January 30, 2020
8 Ways to Celebrate your Dog’s Birthday, Gotcha Day or Barkmitzvah
How to make their day really special and have fun at the same time!
Everyone deserves a Happy Birthday and dogs are no exception, but does your dog actually know it’s his birthday?
Well that s a tough one to call! He certainly knows how to get all eyes on him whether it’s his birthday or not and when he is the centre of attention, he is always ready to make the most of it!
But, even if he doesn’t know It’s his special day – we certainly do!
So, the best way to be sure that he understands that this day is important, is to organise a celebration just for him. Party food, exciting smells, dressing up, wild games, toys and treats and lots of snuffling and cuddles – bring it on!
Let’s get this Party Started!
According to a recent UK survey 75% of dog owners celebrate their dog’s birthday and here at the Woof Club we certainly do too! The four-legged members of the Woof Club team love parties, and as this week is birthday week at the Woof Club, we thought that we would share with you 8 of our favourite ways that we celebrate with our furry friends.
#1 – Buy a present for the special day and let your dog unwrap it himself. Our Woof Club Birthday Box https://thewoofclub.ch/pages/shop contains a hand-picked selection of natural and healthy snacks, toys and accessories that are guaranteed to provide hours of fun. In fact we’ve noticed that the recyclable packing box and shredded filling provides just as much fun as the contents!
#2 – Go one step further and organise a doggy birthday party – dogs love to socialise so how can they resist! Start small and find a dog friendly outdoor space. If you have a garden, then that’s great. Send out invites to a select group of friends and get planning! Party games are essential so grab a ball for fetch or doggy football. If the weather is nice you can fill a paddling pool with water and throw in some plastic balls or just use a large bowl -the dogs will love it anyway.
Your dog will love helping to bake the party food the day before, so stock up on baking kits https://thewoofclub.ch/pages/the-seasonal-box/ to create home made doggy bone snacks and iced pup cakes together.
If its hot, freeze fruit slices into ice cubes to stay nice and cool.
#3 – After a busy party, what better way to finish the day than with a film night. Put on your pyjamas, grab some popcorn and left-over doggy snacks and cuddle up on the sofa together to watch your favourite movie.
#4 – Set aside a day and go on an outing together. Go to the beach or lake together or set off on a hike. Your dog will be overjoyed to spend the day with you and to have your undivided attention. Make sure you take plenty of water and some snacks for an impromptu picnic and maybe you could double the fun and invite a doggy friend too. You could even treat your dog to a doggy backpack so they can proudly carry their own stuff and they also help to ease anxiety in nervous dogs.
#5 – Sign up for a dog activity and try it out. The list is endless and includes things like dog agility, fly ball, canicross or group enrichment games. Check out the activities local to you and decide which your dog would appreciate the most.
#6 – Visit a doggy restaurant. For the moment Switzerland only offers you a choice of dog friendly human restaurants, however there is a huge choice since dogs are generally made very welcome. They get to relax and soak up the atmosphere and perhaps enjoy a bowl of water and a snack or two as well. For a luxury experience then you will have to travel a bit further to the UK or France where your dog can share a meal with a doggy friend in a bespoke doggy restaurant, whilst you go and enjoy yourself. He will have his own table for two and be served his favourite meal by waiters who love to serve canines because they never complain about the food. When they’ve finished their lunch there are organised activities to keep them amused, belly rubs and story time lying on a comfy sofa or massages from holistic vets to soothe any aching joints.
#7 – Organise a treasure hunt. It may involve a bit of training for your dog so that he can get the hang of, but it’s a great game for hot summer afternoons outdoors or freezing winter days indoors. Start by hiding smelly treats whilst your dog watches you and then encourage him to find them. Eventually you can hide them around the house and help him search for them! Just don’t forget where you’ve hidden them
#8 – You can also mark this special day by giving back to less fortunate dogs as well as treating your own favourite fluff ball. If your dog was a rescue, then why not make a donation to the shelter he came from, or if you have time go and walk some of the dogs. They would really appreciate it. You can also collect blankets, towels and toys for dog charities as these are always welcome.
Hopefully we’ve inspired you to celebrate in style and we are looking to forward to hearing all about it!