Dog Birthday Party Decor: Creative and Fun Ideas for a Festive Home
It has been said that dogs age the equivalent of seven “dog years” for every single human year. That is exactly why they deserve a huge celebration on their birthdays or, if you don’t know their exact birthday, on their “gotcha day.” Here are some ideas to transform your home into a pawty worthy of celebrating the joy, laughter and smiles your best friend brings to your life every single day.
Custom Dog Poster
Celebrate the pup of honor with a custom pet poster that welcomes guests into your home. Order a print in an artistic style that captures your dog’s unique personality and choose a theme that fits the occasion. Hang it in your entryway or prop it outside your front door to set the tone for the celebration.
Pup-Themed Décor
Get a head count of confirmed guests and peruse their humans’ social media for treasured photos. Print 5x7s of each of them and tape them on a string to create a banner to display above a cake or gift table. Choose balloons specific to the breed of dog being celebrated.
Cups, plates, napkins and confetti with paw prints can be fun added touches to keep the theme going throughout the whole soiree.
Move Furniture
To ensure a safe and enjoyable space for human and pup guests to have fun, move large furniture out of the way to create a big space to play and interact. If you have slippery flooring, purchase or borrow slip-proof rugs to lay down.
Remove any décor that may tip over if bumped by a wagging tail or over-excited pup and cover any sharp objects. Baby gates or gates designed specifically for dogs can come in handy to keep pups out of off-limit spaces in the house.
Game Time
What’s a party without games? If you have a backyard, set up an agility course that can be adjusted for legs of all sizes. A fun indoor activity is hiding treats under shoeboxes, toys or in treat mats. Let each dog take a turn exploring and finding their prizes in the game space.
Get humans involved with a fun game of “guess the pup.” Blindfold each person and walk a pup over to them while they pet them to guess the pup. And, if all else fails, you can never go wrong with a good old classic game of fetch.
Personalized Party Gear
When you send out invites, be sure to require an RSVP to prepare for guests properly. Choose party hats and matching bandanas for each dog attending and go the extra mile by choosing hats that will fit on different heads and ear placements. Adorn the birthday boy or girl in something extra special like a party dress or a tuxedo-style bandana made for pooches.
Paw Print Station
A paw print station is an inexpensive and fun activity that is quick and easy to clean up. Get pet-safe ink pads and high-quality paper that will fit paws of all sizes. If the paper is one set size, you can provide inexpensive frames to create a keepsake that will be cherished for many years to come.
If you’re throwing a pawty near the holidays, you can also set up a paw ornament station with just a few more supplies. Ornament kits can be found online and only take a few minutes to create.
Dog Photo Booth
You’ll want to take plenty of photos to remember this event forever, and a great way to capture the fun is by setting up a photo booth. If renting a dog photo booth through a local business isn’t in your budget, it’s easy to set up a DIY photo booth with a colorful backdrop and paw-print balloons. Dog-themed photo props with punny sayings can add a festive element to get humans in on the action.
Goodie Bags
One of the best parts of any shindig is the goodies you get to take home, and dog pawties are no exception. Assemble themed bags with fun things for pups like dog treats and small toys, and useful items for humans like dog waste bags or grooming samples like dog shampoo and conditioner.
If you have a local dog bakery, themed treats can usually be ordered in bulk and will bring big smiles and tail wags to humans and pups, respectively. Another fun idea for a takeaway item is pre-ordering custom temporary tattoos with the pup of honor’s face.
Festive Food
Having fun works up an appetite, and you’ll want to be prepared with plenty of food and drinks for both two-legged and four-legged guests. Order or make two separate cakes or sets of cupcakes, one for humans and one for pups. Be sure to clearly separate them and share ingredients with pup parents in case of allergies.
When it’s time to make a wish, blow the candle out and make a wish on behalf of your beloved pup. Wash down the cake with assorted refreshments including plenty of fresh, clean water bowls for dog attendees or fun novelty drinks like dog beer.
Rest Stops
Dogs of all ages like to take snoozes, and this is especially true after playtime. Set up a few rest stops indoors and outside so that they can plop down whenever they need a quick break from all the excitement. Set water bowls nearby so they don’t have to go far to recharge. Depending on the size of guests, this can be done with dog beds, outdoor furniture cushions or even pool floats covered in sheets. Dogs aren’t picky with nap spots so get creative.
These are just some of the many ways to throw a festive, dog-themed pawty that will be enjoyed and talked about for a long time. Dogs are always ready for a celebration in everyday life, and make life extra fun just by being their silly, wonderful selves. Throwing them a celebration with all of their friends, two-legged and four, is one small way to show them just how adored and appreciated they are.
