This summer we have been busy celebrating birthdays for pups around Dallas. Planning a birthday party to remember takes a bit of planning and can be a lot of fun. We have put together a list of things that you should consider for your dog's ultimate birthday party. Rescued your pup? Good for you! The list below works for "gotcha days" as well.
1. Venue
Not completely understanding the venue of the party can make or break the celebration. Make sure there are enough water bowls to keep the pooches hydrated. If you are hosting in your private backyard, give a courtesy heads up to the neighbors if you think they will be subjected to noise from barking. If you plan to host it in an apartment, make sure the apartment management is aware of it. If it is in a dog park, make sure you can contain the party space to avoid any accidental intakes from dogs whose parents haven't consented to treats/toys, etc.
2. Theme
Run wild with your imagination! Gone are the days where paw-rents will indulge only in a bone-shaped theme. Some of the recent ones that we have done are Toy Story, luau, Minnie mouse, dog-nut (doughnut), superhero, fiesta, ice cream social. We work with our customers to make their reality come true. You should be able to shop most of the decor from your favorite party supply stores.
3. Pupcake
A drool-worthy dog cake will be the heart of the birthday party! If you are Instagram-savvy, we highly recommend checking out our custom dog cakes. We use only human-grade ingredients. If you are not in our delivery radius, or if you are a DIY person you can buy dog safe cake mix to bake a cake yourself. There are plenty of dog-safe cake mixes that are available on Amazon or Chewy.
4. Pup-sicle
Ok, we might be going overboard with the fancy names but bear with us. Being summers, this can be a great addition to your dog treat offering. The pups will love you for it. Our favorite recipe; mix one cup of 0% fat Greek yogurt with crushed blueberries. Pour it in an ice cream cup, and freeze overnight. In general, you can use other dog-friendly ingredients (such as bananas or peanut butter) and freeze them for a great, natural and cheap treat. Make sure you have an ice cooler available on the day of the party to keep the treats frozen.
5. Gift for the birthday pup
A quick visit to a local pet store, and you will have a plethora of options. A simple ball for the fetchers or a rope for the tuggers or a squeaky stuffed toy for the chewer. We have also seen a rise in the concept of party favors for the dog invitees. This could be anything from a small treat bag to an assortment box with toys and other goodies. A good party favor that goes with the theme will definitely score some serious brownie points.
6. Invite the pack
Dogs are pack animals. Share your pup's day with his/her closest friends. A word of caution, though, make sure that the invitees (dogs) have been socialized beforehand. A lot of dogs are protective around toys and food. Also, look out for leash behavior, as some dogs are known to be protective when on a leash. Another point to keep in mind is to make sure that you are aware of any allergies that the visiting dogs might have. Do not forget to send out the invitation cards well in advance.
7. Party hats
We get it! Your dog will not wear the hat for the entire party. But if you are going the lengths of throwing him or her a birthday bash, then you deserve to get one cute pic for the books. Most of the party hats are pretty easy to put together. Check out this DIY link.
8. Call Simba's BARKery and book their #DOGBAR service
If you want to go the extra mile, we have the right stuff for you. Our #DOGBAR service starts with a consultation call, where we will discuss all the points aforementioned. We will even ship out invitation cards before the party on your behalf. On the day of the party, our talented "bark-tenders" or bartenders will arrive onsite, set up a bar and whip up crazy treats right in front of the pups and the paw-rents. Some of the treats that we have previously prepared are dog beer floats, PB&J, ice cream sundaes, paw-tinis, dog-nut sundaes. All the treats and decor are customized to the theme you select. We work with several public venues in the DFW metroplex and will be happy to recommend places where you can host your dog's birthday. Click #DOGBAR for more information
We hope some of the ideas in the post were helpful. How are you planning to celebrate your pups' birthday this year? Technically they have 7 of those in a year :)
Live. Love. Woof!