From gaining the trust of the first domesticated dog, humans and dogs have always shared an unbreakable bond. While your dog can’t exactly talk to you, they express their devotion to you in different ways. As puppy owners, we would do anything for our beloved four-legged friends.
Valentine’s Day is a great time to show your appreciation for your puppy. While you wouldn’t buy your canine Valentine a dozen roses, you still want to do something special for your puppy to show how much you love them on Valentine’s Day. It’s always fun to go beyond our routine or comfort zone by choosing a new activity to do. Not only will this be fun for you and your puppy, but it will also be a way to bond with your puppy and show them you love them. From spa days to special treats, here are some ways to make Valentine’s Day special for your puppy so your puppy will say, “I Chews You!”
Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day With Your Puppy
Even though Valentine’s Day is only once a year, the most important thing is to shower your dog with love and attention every day of the year. Check out these ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your puppy.
Go on a doggy date
While an outing is a great way to show your puppy some attention, you won’t be the only one doing so, especially if your puppy is extra cute (which we know your puppy is the cutest, right?). Socializing your puppy is so important to their growth and development. Outings can let your puppy practice their manners, sniff and romp around with other dogs, meet new people, and get plenty of scratches.
Some ideas for Valentine’s Day outings with your puppy include getting a pup cup or special treat at a dog bakery, visiting a new dog park, exploring a walking trail, sharing a beverage or meal with fellow dog owners, and browsing the aisles at pet-friendly businesses. As long as it’s with your puppy and everyone is having fun, then count it as a success! Read our tips for a successful outing with your puppy for ways to have the best adventure possible.
Puppy Love Party, Kristen Steele Photography, Pizzazzerie
Throw a paw-ty
Throwing a festive party is a great way to celebrate a holiday, and Valentine’s Day is a perfect excuse to throw a dog party for the fellow puppy owners and pooches in your life. Pick a day and create invitations for those on your guest list. Serve Valentine’s Day dog-friendly bone-shaped cookies with a cute saying like “I Dig You.” Activities like offering a photobooth or holding a contest will keep your visitors engaged. If you’re brave, make a paw print memento or paint a pet portrait of your dog to commemorate this special day. Give goody bags filled with cute dog-themed items, and don’t forget to take a long nap after it’s over and cleaned up!
Treats for your sweetie
Your puppy deserves a sweet treat for being so sweet themselves. You can buy exquisitely decorated themed Valentine’s Day dog treats from specialty bakeries or buy an extra pack of their favorite treats.
Puppies also find DIY homemade dog treats doggone delicious. Be sure to only use human foods that are safe for dogs to eat to make sure they don’t get sick. One popular Valentine’s Day treat for humans should be avoided in particular. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and can cause major health issues – and could even be fatal. Chocolate contains caffeine and a chemical called theobromine which both act as a heart stimulant, blood vessel dilator, diuretic, and smooth muscle relaxant, so keep those chocolates far away from your puppy.
Here are two treats you can easily make at home for your puppy to enjoy this Valentine’s Day.
Frozen strawberry yogurt dog treats, KiKi Kane of Rover.com
Frozen strawberry yogurt dog treats
Puppies enjoy frozen treats, especially when they are teething because they are soothing on the gums. Frozen strawberry yogurt dog treats are super easy to make. All you do is blend strawberries and plain yogurt together and freeze. You can use regular ice cube trays or buy some silicone molds with cute dog shapes.
DIY heart-shaped Valentine's cookies for dogs, iheartdogs.com
Heart-shaped cookies for dogs
These dog-approved conversation heart dog cookies were developed by a vet tech and include healthy foods for dogs like pumpkin, peanut butter, and yogurt. This recipe has icing, but with a twist – using beets instead of food coloring for the pink icing makes this heart-shaped dog cookie an excellent choice for a Valentine’s Day treat for your puppy.
Pupparazzi
The best way to capture your puppy’s personality is by documenting their silly, sweet antics with pictures and videos. We brighten other people’s lives when we post content about our puppies and enjoy reading the comments. Some of us are guilty of having more pictures of our puppies than we do of our own children!
