Planning Your Pet’s Birthday Pawty?

What better way to help our cats and dogs live their best pet lives than to throw them a party. Birthdays make a great time to celebrate another year of fun!

But where do you start? What would you eat? And what do you do at a pet party? We’ve got you covered. Here are our tips and tricks to make your pet's next birthday party unforgettable.

To party or not!

Does your pet like to hang around with people or do they prefer a little one-on-one time?

Dogs tend to be more social and love it when they get together with their mates. Some cats love parties too, but only on their terms! Cats are the epitome of cool: they might show up late, they might leave early. They might eat some of the food, or they might sleep through the whole thing.

You might find a cat party works best if you leave cat guests off the list and invite your pals instead. And it'll all be worth it when the guests are gone, and puss curls up on your lap to have a birthday snooze.

Start with a theme.

We love a great party theme - why not do the same for a pet party? Choose a theme to get the pups' tails wagging and their owners smiling.

Balloons may look fun and cute on a birthday party however they can be scary if popped and problematic if swallowing especially if tied with ribbon or string.

Dress up never disappoints – especially when owners and animals coordinate. Pirates and mates, cops and robbers, superheroes and sci-fi: all great for a laugh and social media posts that the whole family will love.

If you’re not into costumes, there are plenty of other options. Does your dog love getting out and about? Why not have a beach party, a trip to the dog park or a group walk to the river?

Food – pet safe food is best.

Who doesn’t love party food? Our pets are no different. But remember that cat and dog treats should be delicious but also safe for them to eat. For example, we might love a giant chocolate cake, but there are better treats for our pets.

Think of food they’ll love—like a batch of these homemade dog bikkies, some summer frozen treats or even something simple like boiled chicken—a purrfect treat!

Remember to always keep human food out of harms way since there's likely to be plenty of that around too and make sure guests are not leaving glasses where they can be easily knocked by happy tails.

Guests – how many to invite.

A party wouldn’t be a party without guests! Think about how social your fur buddy is. Are they the life of the party when your friends come round? Or do they hide in the corner and sigh with relief when they're gone.

If they work the room like a pro, a friend-filled party will make their day. Just think about who and how many people and pets you have over so no one gets overwhelmed.

Gifts – fun but keep them safe.

Celebrate with a special gift. They'll love a fresh chew toy, a ball or a pounce mouse, and even a cosy new bed. Make sure you choose pet toys though, because cheap human toys won't stand up to your pet's teeth and broken bits could be harmful if swallowed.

Activities – what to do at a pet party.

Take sporty dogs to your local dog agility course - or put one together in your backyard. At hot summer pup parties turn on the hose and have fun running through the water. Perhaps your cat’s more of a catflix’n’chill pal? What about a movie night with nibbles & drinks for you and special treats for puss?

Finally, a scavenger hunt is always a big hit—hide some of those pet-friendly presents and treats around the house and let them and their human buddies go on an adventure to find their bounty.

Photos – make it memorable.

Getting great photos of the party will help the memories last even longer. Why not get a photobooth (costumes optional)? They're a great way to get photos of the birthday girl and their guests. You could hire a photographer to capture the day but if that feels a bit too pet-paparazzi, assigning a party guest to be the official Instagrammer will work too.

That frees you up from taking photos, so you can concentrate on making sure everyone’s having fun.

Party on!

Pet parties take a bit of organising, but they're also heaps of fun. They could be the purrfect way to demonstrate how much you care and show everyone that pets are part of the family.

Use our tips to create a fun-filled, stress-free pet pawty that everyone’ll love!

References

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/631