Our canine companions are beloved members of the family, so it’s only natural to want to celebrate their birthday or ‘gotcha day’ as we would for our human loved ones. After all, why should we have all the fun?
And, while a new chew-toy or an extra-long walk will surely be gratefully received, we all know that our dogs live and breathe food – so, if you’re a dab hand in the kitchen, why not whip up a special dog-friendly birthday cake? (Of course, it goes without saying that human birthday cakes are a no-go – read more about foods that are toxic for dogs here).
To help you find the most delicious dog-friendly recipes, we ventured down the rabbit hole of homemade doggy desserts, and discovered these mouth-watering offerings from Dog’s Trust, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Blue Cross.
View them below – including some handy step-by-step videos!
This vet-approved cake from Blue Cross includes coconut oil, honey and shredded carrots. In fact, it looks so delicious, we might just have to tuck in ourselves…
These bite-size treats from Dog’s Trust only use four ingredients, so even the most novice bakers can give them a whirl.
We love the decoration on this birthday treat from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, including mashed potato ‘icing’, sprinkled treats and a meaty stick candle.
Please note, the above cakes aren’t suitable for pups with special dietary requirements. The recipes have been specially designed with dogs in mind, but should only be used as occasional treats, as part of a balanced, healthy diet.
At Closer Pets HQ, we’re big fans of good old-fashioned dry and wet dog food (and not just because they fit nicely into our automatic dog feeders…), but for big occasions, we believe something extra special is in order. And to put our money where our mouth is (literally), we wanted to share our own creations with you!
Here’s Gwyn baking some delicious homemade doggy biscuits for our Closer Pets pooch, Charlie. As you can see, he takes his job as quality control manager very seriously…
Gwyn told us: "Charlie loves to help me make his biscuits, they are a healthy Battersea Dogs Home recipe with sweet potato, oats and banana. He's very good at waiting until they come out of the over before he tries to eat them!"
And if you don’t fancy yourself as a baker (we can’t all be a budding Mary Berry), there’s always the option to order in from a professional. The Happy Spaniel Bakery sell a selection of wonderful treats, including bespoke bakes if required.
So, whether it’s a birthday, adoption anniversary or your dog has simply been a *very* good boy recently, it’s time to go get creative in the kitchen…ready, set, bake!