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Friday, September 16, 2011

Pet Birthdays:
Celebrating our Best Friends

by Carrie Boyko, CEB
© Carrie Boyko
Tanner's 4th Birthday Celebration
Tanner had a 5th birthday a couple of weeks ago and I found myself in a conundrum of ambiguous thoughts about our celebrations of our pets birthdays. When we stopped by our local dog park to have a romp with furry friends, everyone wanted to know how we would celebrate. I contemplated last year's photo where Tanner donned a silly fun hat and posed with Toni. It is cute, but I'm sure he would have rather been fetching it in the pool than wearing it for a photo.


Of course, Tanner does a lot of posing for product reviews and most everything I write for the blog. It's sort of his job--him and Oliver. I never ask him to do anything that frightens or disturbs him. We're just talking about playing and posing. Oh, and of course--eating! There's never any concerns over doing that activity. It even ranks above swimming and fetching.


The rest of Tanner's birthday was spent doing all of his favorite things--swimming, fetching, walking, biking, playing, and eating. I have to admit tough, this year there was not a special "birthday" cake, treat or cookie. I have a houseful of treats from various suppliers that provide them for reviews. Thank goodness for the freezer and the help of our Treat Review Team! So new and delicious goodies are abundant right now.


 It was a pleasant Sunday, spent bonding with Tanner. We even took a short nap together, with Oliver joining in. I think, from Tanner's perspective, we probably did all the things that are meaningful to him. Even with no party hats, gifts or invited guests, Tanner got what he seeks out of any day--exercise, time with me, playtime with friends at the park, and good things to eat. 


So what are we really celebrating when we have a "Party" for our dog? I think we're probably applying human life expectations to our dogs. Not that this is bad, of course....just not necessarily what they need. Yet when we do it, they get more time with us and probably enjoy the experience immensely. So either way we choose to celebrate our pets' birthdays, it works for them. They just want more of us--along with the yummies for their tummies. 


Now that I've thought this all through, I think I'll create an assorted platter of our treats and we'll call that Oliver's birthday smorgasbord. Talk about a highly-aroused nose! I have a couple of months to think that through. Any thoughts?  







Today's post is part of the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Feel free to enjoy visiting different sites. Rules to link up follow, as copied from Life with Dog's site on 8/10/11:


Link up your pet blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below. You only need to add your link once to be seen on all the Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop Linky Tools for that week. Note that if your blog is not pet related your link will be removed. Also note that only one post per blog is acceptable, and links promoting giveaways that are unrelated to the pet blogger hop will be removed. This is a community building exercise and not a promotional vehicle – please treat it as such.
Grab the “Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop” button on the right hand side of this site and include it in your Saturday Blog hop post so that your readers will know what is going on. *Note – posting is optional. Feel free to just link and follow.
Follow your co-hosts listed in the first 3 slots of the Linky Tool.
Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you’d like.
Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you’re from the blog hop.
Follow back when you get a new follower through the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop.
Make friends and grow. ♥

13 comments:



Kolchak Puggle said...

We celebrated Koly's birthday in style this year, with an entire Birthday extravaganza. Special birthday recipes, "review my birthday" toy reviews of his presents and our very first blog giveaway, but all the excitement was more for me than him. I just like a lot of pomp and circumstance cause I'm still so glad he's mine! For him, I cooked his favourite meals, we went to the park and played fetch and wrassled and had a nap. It was a wonderful day!



Cynthia Downer said...

Haha, how close to home. Jack's birthday was yesterday and I felt bad that we didn't get him a cake or anything this year. Instead, I took him on a walk(JUST him) for some rare one-on-one time and today we went on a special trip to Petsmart, where we hoped he'd pick a toy. He was too distracted.. We later found out it was because he had to potty. But we got him a tug toy, and some beef trachea to nom on.



shilohsmom said...

