Whether it’s your dog’s birthday or you just feel like gathering together some of your pooch’s furry friends for a little celebration, our dog bakery can provide you with all the healthy, homemade treats you might need. But why stop there? In addition to a custom cake or cookies, you can create a canine celebration that they’ll be barking about for months.
1. Get Started With A Special Invite
These days, people forget about the joy of receiving actual paper invitations. You can purchase dog-themed party invitations from sites such as Etsy or create your own and mail them out. Online invitations are fine, of course, and there’s no getting around that the fact that the online invitation services help the organizer plan and keep track of guests more easily.
2. Keep The Guest List Exclusive
Unless you’ve hosted a plethora of puppy parties, it’s probably best to keep the guest list short and invite only those canine companions that your dog already knows and enjoys. Ideally, you’d invite an intimate group of dogs that are well acquainted with each other to ensure that everyone has a wonderful time. Additionally, if human children are in attendance, it’s best to select somewhat older children or those who have experience with animals.
3. Location, Location, Location
Should you host an outdoor event or an indoor event? Well, naturally, at some point, your furry guests will need to step outside and powder their noses (make sure you have a supply of poop bags on hand), but for a smaller party, with perhaps just two or three dogs in attendance, there’s no reason why everyone can’t mix and mingle indoors. Of course, with our global pandemic, most of us are opting for socially distanced and small outdoor gatherings, and with our fabulous Laguna weather, just about every day is perfect for an outdoor party.
Outdoor dog parties are fabulous for people with fenced yard space, and the dogs can run around, sniff and cavort. If your yard is on the small side or unfenced ask a dog-loving friend with a large yard if you could host the dog party at their place and just bring all of the decorations and food and handle the set-up and clean-up.
In some cases, you might consider a party at a local park or even at the beach. However, it’s important to learn about any rules regarding dogs in these public spaces. In most cases, dogs must remain on leashes at all times and, at some beaches, dog hours are restricted. For instance, here in Laguna Beach, dog beach hours are restricted from June 15 until September 10, to before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. During other times, leashed dogs are allowed on city beaches at any time.
4. Plan Some Fun & Games
While dogs might be perfectly content to just wander about and bask in the sun, planning a game or two can be a great way for the dogs to expend some energy. This could be as simple as bringing some balls and tug toys out for a game of fetch or you could even set up an obstacle course or agility equipment in the yard and the dogs can scamper through a tunnel or jump over a low bar or low hanging tire jump. You could also spread out some treats around your yards and let the dogs find them during a sort of scavenger hunt.
Of course, after some playtime, it’s also a great idea to provide the dogs with a shady spot for relaxation. You can set up a pup tent (pun intended) or scatter some dog beds in shady spots so that dogs can rest whenever they need a break. Don’t forget to set out several water bowls in shady spots so that dogs can refresh themselves.
5. Splash About
What’s the best way for dogs to cool off on a warm summer’s day? Splashing around in a kiddie pool can be a fun option for those dog days of summer. If you do plan to set up a few kiddie pools, be sure to have a plethora of towels handy for drying fur and wiping little paws. We also recommend that you inform your guests that the pools will be set up, just in case one of the pups recently spent a day at the dog spa and doesn’t wish to muss their latest hairdo.
6. Call The Dog Bakery
As a local dog bakery (downtown Laguna Beach), we provide only the finest custom cakes and cupcakes for your dog party. Our canine-approved chef uses the finest natural organic ingredients and all of our treats contain no preservatives, artificial coloring, grain or gluten.
In addition to the custom cakes and cupcakes, we also bake a delectable assortment of homemade dog treats in-house each day. This includes cookies, doggie donuts and some truly unique items such as our dog sushi or our popular doggie French fries. These organic dog treats can be excellent options for an impromptu dog fete or perhaps as favors, which leads us to the next point . . .
7. Don’t Forget The Favors
What’s a party without a swag bag? Favors can be as simple as wrapping up some dog treats in a pretty gift bag and passing them out as the dogs head home. You could create your own bandanas out of festive fabric or perhaps pass out a fun squeaky toy at the end of the event.
Of course, if you want to really go all out; take a look at some of our posh Louis Vuitton-inspired “Chewy Vuiton” toys or perhaps one of our Chanel-inspired “Chewnel” toys. These are must-have items for the fashionable canine. We also have some handy items such as collapsible travel cups and travel feeders. Whether you opt for a posh plush or something practical, your guests (both human and canine) will appreciate the thoughtful parting gifts.
We hope this will inspire you to plan and create a fabulous dog-centric event sometime soon. These days it’s difficult to get together, but a backyard dog party can be just the thing to boost your spirits, even if it’s just you, your furry companion and your immediate family. In fact, a dog party can be a great option if you are searching for ways to keep your children amused and happy. They will always remember the special day they shared with their beloved dog.
At Naked Dog Bistro, we can supply you with just about everything you need for your dog party. As a local dog bakery, we can supply you with custom cakes and treats, but we aren’t just a bakery. We are also a dog boutique where you can shop for party favors or gifts for your sweet pooch. And, if you live in Laguna, you can order online and we will deliver cakes and treats right to your door. We also prepare small-batch organic dog food and offer dog food delivery service for Laguna Beach residents. For those who don’t reside in Laguna, we invite you to come in, pick up your cake and browse around our dog boutique.