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Dog Birthday Club

JOIN OUR BIRTHDAY CLUB!  It's Free, easy and your 4 legged princess or buddy will get a $5 off coupon a week before their birthday and they will be included in a monthly random drawing for another $35 Gift Box!

Scroll to the bottom of the page for the entry form.

Dogs' just wanna have fun!

 

Tips on Hosting a Dog Birthday Party

Where do you want to have the party? (indoors, outdoors, in someone’s back yard, your own basement, rental of a facility, what happens if it rains, etc).  Wherever you have the party, keep in mind that the area should be gated (preferably doubled gated) and the perimeter should be assessed so that dogs cannot escape.  Even the best behaved pups are known to chase rabbits, cats, etc. Dogs can and do get sunburn. Prevent this issue by having a canopy or covered area outside. I’ve been to parties where there are doggie pools, sprinklers, and cooling bandanas available to prevent overheating. If the party is during the fall or winter months, chances are it will be hosted indoors.

Guests

How many guests will be invited of both the human and canine variety.  Are the invited dogs, including your own, well behaved and accepting of other pets, people, and situations?  If you are worried about dog scuffles, ask people to keep their pets leashed and nearby, we suggest you don't allow long leads or retractable leads, as this can give dogs too much slack and the heavy handles have been know to drop allowing the pet to dash off.  Dogs who have never met before should not randomly meet in small quarters at a birthday party. Some dogs are possessive of their property, while others could care less. Use caution when introducing dogs and know the tell tale signs that a dog is stressed.  I’ve had issues at events when smaller children show up who may scream at, lunge towards, or frighten a dog. Be honest and direct in your invitation about kids and age limits.

Set up an online WISH LIST.

Click the WISH LIST button on the product page, the item will start a Wish List, you will need to set up a wish list name. Keep shopping and when you have all the items you and your pup have selected you can share your WISH LIST with friends and family.  Simply click on ACCOUNT (upper right corner) it will open up your account info including the Wish List.  Click on Wish List, then SHARE.  A URL will open, copy it (highlight it then hold down CTRL and C).  Paste it on your Facebook page, send emails, etc. with the link.  To Paste, hold down the CTRL Button and V button. 

Party Theme

A theme is probably one of the most fun part of planning a birthday party. You can visit your local party supply store and get ideas by walking the children’s birthday party aisle. If you do prefer a theme, here are a few ideas:

• Snoopy or other dog cartoon characters
• Bones and paw prints
• Puppy love: Hearts and paws
• Hawaiian luau
• Royalty: Think kings, queens, princes, and princesses
• Disney character theme
• Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
• Monster Trucks and Cars

Party Food

Plan on having something for the human guests as well as the canine guests. A cake for the humans and one for the canines is an excellent idea.  If you are going to include snacks for the humans, we suggest you keep them inside, if it's an outdoor party.  Also, keep them high so dogs will not be surfing the table.  Many ingredients can be dangerous for pets. Keep dogs at a safe distance from the food. All grills, barbecue equipment, alcohol, caffeinated products, etc should be safely away from dogs.  No one wants to spend hours at canine emergency.

IMPORTANT

• Always ask other pet parents if their dog can have a treat before feeding it. Some dogs have allergies or sensitivities to certain ingredients.
• Plan for down time at the party where folks can mingle, eat, and the dogs are not constantly in motion having to do something.

CANINE GAMES

Dog Limbo
Using a standard agility hurdle, dogs get their Caribbean groove on with this variation of “How low can you go?” fun. Let the music play while dogs walk under the limbo stick, lowering the bar a notch each round. The last dog to successfully go under the limbo stick without knocking it off wins.

Magical Mutt
Have each dog line up for some slight of hand and treat. Place a treat into one closed fist, keeping the other fist empty. Ask each dog, “Which hand?” When your dog touches its nose to the fist that contains the treat, reveal the treat and reward your dog. For a competitive spin, time each dog. The quickest canine is dubbed the winner.

Musical Mats
Set up a few mats on the floor, just as you would when playing the human counterpart version. Dogs must go to their mats and sit when the music stops. Before the music starts again, remove one mat. Owners may encourage their dogs, but no pushing or pulling is allowed. The last dog with a mat wins.

Scooby Says
Remember the childhood game “Simon Says”? Dogs form a line in front of the “barker.” As commands are given, each dog reacts. Use fun, basic commands like “Sit,” “Down” and “Stay.” The last dog remaining is named the champ.

Paint Like “Paw-casso”
Dogs channel their inner Rembrandt with this activity. Mix together cornstarch, flour, water and food coloring to a thickened consistency. Or alternatively, use nontoxic acrylic paint. Put paint on art paper, place plastic wrap on top of it and let Bowser walk all over it. Remove the plastic wrap, allow to air-dry, then proudly display.

Chase Bubbles
Use bubbles made for kids (they also make flavored bubbles specifically for dogs). They’re non toxic, but can upset their stomach if they ingest too much. And be sure to wipe off your dog’s face afterwards because they can irritate your dog’s eyes.

Goody Bags Do this at the end so that guests can leave with a goodie bag and dive into it with their dog when they get home When selecting a treats: Ingredients. They must be easy to pronounce and something I would feed to my own dog and his friends. Made in the USA Digestible. The treats needs to be easy on the stomach, so free of preservatives and artificial coloring. Make the Simple Simon Birthday Bones, recipe below. Tie a ribbon around each one, or place several in a baggy.  You can also fill the bag with a toy, soft Frisbee or ball, based on the dog's size. Pet themed picture frames, engravable dog tags.	Homemade Simple Simon Birthday Bones (Recipe below)
SIMPLE SIMON's BIRTHDAY BONES  courtesy of Three Dog Bakery Makes 30 large bone-bones Simon says, "STOP", SNIFF, DROOL, MUNCH, CRUNCH, WAG" 2 c. whole wheat flour 1 TBSP Baking Powder 1 c. NATURAL Peanut Butter 1 C Skim Milk   Preheat oven to 375 degrees	Combine flour & baking powder in one bowl, in a separate bowl mix peanut butter and milk.  Add wet ingredients to dry, and mix well.  Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead.  Roll out to 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes with a bone shaped cutter, or dog themed cutter. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown.  Cool on a rack, then store in an airtight container.
BIRTHDAY CAKE RECIPE by Bubba Rose 2 c. oat flour 1/2 c. carob powder (Do not substitute with chocolate) 1 tsp. baking powder 2 eggs 1/4 c. safflower oil 1/2 c. honey 1 c. non-fat vanilla yogurt (or non-fat plain yogurt and 1 tsp vanilla) Icing: 8 oz package non-fat cream cheese (at room temperature) 1 tbsp honey
	Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all cake ingredients together and mix thoroughly.  Lightly grease a 6" round cake pan (preferably a 3" tall pan, but 2" is okay too) pour mixture into the pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely. In a separate bowl, combine icing ingredients. Once the cake is completely cooled, decorate with the icing. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.