If your furry  one is having his/her  birthday and you want to have a PAWty, check out our Doggy Birthday Party 101 Essentials, a life saver!

{SET THE DATE}

This may seem the obvious, but there is some though into it. For example, make sure the picked day doesn’t fall on a long weekend or holiday. Also, weekend are most likely a better choice than a week day.

{CHOSE THE LOCATION}

You need to know how many doggy guests will you invite. Based on this, the  options are quite a few. You can either rent a doggie  venue.  Many groomers, pet stores, dog day cares and I know for sure PawsWay in Toronto, offer “rental space for doggie parties”.

Be aware  of the YES & DONT’s rules at the venue so you plan accordingly. If you are looking into a smaller party, you can have them over your home. I would recommend this only if you have a back yard. Last option could be to host a hike at a place where dogs are allow to be off leash.

If you go for this option, make sure all the four legged  attendees are good in recall so they parents can have a good control of them.  Also don’t forget the doggie favours. Regardless of the venue you choose,  keep in mind to pick a location with easy access and with an area where  your furry guests can relieve themselves.

{DECIDE WHO TO INVITE}

I suggest to invite dogs that have met or socialized before, and if you do invite new dog friends, try to socialize them before party day. Also, very important, if there are going to be children around, make  sure they will be supervised at all times.

{SEND OUT INVITATIONS}

The dog birthday invitation can be as simple as an  e -invitation (email), a birthday care you buy at the dollar store, something you create or even something you order from a printing place like JLprintables. Whatever suits you!  If you are running a theme for the party, make sure this is reflected on the invitation so everything flows.

{DECORATIONS}

This part always gets me excited. Balloons, take ware, banners, doggie hats for the photos, you name it. Another great idea is to use doggie related items like leashes and collars to integrate them in the decor.  Whatever you pick make sure it will be safe for all the attendees as dogs can be very curious.

{PARTY MENU}

First of all, ensure to have several water bowls always filled with fresh water. Snacks and birthday cake are a must have,  however since some of the guests may have allergies, I love the idea to have a Dog Treat Buffet Table with little bit of everything on it, like the one at ChickaBug Blog.  If you can find out about any allergies that would help you pick the treats to have on the table. Go creative, have some baggie so guests can take some treats home as favours. Have you seen those popcorn containers? Ideal for some peanut crunchy bites…Your pooch would love that! Also remember to have some snacks for humans.

{FAVOURS & PHOTOS}

If you are not setting up a Doggie Buffet Table, have some doggie tears packaged nicely for your guests to take home as a favour. Also, have a friend or relative in charge of taking photos, and don’t forget to try to get a group photo of all the doggies. That is certainly a keeper!

Have you throw a party for your dog? Have you attended one? we would love for you to join the conversation and share with the doggie community your experiences and thoughts. Comment below or follow Tail-Waggers on Facebook or Tail-Waggers on Twitter!