Your dog is a part of your family and you should celebrate the doggo’s birthday just like you would any other family member.
So, what should you do?
Make a special doggie cake for the birthday pupper?
Take him somewhere special?
We’ve got loads of ides for you to consider, so pick your favorite from our experts below.
Plan A Day Out For Your Dog
Similar to celebrating a human birthday, celebrating a dog’s birthday should be all about them!
Make it a day where you try to do all of the things that they love as a way to celebrate them and show just how much you appreciate them!
While every dog will have their own favorite things, here a few ideas to get things started: take a trip to the dog park, go for a hike or walk in the park, get them a Puppaccino or other tasty snack, invite their canine friends over to play, or take them to a pet store and let them pick out a new toy or snack.
The key to making it a great day for your dog is to personalize it with the thing that they love and enjoy!
Don’t feel like you have to pick just one either – make it a birthday bonanza that they’ll never forget.
— via Isaac Bullen of Aquarium Ahoy
Take Your Dog On A New Adventure
You can never go wrong with trying out new stuff with your dog.
You can check out a dog park, restaurant serving a canine menu, movie night, swimming, or go to the groomer.
However, if you want to celebrate it with your dog’s playmates, you can always invite them over for the traditional cakes and treats.
You can also spice things up by playing dog games together like Frisbee, tug-of-war, or other fun activities.
I always invent new ways to make my dog feel special on his birthday, like pampering him with cuddles and massages besides the gifts and treats.
Depending on what your pet loves, you can also draft the perfect day.
However, remember to keep it simple and supervise in case of anything.
— Harvey Wells of Cool Pets Advice
Give Him A Doggy Shopping Spree
Dogs deserve presents just like everyone else.
Give your pet a shopping day!
Take him to the pet supply store and let him choose what he wants.
Let him take a walk among the shelves and choose a toy or food that he likes.
— via Anita Carroll of Very Create
Let Your Dog Indulge In A Special Treat
We have 3 dogs in our family. They are all mixed breeds of shih tzu and terrier and has been with us for more than five years.
We always have a joint birthday celebration for all of them on the same day they were altogether brought home.
We don’t spoil them too much on their birthdays since we are practical with our expenses.
What we do is make their walk extra special on their birthdays by taking them somewhere new and giving them some extra time to sniff and play around.
After, we give them special treats, not dog friendly cakes, but enough meat such as fried pork and beef that they rarely get to eat.
— Joy Marie Pilapil of Calibre Cleaning
I’m also a dog lover and currently have two rescue pups of my own – one Catahoula Leopard Dog mix and one Australian Cattle Dog mix, ages 1.5 and 8.
For their birthdays, we traditionally let them split a burger from a local burger chain as their present.
— Kerrie Doerr of Aquarium Friend
Make A Birthday Cake Or Pupcakes For Your Dog
Make your dog a doggie birthday cake!
It should be made with specialty foods that are allowed for dogs, of course.
It can be beautifully decorated, add inscriptions to capture a photo for the future.
You can even invite over other dogs for the festivities.
— Michael Fayard of Fayard Law
Have A Lake Day With Your Dog
The number #1 tip I would give to celebrate your dog’s birthday would be to go on a lake day.
My dogs always enjoy a nice walk in the outdoors and a splash.
Since we don’t do it often, they come home exhausted and ready for bed.
They really enjoy it.
— Genesis Gutierrez of My Seven Souls
It’s Time For A Dog Pool Party!
Throw a dog pool party for your pup’s birthday!
Take your dog to a dog club with a pool, unless you have your own swimming pool.
This is a great experience for your pet, especially if he loves water.
In places with hot summers, this will also allow your pet to cool down and take a break from the heat.
— Austin Henderson of All About Pools
Have A Doggie Play Date
My family and I really love our dog, her name is Ice and she’s a Mini Daschund.
Every year, we celebrate her birthday by setting up a doggie playdate.
In our subdivision, we have friends and neighbors that are dog owners as well.
We invited them, along with their dogs, which are our dog’s friends.
Dogs are like humans, they play and get to have some fun with their dog friends and deserve to celebrate their birthday.
It’s so fun to watch.
We make Ice’s doggie playdate extra special by preparing her favorite food and some toys.
This is how we show how happy and grateful we are to our dog since she’s been with us for four years now.
She’s a part of the family.
— Robert Johnson of Sawinery
Throw A Home Party With His Doggy Friends
Throw your dog a party with friends either at home or at the local dog park.
Give your pet the freedom to enjoy this special day, take him to the park or to a special area, call friends with dogs, this will help the socialization of the pet.
You can dress them up in special interesting costumes or party hats.
— John Medina of John Medina Buys Houses
Make An Appointment At The Doggie Spa
Just like humans, dogs do tend to enjoy their visit to the doggie spa.
On my pup’s last birthday, I took her to a dog spa to treat her.
Oh my my, how relaxed she looked after the session. It was the perfect treat.
Afterwards, you can have a party at home with friends who also have dogs.
— Adena Adams of The Sage Divine
Final Word
As you can see, there are lots of great ways to celebrate your dog’s birthday.
If you’ve got a great idea that you don’t see here, then please share it in the comment for more pet owners to know about!