The Best Valentine's Day With Your Dog
Updated On: March 20, 2023 | Published On: February 11, 2021
What should I get my dog for Valentine’s Day? A question that you probably didn’t think you would ever by typing into google. But don’t worry, you are not alone! Last year the National Retail Federation estimated that we spent more than $1.7 billion on Valentines for their pets, and according to rover.com they noted that almost half of pet parents have planned a Valentine’s Day celebration for their dog, including, but not limited to, buying them a new Valentine’s Day dog toy, ordering a Valentine’s Day dog outfit, or even baking them their very own Valentine’s Day dog treat.
Even though we already show our pups how much we love them every day, Valentine’s Day is another perfect excuse to pamper your pooch with belly rubs, cuddles, kisses, and yes, presents.
So this year, we have come up with the paw-fect dog-friendly Valentine’s Day. And don’t worry, if you had also planned on spending some of the day with your human partner, they can tag along too, as our day is not only dog-friendly but human-friendly too.
Visit a dog-friendly cafe
Start the morning off with a walk to your local dog-friendly cafe for a puppuccino and coffee to go. If you are not sure which of your local cafes are dog-friendly AND offer puppuccinos, have a look on our website to find your nearest dog-friendly cafe. You can also now filter the search results to only show cafes that offer puppuccinos. If you are not really sure what exactly a puppuccino is, or how to order one, check out our Paw Friendly blog here.
Burn off some energy at your local dog park
Now that you have had your coffee and your pooch has had their puppuccino, take a stroll over to their favorite dog park. Here we have a list of the top 6 dog-parks in Dublin where your pup can run free. No leads required.
Head on over to your local pet shop
After you both have used up a bit of energy, why not stop by your local pet shop to let your pup pick out a new Valentine’s Day toy and some new Valentine’s Day dog treats. Did you know that on our website, you can filter for Pet Stores/ Pet Supplies? We suggest you also pick up a couple of themed Valentine’s Day outfits or accessories for our next activity.
Have a photoshoot
Find a beautiful location and stage a photoshoot with your pup. We already know that the majority of the photos on your camera reel is already made up of pictures of your dog so why not add a few more. Find a nice quiet spot, pull out those accessories (and maybe a few treats) and take some pictures.
Here are a couple of tips for getting the best photos of your dog.
- Get your pup’s attention. Call their name, or make a goofy sound to have them look at you. This works even better if you have a treat you can hold.
- Get them to smile! - The easiest way to put a grin on their face is to play with them! If you are next to a park, throw a ball a few times, or play tug of war with the new Valentine’s Day dog toys you just got for them!
- Change your camera’s perspective.
- Get down on your dog’s level
- Turn off the flash
- Take lots of pictures and have fun!
Bake a dog-friendly treat
Now that you have arrived back home from your morning out, it is time to do some baking. A few weeks ago, we made some dog and people-friendly vegan banana and peanut butter pupcakes with a sweet potato frosting. She loved them and honestly, we did too.
Give them a massage
Before starting the spa session, there are a few things you can do to set the mood.
Select a quiet area of your home where there are few distractions.
- Choose a time when your pup is relaxed, maybe right before bed.
- Make sure you wait at least 30 minutes after your pup’s last meal.
- Take them out for a potty break before starting.
- Start with some gentle petting to calm your pup. Make sure you use long strokes along their back, belly, and any other body parts where they like to get scratched.
- Move to the back of their neck and use gentle pressure to make circles with your fingertips.
- Slowly move to their back, continuing with the same pressure and motion between their shoulder blades.
- Move up to their front legs starting down by their ankles and continuing up to their knees.
- Next go to their back legs and keeping the same pressure work your way up. Some dogs are funny with their legs being touched, so keep an eye out for any signs of them being uncomfortable.
- Finish with a little head massage. Poppy loves it when we scratch the top of her head and between her eyes. She also loves a nice ear rub and scratch.
Enjoy the thank you kisses your pup will undoubtedly give you once you finish. Or, they will reach out with their paw, and claw you back to tell you to continue.
Watch a Doggie Movie
End the most paw-fect Valentine’s Day with a cuddle on the sofa to a doggie film.
If you are emotionally strong enough, Marley and Me is available on Prime Video, for those that cry when their pup treads on a prickle, Netflix has a few feel-good movies, including A Dog's Way Home, and Benji (I am already crying looking up the trailers...)
Let us know how you plan to spend your paw-fect Valentine's Day with your dog by sharing your pictures with us on Instagram @pawsfriendly!
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