I’ve thrown a birthday party for my Chihuahua, Wynston, every year since 2013. Now I’ve created a guide to throwing a birthday party for your dog! Follow these steps and you’re bound to have a super fun party for your pup and their friends.
Throw a Birthday Party for Your Dog!
Choose a theme: I always enjoy choosing a theme for Wynston’s parties because it adds an extra element of fun. Themes I’ve chosen so far are Disney, pirates, video games and Luau. The best place to find themed decorations is definitely Amazon. The prices are so much cheaper than stores and you can find a lot of neat items.
Invite friends: I invite human friends and doggy friends to Wynston’s parties! I even have friends that don’t have dogs (or dogs that don’t socialize well) who still come to celebrate Wynston’s birthday. The more the merrier. I’ve had as many as 18 dogs at my house for a party. I would just suggest that you let your friends know to only bring their dogs if they play well with others. You want to try to avoid any scuffles or aggression.
Throw a contest: Costume contests are a super fun idea for a dog birthday party. Put together a fun gift basket as the prize! Allow some unbiased guests be the judges, or have everyone vote. A prize package could include things like toys, treats, chews, dog clothes, a bed or gift card. The possibilities are endless! Make sure you let your guests know in advance that there will be a contest so they can prepare.
Offer simple games: One year I had a “guess how many treats are in the jar” game. Fun, simple and a conversation starter. I had a few jars of different dog treats and everyone could guess the amount. Whoever had the closest guess for each jar would win it! (Have each person write their guess and their name on a piece of paper).
Don’t forget the food: A party isn’t a party without lots of food and drinks! I like to have plenty of options for the humans, as well as snacks to share with the dogs like fruits and veggies.
Bake treats for the dogs: I love making homemade dog treats. I have several different recipes for you to check out. Most of them are super easy and limited-ingredient. Baking treats for the dogs to enjoy at the birthday party is a must, especially if you don’t have human food that pet parents can share with the pups.
Give the dogs something to do: Wynston’s 5th birthday was the first year we had a swimming pool at our house. All dogs and humans were allowed to swim if they wanted. I also had a big agility tunnel for the dogs to have fun with. Most of them were content running around our big backyard and exploring, but it’s nice to have options.
Give plenty of advance notice: I like to create a Facebook event for the party at least two months prior to the date. This gives people plenty of time to respond and plan. It’s nice to have a Facebook event made so you can easily communicate with attendees.
Be prepared for cleanup: With lots of dogs running around there is bound to be some sort of mess or accident. Make sure you are prepared with poop bags and cleaning supplies in case of an accident.
Have a safe zone ready: Some dogs may get nervous or anxious around a big group of dogs and/or humans. If a dog starts getting irritated, tired or just needs some space, it’d be nice to have a quiet room where someone can bring their dog to relax.
Make themed goodie bags: Every year I send my guests away with a goodie bag in hand. It’s always dog related and typically full of treats, toys or chews, or a combination of them all. I’m bad at remembering to give them to my guests as they leave, so put them somewhere that you will remember to hand them out.
Just like a party for a human, there are lots of different ways to throw a party for your dog! If your house or yard isn’t big enough to host such an event, consider renting a place out or having it at a local (dog) park.
Have you ever hosted a birthday party for your dog? (or other pet)?
Leigh says
These are really helpful tips! I’d like to be able to be in a themed dog birthday party myself. That would be very fun!