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Dog Birthday Party Guide

> Location/Venue

When choosing a location for your party, you must first decide if you want to hold it at home or at another facility.

At-Home Party

If you host the party at home, the yard is the ideal place (rather than indoors) because messes of all kinds cause less damage and are easier to clean up. Before deciding to hold the party in your back yard, check for suitability:

Is your fence in good condition, with no holes under it, and no broken or loose boards?
Do your gates close securely and lock?
Is there easy access to the yard without going through the house?
Is there adequate shade and fresh water during the hours of the party?

If you decide to hold your party at home, it's a courtesy to notify your neighbors about when your party starts, and how long you expect it to last. This will prepare them for some extra barking and you won't be stressed about the noise during the party. If your neighbors have dogs that your dog knows and gets along with, invite them to the party.

Mow your yard two days before the party to prevent grass stains on your guests.

Duration

An hour is an ideal amount of time for a party. It provides plenty of time for exercise and socialization, without over-stimulating those not accustomed to so much activity, new smells, and coping with fast-moving social dynamics.

In warm weather, limiting your party to an hour will also minimize the effects of heat on less-active or indoor dogs.

On the day of the party, place pickup bags and a large trash can in the yard. Supply enough pickup bags for everyone. As each guest arrives, show them where the pickup bags and trash can are. This is a gracious way to tell guests to pick up after their dogs.

Set out water in non-tip or non-slip containers. In hot weather, your doggies guests will appreciate a block of ice in the water. Fill a plastic container with water and freeze overnight, then put it in the water dish just before guests arrive.

Set out enough chairs for half your human guests to be seated at any one time. More chairs results in a sit-down party, which is less fun and exciting for dogs and people.

Leave food inside until it's time to eat. The safest way to serve cake to humans is to have everyone go inside, in view of the dogs playing in the yard. Remember not to share cake intended for humans with dogs; it's too rich, and may contain ingredients harmful to dogs. Miriam Gustavson, proprietor of ICR Prep School for dogs in Farmersville, Texas, suggests a good way to give treats to the dogs -- have each owner give the treats as rewards for commands such as "come," "sit," and "down." Read more about how to serve snacks and cake at your party.

Place goody bags or party favors in an indoor location out of reach of dogs who may come into the house. Hand them out to your guests as they leave, to minimize competition for good-smelling snacks inside.

Other Party Venues

Many pet businesses host dog birthday parties these days, and the trend is growing. Hosting a dog birthday party brings potential customers to a business. Here are some places where you might have your party:

Dog grooming salons and boutiques
Dog daycare and boarding facilities
Doggie bakeries
Dog parks
Dog training schools

These facilities have several advantages over holding your party at home:

They often have a variety of activities for dogs, including play balls, swimming pools, and other fun things for dogs to do.
They have enough room for everyone, with large play rooms, large outdoor play areas, and perhaps most important, ample parking.
They have professional staff to help supervise the party. If you're uncertain how to handle a dog fight if one should happen during your party, you might want to consider holding it at a facility. Also, you might appreciate an extra body or two to help welcome guests and get them settled (this way, you don't have to put your party guests to work).
They have both indoor and outdoor facilities, which gives you a ready-made backup plan in case of rain.
They can provide activities such as short, fun training sessions.
Many of them offer party packages, which include dog-safe party cake, hats, party favors and more.

There is usually a fee to host a dog party, and as the host, you are expected to pay it. Fees can range from $45 and up, depending on how elaborate you wish your party to be.

Discuss additional play areas with the facility. Dog may need to be split up for social time, according to age and size. Or there may be more aggressive dogs who need to be removed from the group to play with one or two dogs better able to handle that behavior. (Click for more on party fights and etiquette.)

A facility may require that party guests fax or bring their proof of current inoculations. Dog parks, which are usually located on county property, may also require guests to provide proof that their dogs are registered with the state or county. Ask about this if your guests will include those who do not live in the county in which the dog park is located.