The book is a guide offering entertaining ideas for throwing any posh pup a fabulous soiree. From a birthday party to a "Howl-oween" party to an afternoon art gallery soiree, "Dog Parties" offers tips for planning and executing every detail of a party, such as making "doggie" bags, choosing fun themes, picking dog-friendly music, great locations, dog food, people food, special grooming tips, table settings, invitations and more.
EXAMPLES featured in the book:
BIRTHDAY PARTY
In honor of your dog's birthday, invite his or her most stylish pooch pals to put their best paws forward at a Sunday-afternoon soiree
Invitation: Guests can be asked to join in for an afternoon of frolic and fun in the Garden. Request their attire be their favorite leash.
Guest Book: In lieu of a traditional guest book, have guests sign an autograph stuffed dog.
Food: To avoid confusion between people food and dog food, define separate tables or perhaps have human snacks passed out, while treats for the dogs are displayed on tables. Suggestions for people food include mini-hot dogs and tea sandwiches in the shape of bones or hydrants. Your doggie buffet should have an assortment of real dog bones and other canine treats that allow owners to choose specific ones for their four-legged companions. And of course, no birthday party is complete without birthday cake. You can get made-to-order pet cakes from online dog specialty stores like www.ruff-life.org
Music: Have an all dog-themed song list, including such hits as "Who Let the Dogs Out" and Elvis's "Hound Dog"
Festivities & Favors: Let the pooches enjoy a game of catch with their party favors — tennis balls monogrammed with the name of the birthday dog.
S-PAW PARTY
Showering affection on our animal companions traditionally meant a flea bath before a play date at a nearby dog park. Now treating the pooch to a day of beauty is the preferred way to express devotion.
The Invitation: Come. Sit. Stay. Befitting the party mood, ask those invited to appear fashionably fetching. Also, request they avoid any faux-paws such as barking, digging up the host's lawn, or getting into scrapes.
Beverages: Make sure all your guests stay hydrated with cool bottled water. Water coolers at "dog level" should assure your dog guests are kept refreshed.
Music: Play soothing music to relax both your pet and human guests alike. Try "Roll Over Beethoven," "Tails of the City," and "Pet Melodies."
Services: Have spa & grooming technicians available for ALL guests — providing blow-drys, massages and pedicures, or pet-icures with choice of "pawlish," among the services.
Party Favors: Create "Doggie" bags with a babble ball, dog shampoo and conditioner and a towel begging pets to wipe their paws.
FIDO FRAMED PARTY
Host your own art gallery party for dogs, themed "Fido Framed," featuring what else but portraits of man's best friend.
Invitation: Fido: Framed. Invite guests with their four-legged companions to enjoy cocktails and kibble, and of course some portraits of man's best friends!
The Main Attraction: Display dog portrait(s) in varying media at dog's-eye level to create your own gallery:
Watercolors: annewatkins.com
Digital Prints: artpaw.com
Acrylic on Canvas: mycolorsite.com
Silhouettes: silhouetteartist.net
Photographs: deborahsamuel.com
Rita Shugart: artbyrita.com
Food: Serve elegant dog party fare to your cultured canine guests. Real chocolate is a no-no for dogs, so use carob treats instead shaped as champagne bottles and caviar containers. Serve or pass them on real artists' palettes purchased at an arts supply store. And the people food should be just as canine chic. Dog owners can enjoy bone-shaped bottles and cookies that picture art masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa inset with images of dogs.
Doggie Table: Create a gorgeous black, green and white tablescape for both the dogs and their doting parents. The doggy table should be low to the ground set with dog bowls on chargers. Seating arrangements should be comfy alternating between pillows (www.jaxandbones.com) for the dogs and stools for the pet parents. Owners should also have their own party table nearby with people-only delights that their four-legged friends can't reach.
Activities: have your guests create their own one-of-a-kind work of art. Dog guest can paint their own paw prints on canvases, with paint and brushes reflecting the party's color scheme (black, white and green).
Favors: Art Imitates Life! Capture the look of each pooch with a photograph as he or she poses upon the red carpet-like arrival. During the party, the photographs can be inserted into a Paw Prints photo album, which can be given to the dog's owner as a party favor.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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