I’m FINALLY jotting this down for you guys— I actually hosted a birthday party for Gus about a month ago, and it was a smash!! I spent a few weeks brainstorming and planning, making sure everything was pun-perfect, so I couldn’t not share the good tricks I compiled to through this doggone good time! I did some really easy things that I've been so excited to share!
The Invitations:
I went really simple and made an invitation on SparkPost, and I sent them via text. Most of the recipients had a pup, but some people that I invited just love dogs! Having a mix was great; some people were keeping and eye on their pups and others could really enjoy the company!
The Food:
We went really simple with the food. I bought some pup-cakes from Small Cakes Bakery in Hattiesburg (you probably have a place that makes similar pup-friendly treats). If you can’t find a vendor, here’s a recipe I found on Pinterest. Of course I bought some doggie bags for the pups in attendance, milk-bones and chicken chews.
There was
Pupperoni Pizza- I ordered Dominoes.
Corn Dogs- fresh from the oven
Pawtato Chips and Dip- obviously
Puppy Chow - Trail Mix (or you can make that white chocolate puppy chow)
Dog Biscuits - Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bud Lights — A few varied canned drinks and capri suns
Toilet Water - Blue KoolAid was a HUGE hit.
The Pawty Decor:
We kept it simple with the decor. Since it was Gus’s party, and he wanted to focus on his friends, we kept the decor -- and the stress of it all becoming destroyed during a game of chase-- at a minimum. I bought some gold letter balloons from Target to spell out 'Birthday Pawty', and filled little vases with tennis balls, to be used for fetch, of course! It was such a blast!
The toughest part of the extravaganza was getting up the nerve to throw it in the first place. It was so much fun, and it was such a great way to connect with some friends in a really quirky and casual way! If you're considering having something and inviting a cluster of friends, I would totally recommend going out on a limb. Grab some food, and throw a party with your friends. It's a great way to get your favorite people together and have them mingle, and it's obviously a plus if dogs can get energy out and socialize-- the dog owners in the group will totally thank you.
If you have a dog, 10/10 would recommend throwing them a pawty! I have a whole board full of inspiration I used and didn't use-- along with general things I love about dog ownership. Pin with me here.