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Your guide to throwing a
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Although it may be tempting to invite every 4-legged friend little Fido has, take a minute to think about your guest list before you mail those cute invitations.
It's best to invite dogs and puppies that Fido knows and likes - you don't want the dog party atmosphere ruined by two quarreling canines.
Try to get a fairly even balance of male to female pups as dogs of opposite sexes tend to get along better. Although if they're young puppies this isn't generally too much of an issue.
Remember that Fido's doggie pals come with human puppy-parents so take that into consideration. It helps if the 2-legged party-goers get along with other too!
If you need help thinking of guests, how about -
- Pups that live in your neighborhood and rub noses with Fido on his daily walks
- Dogs that you meet and greet regularly at the park
- Pups that attend Puppy Class/Obedience School/Agility class with Fido
- The furchildren of other family members or close friends
- Fido's littermates or mom and dad (if you've kept in touch).
Be Prepared!
If you want your dog party to be a success you'll need some degree of planning, but don't worry it can be part of the fun too.Dog Party Invitations
Spread the word about your upcoming festivities by e-mail or traditionally, through the postal service. If you decide to use 'snail mail', it's a good idea to send an informal e-mail invite up to 3 weeks prior to the actual party and follow up with the written invite in the mail.
You can make your own dog party invitations on your computer, using a basic program such as Microsoft Office Publisher or something similar. If you're 'crafty', why not
make your own invites
make your own invites using card-making or scrapbooking cardstock, stickers and embellishments.
If you'd rather just buy ready-made dog party invitations, you can sometimes find them (and other dog birthday party supplies, such as dog party favors) at your local Pet Superstore, or look online to get an idea of what's available.
In addition to all the usual info. on the invitation, make sure you make a note of any special requirements you may have. For example, a B.Y.O.B. stipulation (no...not beer, it's Bring Your Own Ball silly!) or a request for all puppy parents to bring their pup's leash should be clearly indicated.
Dog Party Games
If you want your party to be a success make sure you have some great dog party games planned.It's easier than you think if you just use a little imagination. Dog-lovers adore showing off how clever their little ones are, so competitive games are always popular.
Check out our
Party Games
page for lots of ideas.
Food
You'll need to cater to both the 4-legged and 2-legged party-goers, so try to keep things simple.Finger foods for humans shouldn't contain anything poisonous or hazardous to dogs. Items such as raisins, grapes, nuts and chocolate are all no-no's.
For the furry party animals, good quality store-bought dog biscuits, treats and snacks are always popular. Or if you'd like to make something a little bit special why not try making your own dog treats.
Then there's the CAKE. What's a dog party without a great cake? To make this part easier we've put together a whole host of tips, advice and even a great recipe for a fido-friendly Burger Cake on our Dog Birthday Cakes page. Take a look - you're sure to find something that's just right for your party.
We've even gone one step further to help you save time and money but still have your party go with a swing.
We've found a fantastic dog bakery, The Healthy Hound Bakery, that makes gourmet dog treats, dog birthday cakes with personalized message (choose from 3 drool-worthy recipes), cookies, muffins and all kinds of other goodies that Fido and his friends will love.
They also have a special Dog Birthday Party Package which includes a wonderful Birthday Cake, doggie party bags full of dog party favors (aka tasty, gourmet treats) and paper party hats!
Everything is baked fresh daily, from scratch, with no preservatives, additives, or processed sugars. They only use meat of human-grade and every item is veterinarian approved. What more could you ask?
Check out this treasure trove of doggie delight by clicking on the banner below!
Better safe than sorry
Whenever you've got a bunch of puppies or dogs together, in an excited atmosphere there's the potential for trouble.You're going to want to make sure you
puppy proof
your home or yard and do your best to eliminate any possible hazards or reasons for conflict, well ahead of time. See our
Party Safety
page for advice and tips on having fun, while keeping your little furry party guests safe and happy. To add a little extra flair and make your dog party that little bit different why not consider inviting a 'dog professional' to come along and give a demonstration of some sort. Here's a few ideas to get you thinking
You could have a photographer come and take portrait or candid shots of the party host and guests (the furry ones that is!). Guests could choose from the proofs at a later date.
Invite a dog trainer to give a short lesson in basic obedience or manners
Ask a professional dog groomer to give a demonstration and perhaps one of the guests could volunteer to be groomed
I'm sure you get the idea and can come up with some other good ones yourself, so get that 'thinking cap' on!!
If you know someone else who'd love to throw a dog party, why not share this page with them?
All good things must come to an end
To round off your dog party in a fun way, prepare a 'goody bag', with dog party favors, for each of your furry guests and hand them out as they leave.Go to your local pet store and pick up some inexpensive treats, Greenies, bandanas, squeaky toys etc. You can decorate plain paper bags with a dog-bone biscuit tied with a party ribbon or buy cute, ready decorated bags.
Why not give this a try and see if you can win a treat for the 'dog of the moment'!
Go to Dog Birthday Cakes Page
Go to Party Safety Page
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