7 Simple Dog Birthday Ideas
Our dogs give us so much love and joy, a fun birthday party is the least we can do to show our appreciation.
Some simple dog birthday ideas include a doggie photo session, doggie birthday gifts, yummy pupcakes, and some fun dog games too.
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Table Of Contents
I am a busy mom of 2 crazy boys and 3 dogs. I needed some simple, yet memorable ways to celebrate my dog’s birthday each year.
Many dog moms have a big celebration for their pups all in one day. I like to split up the dog birthday fun into a couple of days instead.
That way, I can fit in everything I want to do for my dog without any rush.
Who’s Invited?
Do you have a social dog who loves other pups? Great! Make sure to invite your dog’s favorite people and doggie friends to the party.
On the other hand, if you have a dog who isn’t fond of other dogs, consider having a more private birthday party just with the family.
Birthday Photo Shoot
Props
First, decide on your dog birthday props. I bought a cute dog birthday hat and bow set off Amazon for the photo shoot.
I used a white backdrop and some of my son’s leftover birthday balloons for the background in some of the photos and a cute birthday banner against a wall in the others.
Don’t be afraid to get some fun inspiration online.
There are tons of simple or elaborate ways to create your own DIY dog Birthday backdrop right at home.
Photos
I set up the white backdrop and balloons outside to get some really good natural light for the photos.
I used a puppy gate and some poster boards to keep the area enclosed so Eko wouldn’t run off.
I used a Canon 70D DSLR camera for Eko’s puppy photo shoot and followed up with some detailed clean-up in Photoshop for the white background photos.
If you don’t have Photoshop, no worries, there are photo editors online that you can use. I have used picmonkey.com in the past, it was fun to play with the different filters that they offer.
I used my iPhone, with natural light turned on, for the birthday banner background pictures. The iPhone photo editor app I love to use is called Snapseed.
Video You May Like: 8 Easy Tips For Amazing Dog Photos – Video Guide
Results
In my opinion, candid dog photos look the best.
My dog, Eko’s, little birthday hat only stayed on for a few seconds and that was because we provided lots of dog treats to keep him happy.
Your pup’s photo session should only take a few minutes max.
Dogs don’t have the patience to sit still for very long.
It helps to have a few extra helping hands during the photo session to keep things running smoothly.
Dog Birthday Poster
You know those adorable milestone birthday posters parents make for their kids?
I created a dog birthday poster on Canva.com. You can personalize one of your own to share on Facebook or you can even order a printout to be delivered to your home.
Dog Milestone Sign
Alternatively, you can pick up a really cute dog milestone birthday sign from Amazon.
You can fill this bone-shaped, chalkboard sign out every year for your dog’s birthday.
Dog Birthday Gifts
There are so many adorable dog birthday presents available online.
I found the cutest little cactus dog toy from BarkBox. It has multiple layers for a dog to chew through, which is just perfect for a dog who loves to destroy its toys.
It took my dog, Eko, most of the day to get through all of the layers of the cactus toy, which is a total winner in my book. He enjoyed every second of it and he wasn’t willing to share (see pic below).
For Eko’s 2nd birthday, we bought him Ollie the Octopus from Amazon. This adorable dog toy has a head that squeaks and tentacles that make a crackling sound.
Pick Their Own Present
Another option would be to let your pup pick out their own birthday present at the pet store.
When my older dog, Reno, had a birthday, I would take him to our local pet store to pick out his own birthday toys.
I laid out a couple of nice looking ones (that were in my budget) and he would sniff each one until he found his favorite.
On the way out of the store, Reno would hold onto that special new toy in his mouth through check out and on the car ride home. He was so excited.
Wrapping The Gifts
Some dogs love to shred their presents and some dogs just don’t get it.
To keep it easy for your pup, cut a small hole in a shoebox or use a tissue box and add a thin layer of wrapping paper over top.
That open space will allow your dog to push their nose through easily and grab the new toy.
Birthday Party Decorations
Dog Birthday Cake Recipe
Instead of a large dog birthday cake, I made some pupcakes instead. These perfect little dog cakes were simple to make and my dogs couldn’t get enough of them.
Pupcake Recipe:
(recipe credit to Earth Rated)
Recipe Yields 6 Pupcakes
- Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
- Coconut oil
- 1/2 Cup of Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 Large Egg
- 1/4 cup Apple Sauce
- 1/4 cup Peanut Butter (no xylitol – also labeled as ‘wood sugar’, ‘birch sugar’, and ‘birch bark extract’)
Preheat your oven and grease a cupcake pan with coconut oil. Mix the flour and baking soda together in a large bowl. Then, mix in the egg, applesauce, and peanut butter. Add the batter to your greased cupcake pan. Super Easy!
Bake for 10 minutes.
Pupcake Icing Recipe:
1 Block of Cream Cheese
2 TBSP Honey
Mix the cream cheese and honey together in a bowl. Add icing to the top of your cooled pupcakes and viola!
A birthday treat that is delicious and safe for dogs.
The following Nutrition Facts are provided by Whisk.com.
Dog Party Activities
Enjoy Nature
Taking your pup for a nice walk, hike, or a swim would be a fun thing to do with your dog on their special day. Eko loves to go on nature hikes. That fresh air, lots of places to sniff and mark along the way.
Games
Dogs love that one-on-one time with you. Get your dog’s favorite ball or frisbee out and spend some quality time playing with your pup.
Hide and Seek
Dogs love playing hide and seek. If the weather outside isn’t favorable, it is the perfect game to play inside to get your dog running around and having fun.
Check out some more Doggie Birthday Party Game Ideas from The Dog Bakery.
Birthday Party Locations
I chose to have Eko’s puppy birthday party at home to keep it simple and celebrate with our family, but you can certainly celebrate your dog’s birthday anywhere.
Fun places to have a dog birthday party:
- Dog Park
- Nature Park
- Dog Beach
- Doggy Daycare
Disclaimer:
Share your dog’s birthday ideas with us in the comments below.
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