August 10 is Spoil Your Dog Day, though I’mma be real with you– that’s kind of an all-year thing in our household. I love these silly little holidays, because they are such a fun way to bond with your dog. It’s almost like planning a date night with your partner. No matter how long you’ve been together, celebrating small things with a special event brings so much joy into your relationship.
If you are wondering how to make Spoil Your Dog Day extra special this year, I have 8 different ideas you can try! Just remember to choose something your dog will love. It doesn’t have to be big or extravagant or require a ton of prep work. In fact, most of the time our dogs are thrilled by the simplest things: extra belly rubs, a wad of paper to shred, their favorite treats, and so on. You don’t need to go buy a ton of stuff to make them happy. Your time, attention, and affection are truly the best gifts!
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1. Bake a special treat
If baking is your love language, try making a special treat for Spoil Your Dog Day. This dog ice cream recipe is one of the girls’ favorites, and it’s so simple to make, requiring only 2 ingredients! Plus, you can enjoy it, too. Making food for a loved one actually has a lot of benefits. It’s a form of self expression, a mindfulness practice, and is an altruistic act that makes you feel good. What better way to celebrate Spoil Your Dog Day than with an action that brings joy to you and your dog!
2. Take them for a pup cup
Just about any coffee shop, including Starbucks, offers pup cups these days! What exactly is a pup cup? It’s a small serving of plain whipped cream, and dogs go totally ham for it. Just keep in mind that whipped cream is rich! If your dog has a sensitive tummy or suffers from pancreatitis, this probably isn’t the right treat. Otherwise, pup cups are a great celebratory snack that is perfect for a special occasion like Spoil Your Dog Day!
3. Go on a proper sniffari
Scope out some low traffic green spaces where you can hook your dog up to a long line and let them go on a sniffari. Sports fields, graveyards, and low traffic parks or hiking trails are perfect for this! If dogs are allowed off leash in this space, and your dog has reliable recall, that’s great! Otherwise, get a comfy harness and a long line or flexi leash so that your dog can explore at their own pace. Let them be the one to lead the walk, and give them as much time and space as they want to sniff. Sniffing is a relaxing activitiy for dog, decreasing stress and improving overall wellbeing.
4. Spice up their training treats
We recently switched over to Pupford training treats, and the girls love them! They are perfect for training, because they are small, cronchy, and less than one calorie per treat– perfect for lots of reinforcement! They come in a variety of flavors, too, so you can switch it up and keep training fun and interesting. Spicing up training treats is a great token of affection for dogs who love their training. It’s a small, intentional action you can take to show your dog just how much you care.
5. Upgrade their bed
Shortly after moving to California, we bought these shag donut beds for the girls so they had a comfy (and cute) place to sleep at night that wasn’t our bed! They are so cozy and soft, and the girls happily curl up in them every night. In fact, they prefer sleeping in their donut beds over the human bed, which is a win/win. One of the nice things about this bed is you can toss it in the dryer to fluff it up when it gets flat. If your dog’s current bed is looking a little worn out, use Spoil Your Dog Day as the perfect excuse for an upgrade!
6. Give them a Nose-to-Tail Rubdown
Some dogs love getting pets– like really love it! If this is your dog, dedicate 5-10 minutes for a full-body, nose-to-tail rub down, avoiding any spots your dog doesn’t like, of course, like their feet or their tail. You can even search YouTube for a few dog massage tutorials beforehand! One key thing to remember: give your dog your full attention. Don’t watch tv or text your friends. Focus on your dog, and just be in the present moment. Both you and your dog will benefit from it!
7. Book a sniffspot
If you haven’t heard, Sniffspots is my new favorite thing. Basically, it’s like AirBnB for dogs, except you rent people’s backyards/properties instead of rooms. We’ve found so many gems on Sniffspots, from fenced in backyards to dog friendly pools to 80 acres of orchard to explore! You can sort by fully fenced or partially fenced properties, size, distance, and whether or not other people/dogs/pets are audible/visible. Sniffspots are a great way for a safe adventure, where your dog can enjoy some off leash time or explore an area without worrying if you might encounter another dog.
8. Play their favorite sport or game
Does your dog love competing in a sport? Are they a fetch-a-holic? Do they live to chase a flirt pole? If yes, do more of it for Spoil Your Dog Day! Book an agility practice session, buy a new fetch toy, or practice obedience. One of the best presents you can give your dog is more time doing what they love. For some dogs, that’s doing a “job” like fetching a frisbee or practicing their bitework or whatever. If it brings your dog joy, that’s exactly what you should be doing for Spoil Your Dog Day!
