10 Tips For Throwing A Top Doggy Birthday Party

Want to throw your dog a great party for their birthday or gotcha day? Take a look at these tips before you get started!

1. Guest List

Really think about who you want to (and should) invite. Ideal guests can include:

• Friends who have dogs that get along with your dog and other dogs
• Family members and friends who love your dog
• Children who like (and are kind) to dogs

Sometimes keeping it small is better, especially if it’s your first time. Too much excitement can be stressful for dogs and people.

2. Location

The next step is to choose a location that can comfortably and safely accommodate all the guests. Possible options include:

• Your home, where your dog feels safe, comfortable and confident
• A dog-friendly restaurant which may or may not have a menu for pooches
• A dog park, where playtime is bound to be epic and more friends can join in

3. Theme

To make things even more fun, choose a theme and decorate accordingly.

4. Food

For health and safety reasons, you don’t want your dog or anyone else’s dog to overeat or to eat stuff that’s bad for them. 

• Don’t overfeed the dogs
• Offer healthy, dog-friendly treats and snacks

Also: Don’t forget to feed the humans!

5. The Cake

There are a couple of ways to go about the whole cake thing…

• Make your own doggy-friendly cake
• Buy a doggy-friendly cake or cupcakes
• Buy a yummy cake mix, specifically created for dogs, to bake at home
• Don’t get a cake at all; a few snacks here and there is more than enough

6. Party Packs

Party packs aren’t really necessary but they sure are amazing and take the party to a whole new level! Ideas of what to put in a party pack for doggies:

• Healthy treat
• Safe chew toy
• Toy to play with
• Puzzle or brainteaser toy

For a more cost-effective party, skip the party packs and tell guests to take some treats home. 

7. Photo Booth or Corner

Why not set up a booth with props for cool photographs?

8. Toys and Playtime

Once your guest list is sorted, think about toys and activities.

• Do you need to put out toys?
• Would games be a fun pastime?
• Are there obstacles available or some you can hire?
• Is there enough space for running, chasing, throwing and rolling?

9. Gifts

If there are certain toys or treats you don’t want your dog to play with or eat, consider kindly telling your guests. Alternatively, you can regift or donate the items later.

You can also ask those who would like to bring a gift to make a donation to a charity you support instead.

10. Do Things YOUR Way

While there are lots of fun things you can do, you don’t have to do them all. At the end of the day, you just want your dog to be happy and safe.

A Few Things to Remember on the Big Day

• Someone should always be supervising
• If your party is in a park, stick to the rules
• Feed dogs separately when/where necessary
• Don’t feed other people’s dogs without permission
• Offer shaded areas if there aren’t any natural ones
• Keep unsafe and toxic foods or substances out of reach
• Make sure there’s enough fresh water for all the dogs, at all times