Pawty Planning…let’s be honest…pawties are just as much about the hoomans as they are about the dogs. Everyone…even the biggest grump on the planet…has fun at a dog birthday party. In all the years we have been having pawties at Misfit Manor we have structured them similarly to keep everyone entertained; food & drink for both hoomans and dogs, games & photo ops for the hoomans and the dogs and some sort of activity that creates a keepsake for the hoomans to take home with them.

Today we are focusing on entertaining the hoomans at your pawty and that means some activities that everyone can participate in. The ideas are endless…but here are a few of our absolute favorites.

Cake & Coffee

Cake and coffee with dogs is so much fun. The options for dog cake are endless; check out my pinterest board for DOG PARTY RECIPES to get ideas on making your own doggy cake. At Misfit Manor my doggy meat cake is the favorite cake recipe. If you are not a baker you can order fabulous doggie cakes from local barkeries and even on Etsy! But let’s be honest…its the Pupperccinos after cake that is so much fun. All you need is some Pupperccino Cups and a can of whip cream. I don’t know about your dogs but my dogs go crazy as soon as they hear the whip cream can start working!

Games and Photo Ops

Everyone loves to interact with dogs…well at least anyone who is coming to a pawty does! Planning games and photo opportunities for your pawty guests will make your event much more fun and very memorable. Some of our favorite games to play at pawties are Pawty Bingo, the Cup Game and Trick Contests. Read our our Free Pawty Resources Post to get materials and instructions on Pawty Bingo and the Cup Game. Always a hit are costume contests and who looks most like their dog contests! If you are planning games and contests…be sure to have prizes or awards…everybody loves a prize! Check out our blog post on Pawty Gifts and Prizes for our best ideas!

Pawties are such a great time to take memorable photos. Trust me…everyone is smiling at a dog party…you are going to capture so many happy and beautiful moments. Setting up a photo booth can be as easy or as complicated at you want it to be. To keep it simple…just pick up a few photo props like scarves, hats, strands of pearls and glasses and pass them around. If you do a google search on “photo booth props” and you will find all sorts of fun and affordable items you can order. If you are a DIYer…search on pinterest for DIY photo props. Misfit Manor offers some super cute Pawty Themed Photo Props that are sure to make some great pictures of dogs and their parents!

You can make it even more fun by creating a photo set that goes with the theme of your pawty! It’s easier than you might think to create a fun and affordable photo set. Things like inexpensive shower curtains or sheer curtains combined with some curtain lights make a gorgeous photo set. Add in a cute dog bed or bench and some balloons…voila…you have a great set! If your pawty is happening close to a major holiday a set is even easier to create with holiday decorations you already have. Christmas pawty photos with a volunteer in a Santa or Grinch suit are a blast! Check out my Misfit Manor Pinterest Board on Pawty Tablescaping for more ideas on setting up cute dog themed sets and props.

If you are looking for ideas for games and activities just for the dogs check out my post on Dog Pawty Games and Activities!

Making a Keepsake or Toy

I am a crafting addict…and so are most of my friends so every pawty includes making something to take home. This can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. To start the process of generating your own basket of project ideas check out my Misfit Manor Pinterest Board for Pet Crafts. Definitely one of the simplest group of ideas on this board is to make a handmade dog toy. This can be super cost effective too because most of the supplies you need can be thrifted. You can even have a coloring table…admit it…we all still like to color! Check out my Misfit Manor Pinterest Board for Pet Themed Coloring Pages you can download for your pawty for free!

Making a keepsake though is my absolute favorite activity to plan for a pawty. Making keepsakes can range from; a salt dough paw print ornament, paw print art, a decorated frame to more complex projects like make your own hats and sweaters. Again, browse through my Misfit Manor Pinterest Board for Pet Crafts for tons of ideas. Two of our most favorite pawty crafts are Derby Pawty Hats at our annual Derby Pawty and Ugly Christmas Sweaters for our dogs at our annual ugly sweater pawty. When you do a wearable craft such as a make your own hat, tutu or sweater…raise the “fun stakes” by making it a contest too! Appoint a judge to decide the contest and have a great set of prizes!

If you need some Pawty Planning basics check out our blog post Pawty Planning 101. Pawties are definitely memory making events and planning them is so much fun. Don’t forget to check out our Misfit Manor Shop for all your party decorating needs; we have dog party hats, banners, favors and more. Most of our items can be personalized too!

Don’t forget to sign up for our blog to get our Misfit Manor updates and Pawty Posts full of great ideas and freebies! Follow our Misfit Manor Pinterest Page for tons of dog lover content and follow us on Instagram at @misfitmanordogs for all of our new product releases!

Pawty On!

Nancy & The Misfits