Organising A Dog Birthday Party

[julesluvscavs]

Hi Everyone

So Miah's 1st birthday party will be the first proper doggy one i've ever organised. But she's going be 1 next month, so we think its a special reason to celebrate it, considering all the bad stuff thats happened over the last few months for us ;(

Anyway we are having here at our house in our backyard end of Nov. Its hard to know which way the weather will go on the day, could go either way! If we have to have it inside then so be it. We have a small house but can move some furniture around to accommodate her canine and human guests. We don't have a pergola so we are really hoping the weather isn't too extreme! Not wanting to have it in a park or elswehere. Our Backyard is fine for the occasion plus easier to set up things.

We have invited friends that have Cavaliers, except one friend with a smallish mixed breed dog. I have sent our about 7 invites (some of my friends have a couple of Cavaliers)

The theme will be purple/lilac (Miah's colour) altho guests and their dogs don't have to wear that colour (I've told them that)

So the idea is just to have a table (decorated) set up outside with afternoon tea, Miahs clam pool set up with some water (in case its hot) bone shaped ice cubes for the dogs should it be hot.. I was trying to find some purple rubber ducks to put in the clam pool, but haven't had any luck yet. (ebay has customized ones but they are too exxy)

I've got some decorated thank you gift boxes (I'm still making up) for her canine friends ready to be filled with treats, and have ordered some Cavalier shaped biscuits for her Human guests to take home after. Ive also ordered some puppy theme cup cakes in her theme colour. K9 Angel is also helping make some treats etc for Miah's birthday party.

I just hope her guests do turn up or i'm going have a lot of things left over ! There are many other things i want to do, but i have to draw the line as i'm already over our strict budget for it ! I keep seeing ideas and want to do them all ;-)

My question is re games on the day.... I'm not sure whether to have any , or just let all the dogs roam around with each other doing what they want to do.?

I'm worried if i do any games and especially if they involve treats, it might cause havoc and upsets with each other.. And if its a hot day and we have it inside, it will be too difficult to do anyway.

I don't want to make too much fuss (well more than i have already ! lol) I do want to keep it simple as possible on the day in a relaxed casual way.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks ;)

[Vehs]

Dieter had a 10th Birthday party last year, and we have been to a few DOLer birthdays

We've had them at a river that has picnic benches so food can be kept away from the dogs and they can swim and run around.

I don't think any games have been played, but there has been treats for dogs and in the case of Dieter's birthday some doggie cupcakes and I think at others some party bags.

You are game to have it at your house! Even though I've always had pretty large yards I just don't want that many dogs over.

I'm sure it will be heaps of fun

[julesluvscavs]

Thanks Vehs

Sounds like it was a really fun way to celebrate Dieter's 10th birthday last year !;)

Well I think it just makes it easier for me to organize here at our place, and its near the coffee machine lol

Some of her guests have been here before so are familiar with our place. I'm not even sure all of them will turn up on the day for whatever reasons (we live a fair distance away from them all) especially if its a very hot day (altho we are just up the road from the beach!)

Miah's breeder said she will come but if its a high fire risk day, she wont be, as she likes to be around her property and dogs (and other pets) to flee in a hurry if they have too, and fair enough ;)

Edited October 28, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[luvmybulldog]

I can do you up a ' Happy 1st Birthday Miah ' decal that you can stick up on a wall or glass door in either cut out lettering ( purple of course ) or as a sticker with a white background and purple text. No charge to you ( you would have to let me know the length and height though and the Font style ) Then after the party you can just peel them off.

[julesluvscavs]

Oh wow, thank you Luvmybulldog, thats very generous and kind of you !! That would look lovely. Im not sure where i would put it just atm, but I will inbox you after. I'm happy to pay postage for it

Edited October 28, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[Little Gifts]

I was going to suggest K9 Angel as being the Queen of Doggy Birthdays but as she's already involved I'm sure she has already shared her wisdom with you! If there are kids there and any of the dogs do tricks or do dress up you could have games such as Best Trick or a Fashion Parade with the kids doing it? It would keep them amused too and with treats on offer the doggy guests are bound to enjoy it! If there wont be many kids the other alternative is to make the whole party open to prizes and let the invited guests know awards will be given to best dressed dog, best trick, happiest dog, best behaved, etc.

I was at a baby shower on the weekend and had a blast. The only kids who came wore cute aprons and were the help for everything - handing out and picking up stuff, including food. As the centre of attention that kept them part of things but not distracting to the adult guests. A couple of games that were good included using play doh to make a baby and the mother to be picked the best and worst (I got worst as I didn't get any limbs on it in the time set). You could use edible dough, get them to create a likeness of Miah and Miah gets to pick her favourite. We each got a baby pin when we arrived and if we heard anyone other than the hostess or mother to be say 'baby' we could take their pin. The person with the most at the end wins a prize. Another one was we got handed out a sheet of animal names and had to write down what their babies names were ie - echidna/puggle, fish/fry. Another was a whole heap of baby words that were scrambled and you had to put them in the right order. It was harder than it sounds! Another had lines from kids nursery rhymes on it and you had to write the title down. You could do all those with a dog theme - use songs with the word dog in it for the nursery rhyme one. You could have a guess Miah's weight contest too. I know these are for adults/humans but if the humans are having fun then the dogs will be too!

[julesluvscavs]

Hi Little Gift, great suggestions

We don't have any kids ourselves, and im not sure if any of her guests will be bringing any as most of my friends have grown up adult kids now. But who knows there might be a couple coming on the day.

Yes Rach is already involved, shes very helpful that way ! ;)

I don't want to go too much trouble either on the day with fussing too much.

I did think of pass the parcel around (with a treat in each layer) with any dogs that are coming, but im not sure if that would cause any upsets with dogs waiting for their turn

Edited October 28, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[julesluvscavs]

thats a cute idea about the edible dough in likeness of Miah, Little Gifts hehe

[HazyWal]

Aaww that sounds great Jules I love the idea of a doggy birthday party. I don't have any suggestions as we didn't even get an invite to the last greyhound Xmas party here. Maddie's sort of like that brat of a kid at a party, she likes to play "this is my parcel so don't even go there" and "rip the tail off the donkey" *sigh* the kid's got issues.

[julesluvscavs]

Stans mum !! I I can imagine it in my head her playing up at a party ;-)

Miahs a bit of a tomboy, and shes a Tri Colour Cav (they are usually known for their extra cheekiness) I hope shes not too rough on her canine friends lol I have bought her a party dress, but its a bit too princessy for her.. Shes more a skater/surfie type of chick.. i mean Cavalier