Your dog’s birthday is coming up and you want to make it special. Don’t know where to start? We have you covered with a rundown of party planning must-dos.
Step 1: Decide on the Guest List
Will your party be just for your pup or are you inviting some of your pup's closest four-legged friends? Will there be other PAWrents invited to join the festivities? These are some questions that once answered, will help you decide on the scope of your party. If PAWrents are invited, you might want to plan some human snacks and drinks to serve alongside the doggie menu.
Tip: When deciding on the guest list, keep in mind how your dog interacts with the other dogs that are invited to the party. Keep the party limited to dogs who are comfortable with one another to create a fun environment for everyone (and the dogs) involved.
Step 2: Decide on the Menu
Once you have your pups and human invites sent out, it's time to decide what to eat! For the pups, at Belle's Barkery, we offer a variety of scrumptious treats that are made with 100% real ingredients. All our treats are made from scratch to make for an extra special treat on your dog's big day! For soft and moist treats, choose our Ultimate Celebration Cake for Dogs and have the cake shipped right to your door. Not only can our cakes be shared with multiple dogs, if there is leftover cake, just pop it in the fridge and consume it over the next few days.
If your dog loves a good crunch, we have a line of natural, Every Day Dog Treats that make a superb selection. You can buy bags of treats and choose your own board to make a homemade “Barkcuterie” board or you can select our pre-made Barkcuterie Box with dogs’ bark-worthy favorite treats.
Last on the menu- don’t forget the water bowls!
Tip: Look at the nutritional labels when selecting dog birthday treats. Many celebration treats that we find contain high amounts of sugar, corn syrups, and artificial dyes. At Belle’s Barkery, added sugars and artificial dyes are NOT included in any of our treats. With our treats, you don’t need to sacrifice nutrition for festive and fun treating moments.
Step 3: Decide on a Location
After determining the guest list, think through which locations are available for your dog's party. For instance, an outdoor location would be great for a dog party with multiple dogs to minimize potential messes that excited dogs may make. Check out local parks or even doggie daycare facilities (they may allow you to rent the space). Ensure to read the rules regarding leashes and prep your attendees beforehand.
If hosting the party in your house, make your house dog-friendly for any four-legged visitors. Watch out for savvy counter-surfers who may try to sneak a bite of the treats. If serving human food and drink, make sure to keep out of reach of hungry pups!
Tip: Based on your chosen location, consider the activities the pups could play. For instance, an outdoor location could have a sprinkler for those pups that love to get wet.
Step 4: Decide on Decorations:
A dog party is super cute and top notch decorations will elevate the picture ops. If you want something quick and easy, Belle’s Barkery Celebration Shop stocks party decorations by the color. This way, you can spend less time party planning and more time playing with your pup! The shop has party items like streamers, balloons, and plates in Pretty Pink, Basic Blue, and Minty Green. To add pizazz to your pup's cake, look for the Gold Glitter Cake Toppers. What’s the finishing touch that you need? We have "Happy Barkday" or "Happy Gotcha Day" banners in sparkly gold and silver. Get ready to share your party on Instagram because it will be too cute to keep to yourself!
Tip: Check out our Instagram video on how to make an easy and cheap photo backdrop using just paper streamers!
Step 5: The Magic is in the Details:
Now that you have the basics down, it’s time to add the sparkle to your pup’s big day! Check out the Belle's Barkery Celebration Shop for specially curated toys and apparel. For apparel, show off your Princess Pup with one of the Mini Felt Gold Crowns or Birthday Party Hats. More of a bandana dog? We have blue and pink “Happy Barkday” bandanas that easily slip onto your dog’s collar. If you are looking for the perfect toy, we recommend the plush Multipet Birthday Cake Slice or Present that crinkles and squeaks or the BARK Full o’ Fluff Pinata (which with a strip of felt, you can turn this stuffed dog toy into a pup-friendly pinata- see video here)!
Tip: Just like receiving a goody bag as a kid, dogs love to take one home too! Belle’s Barkery makes small goody bags of our baked biscuit treats in a cute paw print bag. Simple, easy, and super cute.
We love to see our pups having fun! Send us a message or tag us on Instagram @bellesbarkeryusa and let us know how your dog party went!