A successful birthday party with a dog cake

A dog birthday party with guests, a dog cake and fun party games is always a lot of fun, whether you’ve got two legs or four. Start by thinking about who will be on the guest list: perhaps the group of friends you go on walks with? Or dog friends and dog school or dog sport instructors? The main thing is that the dog guests get on well with each other. If in doubt, it’s best to start softly with one or two guests.

Next, you need to decide where you’re going to have the party. If it’s warm enough, a party in the garden, the dog park or a fenced outdoor area is ideal. Four-legged guests can run around and play freely, without disturbing anyone.

To make the party a real success, get some games ready! While ball games and running games can quickly turn into fights, games involving searching and sniffing are perfectly suited to the occasion (as long as all guests are able to eat the dog cakes used). How about a ball pool, for example? That’s something to impress your dog! Fill a dog pool or sandpit with dog-friendly balls (watch out for the coating and size), and the party can begin! Or perhaps “catch the sausage” would be a good idea? For this game, attach treats to a rope that hangs high enough that the dogs have to stretch to catch them. However, avoid jumping too much, as your guests could get hurt. If it’s hot, water games and paddling pool games can be a real hit. Dog pool, lawn sprinkler or water play mat: the refreshment will certainly be welcome!

Please note: when playing, always pay attention to the atmosphere between the dogs. If you notice jealousy over food or if the game becomes too rough, stop it and make the animals take a break.

Does your dog not get on well with other dogs or doesn’t like it when they come to their territory? Or maybe the excitement is just not really their thing? In this case, a party would only stress them out. So think about what makes them happy. Do they love nature? Then they’ll certainly appreciate a nice outing in the countryside with a picnic. Is their birthday in summer and they love water? A trip to the lake with a stand-up paddle board is probably exactly what they need. You could even take advantage of their birthday to treat yourself to a little seaside getaway. Or does your dog have a favourite leisure activity? Such as mantrailing or agility? What’s important is that you pay attention to their needs and preferences and make time for your four-legged friend. Then it’s sure to be a great birthday.

Some dogs like a bit of a ruckus, some don’t, but there is one thing that our four-legged friends all agree on: a special treat never goes unappreciated! Whether it’s an elaborate dog cake, fun cupcakes, crispy birthday cookies, a refreshing doggy ice cream or a beautifully presented variant of raw food, your dog will be thrilled. But pay attention to the ingredients used in your homemade dog cake: you don’t want the birthday party to end with stomach ache or diarrhoea. Also ask the owners of the dog guests if their pets have any intolerances. Quantity is also key: even if you want to spoil your pet on their birthday, you won’t be doing them any favours by overfeeding them.

Although there’s an ever-increasing choice of dog cakes to buy, by making the cake for your dog yourself, you’ll know exactly what’s inside. This is even more important if your faithful companion suffers from food intolerances. Before choosing the recipe for the dog cake, talk to the owners of the dog guests to find out what they like and what they might not be able to tolerate. Go for lactose-free options, which are generally easier to digest. If you have never made a dog cake before, maybe you can practise a little before the big day. Your furball will be delighted to test your first attempts and you will know which cake is most likely to please your dog’s friends too.

Ingredients

• 200 grams of rice flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1 banana
• 2 pears
• 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Method

1. Peel the fruits. Remove the seeds from the pear and blend.
2. Add the other ingredients gradually and mix well to make a smooth paste.
3. Pour the mixture into a cake tin and place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees.
4. Leave to cook until the cake is golden brown.
5. Leave the cake to cool.

Pears are a healthy fruit that many dogs like eating. However, if your dog isn’t a fan of pears, you could replace them with apples, raspberries or strawberries.

Is baking not really your thing but you still want to make your four-legged friend a little surprise? Then try a dog cake recipe that’s easy to make, even without an oven.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of rolled oats
• 1 ripe banana
• 100 grams of smoked tofu
• 2 tablespoons of tahini
• 1 tablespoon of ground sunflower seeds
• ½ cup of plant-based milk

Method

1. Put the oats in a blender to make oat flour.
2. Stir in the mashed banana and plant-based milk until smooth.
3. Preheat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
4. Add the required amount of mixture to make a pancake and cook it for around 2 minutes on each side.
5. You will have 4 to 5 small pancakes. Leave them to cool.
6. For the icing, mix the tofu and tahini. Add plant-based milk until the mixture thickens.
7. To make the cake, put a little tofu icing on a plate, then a pancake, and spread a little icing on top of that too. Cover with the second pancake and repeat the process with all the pancakes.
8. If you have any leftover tofu cream, use it to ice the sides of the cake. You may now decorate your cake as you wish by adding small slices of carrot on top, for example.

You’ll need treats for the various games you’ve prepared throughout your dog’s birthday. Impress your guests with healthy homemade treats:

Ingredients

• 1 tin of salt-free or reduced-salt tuna in brine
• 30 g spelt flour
• 1 egg white
• 125 breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon of brewer’s yeast
• 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°.
2. Mix all the ingredients together until you achieve a ball of dough.
3. Roll out the dough.
4. Cut out the desired shapes.
5. Put them on baking paper on the baking tray.
6. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, making sure that they are cooked through.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized carrot
• 1 very ripe banana
• 100 g rice flour
• 200 g potato starch
• 50 ml vegetable oil

Method

1. Finely grate the carrot.
2. Mash the banana with a fork.
3. Put the carrot and the banana in a bowl.
4. Add the potato starch and rice flour.
5. Mix until you achieve a smooth paste.
6. Add a little water if the dough is too dry.
7. Take a little dough and make a ball about 2 cm in diameter.
8. Put the little balls on baking paper on the baking tray.
9. Heat in a fan oven for 30 minutes at 150°C.
10. Turn off the oven.
11. Open the oven door and leave the little balls to dry for 2 or 3 hours.

Always pay close attention to the ingredients you use when making dog treats and cakes yourself. Some foods that are tasty and healthy for humans are difficult to digest or even toxic for your faithful friend.

The same goes for a gift for a dog: above all, the recipient must enjoy the gift. Fortunately, no one knows what your dog likes better than you do. Is there nothing your dog enjoys more than a dip in fresh water? They’ll be delighted to receive new swimming toys, a dog pool or a water play mat for the garden. You can make a sleepy dog happy by giving them a doggy sofa or a cosy doghouse. Equipment for your favourite activities is also an excellent gift: if you enjoy cycling, your dog will certainly be delighted with a luxury dog trailer or a comfortable bike basket. If you can’t think of a particular favourite, toys are always a good option: you spend a lot of time playing with your four-legged friend. For older dogs or those in poor health, a wellness treatment – such as a relaxing massage – could also be a good gift.

A dog birthday party this successful absolutely must be captured in photos! Whether you photograph your dog playing with their guests or the exact moment when they marvel at their birthday cake, there’s no shortage of moments worth capturing. If you want to add some excitement to the pictures, you can use balloons or bubbles: they look great in the photos and will certainly encourage your dog to make funny faces. Perhaps you also like the idea of taking a photo of your dog in front of their birthday cake every year? Over the years, a unique collection has been created. Do you have birthday portraits or funny shots of your dog that you’d like to show us? Share them with us via our Instagram account.