Leave it to the professionals
There are a few options for creating gorgeous photos of your puppy. You can utilize the services of a professional photographer who is experienced in working with dogs to capture your puppy’s essence perfectly. Look for pop-up photo sessions held by dog-friendly businesses for Valentine’s Day.
Set up your own Valentine’s Day photoshoot
Everyone’s always seeking that frame-worthy shot, and all it takes is a little preparation. Making your own DIY Valentine’s Day backdrop for dogs can be easy, especially with so many affordable Valentine’s Day products in stores this time of year. Get canvas or paper prints made of the best ones, or create a photo book to display and remind you of how much you love your puppy.
Here are some tips for taking great photos of your dog to make your pictures pop:
- Learn your equipment and camera settings beforehand
- Be prepared with everything already set up
- Have someone help
- Use treats and praise
- Choose creative angles
- Check for good lighting
- Take breaks
- Have fun and be patient
Total “e-clips” of the heart
Did you know you don’t have to be a professional sewist to create accessories and toys for your dog? Want to make something for your pet but don’t have a sewing machine? No worries! There are several DIY arts and craft projects to make for your dog without the use of advanced equipment. Create these three beginner-friendly fun projects that mainly involve a pair of scissors and easy-to-acquire materials to show love to your pooch.
Sweater weather: DIY clothes for dogs
What better way to keep your puppy cozy and warm than with a sweater or jacket made with love? Your puppy may have a stocked closet of accessories, but what’s one more? Making no-sew DIY clothing for dogs keeps the holiday festive while cutting costs on buying new clothes. You can make these items with Valentine-themed clothing you already have or found in a thrift store. You can use fleece, tee shirts, or old sweaters and use basic equipment like scissors and hot glue.
Serena Faber-Nelson of Pretty Fluffy
No-sew DIY heart dog toy
Serena Faber-Nelson of Pretty Fluffy offers a tutorial for an adorable no-sew DIY heart dog toy that is easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of crafty prowess. Start by making a heart pattern to use on two pieces of Valentine’s Day and trace it on themed fleece. Cut it out, leaving a buffer a few inches around your pattern. Use scissors to cut a fringe around the heart, stopping at your pattern line. Take the fringed edges and tie little knots around the heart, leaving an opening. Stuff with the remaining big pieces of fleece or place an old squeaker inside. Always supervise your puppy with your DIY dog heart toy.
DIY Dog Bandana, Minted.com
Valentine’s Day bandana
A homemade Valentine’s Day bandana for dogs is perhaps one of our easiest suggestions because all you need is one Valentine’s Day printed fabric dinner napkin or square of fabric. Simply fold it diagonally into a triangle, fold the long seam down a few times, and tie it around your puppy’s neck. You’ll steal this idea for every holiday because it’s so easy!
Find Your 4-Legged Valentine at Pawrade
It’s not too late to find a puppy to “Be Mine” this Valentine’s Day! Just like you want your Valentine to stand out from the rest of the crowd, Pawrade stands out from the rest of the pack of pet adoption services.
We partner with reputable breeders who love their puppies as their own until it’s time to go to your loving arms. Each Pawrade puppy comes with health records of their up-to-date vaccinations and care received, a comprehensive health guarantee, and 30 days of MetLife insurance. The support you will receive on your pet adoption journey from our team is unparalleled.
No scams – just puppy love!
It would be heartbreaking to try and give a puppy to your loved one as a surprise only to be scammed. We hate how puppy scammers dash the hopes and dreams of potential puppy owners. Pawrade is proud to offer pet adoptions in accordance with the law and best ethical practices. We fight puppy scams by working tirelessly to eliminate the risks associated with pet adoption scams. One of the ways we do so is by utilizing a trusted and specialized payment provider in the pet adoption industry, PetPay, to offer a seamless and secure payment experience for both pet-seekers and breeders.
We would love to help you find the perfect puppy soulmate! Browse our puppies for sale to find the one that speaks to your heart.