Shiloh gets 2 celebrations. First we celebrate his "Gotcha Day" in the winter. That's the day I adopted him, and we celebrate finding each other. Since he came from a shelter and I don't know his exact birthday, I picked a date for him, as I believe everyone deserves their own day to celebrate their life, and dogs are no exception. So he also gets a birthday celebration in May.

Most of the time we celebrate by going to the dog park, as that's what he seems to enjoy the most. It's all about him and what he likes to do. This takes about half a day, as it's an hour's drive each way. Sometimes we go to the river afterwards. When we come home, he gets his favorite meal. By then he's so worn out that he snoozes the rest of the night.

Last year he had 3 celebrations. His goats were turning 1 year old and Shiloh was turning 10 within a month of each other, so I threw them all a little party, complete with party hats and treats. Even the goaties were wearing hats. We like to do silly things here at Shiloh Acres. He also got his regular birthday celebration without goats on a different day, and his Gotcha Day.



Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! Happy 5th TANNER. This year since I turned 10 I celebrated my Barkday for the whole month. Lots of Golden FUN FUN FUN!!! Glad you had a wonderful 5th Barkday. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar



Anonymous said...

I don't care much for parties. Give me a nice long walk, some yummy treats and a romp at the dog park and I will be in dog heaven!



Peggy Frezon said...

What a nice birthday for Tanner. As Kelly and I have been dieting together, we are learning that food (ie: birthday cake) doesn't have to be the focus of celebrations. Just spending time together, and doing things you love such as hiking or biking, those are really the best! Not to count out food all together, BOL, but I'm learning not to make it the focus.



Boondocks Love Shack Pack said...

One more reason to celebrate - well seven more at our house. But then again, we seldom need an excuse to celebrate. We tend to bring the party with us!!

AROOOOF!
Boondock and The Love Shack Pack



Finn said...

Finn turns one next month and I think I am at least going to get her a different treat than normal and I will make sure to spend a little bit of extra time doing something she really loves! I have a recipe for a pb carrot cake and I am hoping she loves it.



Birthday Party Babble said...

I have a dog party for both 2 legged and 4 legged party goers. My 11 year old black lab, Huckleberry, and 7 year old yellow lab, Archer, are always up for a party.



Birthday Party Babble said...

Oh yeah, Huck and Archer's 5 year old Standard Poodle friend Bailey, really loves the frisbee favor with her name on it!



Dawn W. said...

Happy Belated 5th birthday Tanner! It sounds like it was a GREAT day!!!! Whether you throw a big party or just have special one on one time I think our special little sidekicks just like to be anywhere we are. Of course, our little Chihuahua "Princess Crystal" has not had a birthday yet, but my daughter is already thinking about what to get her and what to dress her in. She is a spoiled pooch everyday....I guess that is the way it should be! I know that your dogs get special attention and special treatment everyday as well, Carrie!



Michelle Spayde said...

Happy Birthday Tanner!!!! Sounds like you and Tanner had THE perfect day!

I've witnessed some pretty over the top dog birthday celebrations! That's not my style for people OR our furry family, but I think that if it gives quality time to the pet that might not otherwise be given, go for it!! Well, with keeping the happiness of the dog(s) in mind, of course!

I guess that it's important to note that I'm pretty addicted to soft comfy dog beds (cats love them too!), and cool toys. ~Sarah~ could care a less about the toys, but I'm determined to find one that she loves someday!

When we add another dog, I think that we'll absolutely have to adopt one that loves toys so that I can continue my addiction (birthdays, or anyday)!!

Great post!! I really enjoyed reading it!! Unfortunately, now I'm hungry for CAKE!! :-)



Jane Cooper said...

Happy Birthday Tanner!! Hope you two had a blast!! My sweet Terrier, Max's birthday is coming up next month and we already have started planning things for him. In fact, few days back when Max was ill, I consulted one of the experts from http://www.petnvetfinder.com/ for his treatment. They not only helped Max to get better but took keen interest in listening to my birthday plans for him and added their bits to it. I was really amazed at their service.

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