to celebrate my dog’s birthday. Their eyes almost pop out when they enter the toy aisle, like for real. You can almost see the gears freeze on, “OMG!” Getting to pick out their own toys is the cutest! They go from bin to bin burying their nose and will definitely pick favorites. If toys are up high bring them down to their level don’t ever let them jump. Make sure that the store of your choice is dog friendly.
4 Go for a Hike
Pack up Fido and the rest of the family and escape into nature for the day. Your dog loves nothing better than new smells and he will be in heaven on a long nature hike. Bring plenty of fresh water and both human and doggie snacks to indulge. Sunscreen is a must even if you’re going on shady forest trails. Remember, also, that your doggo can get sunburnt too so make sure he’s protected as well.
5 A Dog Birthday Camping Extravaganza
An even better idea, stay for a weekend in the wilderness! It’s like hiking only times 1000! Plus, you get to relax by a campfire eating… birthday cake of course! It is a great way for you and your tired pup to recharge and bond.
6 Take a Dip
If your dog is anything like ours swimming is on the TOP of his to-do list. A nice day at the beach or pool side is a perfect way to celebrate your dog’s birthday! Letting the birthday boy get his swim on for a bit isn’t just great for his birthday its great for their joints.
7 Have a Beer With Your Best Dude
Ok, not a real beer, beer’s not good for your pooch, BUT they do make dog beer. Some really cool companies out there make “beer” just for dogs. If beer is your thing then sharing a brewsky with your best bud may be all the two of you need to celebrates his one year older.
There are so many different ways to celebrate your dog’s birthday, and even more fun combinations! You could have a massive blow out and do all 7, or take your dog on a cross country trip. Your dog will love it regardless of how you celebrate! As long as he is getting love and attention, he will be more than happy spending time with you doing anything. A birthday celebration doesn’t have to be about over-the-top, can’t-be-out-done birthday madness, but just celebrating the family bonds.