Party 4 Paws!

While our previous post focused on choosing a location for a dog birthday party, there’s more to a party than just choosing a venue. The real key to a successful dog birthday party is organization. In order to keep your party flowing make sure you have a plan and stick to it! This not only works for dog birthday parties but parties that cater to humans as well. There is nothing more uncomfortable than a party that stalls, or worse yet, comes to a complete halt. Having a party outline will keep your party moving forward and your guests entertained. Be organized!

Example of a Basic Party Outline (start: 11:30AM - End: 1:30pm)

11:30 - Meet and greet guests  - Introductions - Offer beverages (water for the four-legged guests!)

12:00 - Dog Party Games (see game ideas below)

12:30 - Serve dog friendly birthday cake - Have snacks for the humans available as well!

1:00 - Open gifts - remember to keep a list so that you can send thank you cards!

1:30 - Doggie free play - Guests begin to depart

Dog Party Game Ideas

Keeping your guests entertained is very important. Most dogs will entertain themselves; however, playing organized party games will ensure that your human guests have fun as well. Below are a few dog party games that are sure to be a hit!

Doggie Dig

This game will definitely bring out the digging instinct in your pooch. Fill up a small, plastic pool with sand. Hide a dog treat in the sand and allow each dog (one at a time) the opportunity to find the treat. The dog that finds the treat in the least amount of time, wins! Simple…yet, fun!

Fido Says

This fun game is a variation of the child’s game “Simon Says.” Line up the dogs (and their owners) into one long line. One person (preferably, the host of the party) will stand in front of the line and be “The Caller.” The caller will yell out a command…such as “sit!” Any dog that does not obey the command is eliminated. The last dog standing…wins!

Bobbing for Dogs!

No, not real dogs….hot dogs! Mmmmm…yummy! Fill up a small, plastic baby pool (or a large tub) with water. Place 10 pieces of hotdog in the water (don’t worry, the hotdog pieces should float). Using a stop-watch, time how long it takes for each dog to chow down on the floating pieces of hotdog. The dog that eats all of the pieces the fastest…wins! This is a great game to play on a hot summer day. Watching the dogs dunk their heads into the water is lots of fun and your pup will appreciate the chance to cool down.

Prizes

If you play dog party games at your event, make sure you have prizes available to give to the winners. No need to spend a fortune…your local dollar store will probably have a nice selection of doggie items that will suffice.

Prize Suggestions:

Fancy Dog Collar                     Dog Shampoo

Gourmet Dog Treats                 Water and or Food Bowl

Bandana                                   Gift Certificate to Local Pet Supply Store

Chew Toys                               Leash

So there you have it, a few simple tips and game ideas that will help you throw the best dog birthday party ever! That’s it for now…but come back soon as I will be adding a new dog friendly, birthday cupcake recipe that is sure to have the dogs in your life drooling!

Filed under: Dog Party Planning on February 8th, 2009