National Puppy Day is on March 23rd! It’s a day to celebrate puppies and all the joy and happiness they bring into our lives.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate and show puppy love to your little pooch.
Here are ten fun things you can do with your pup in honor of National Puppy Day!
1. Make A Puppy Sweater
The world can get chilly when your grown-up coat hasn’t grown in yet.
Before you put clothes on your fur baby, make sure your dog is comfortable wearing clothing, and don’t force it on them.
All you need to make a puppy sweater are a pair of scissors and an over-sized sock. Follow the instructions in the video above, and your little dog will be looking fashionable and staying warm on National Puppy Day!
2. Throw A Puppy Party
This is a holiday worthy of a party, and no party is cuter than a puppy party. You can even make it a puppy shower to introduce your new dog to the people and other pets they’ll come to know and love!
Invite your puppy or dog loving friends over for a good time. Introducing your young dog to other canines is a great way to start the process of socialization.
Make sure that you’re keeping a close eye on everyone and that all the puppies are having fun. Be ready to step in and break up the action if any behavior needs to be corrected.
3. Go On A Nature Hike
Your puppy will love taking in all the new smells outside of the house on a nature hike.
Puppies can’t usually walk very far without taking a rest, so be sure to bring a nice comfy carrier or bag that they can relax in while you do the hard work. They’ll still be happy to poke their head out to take in all the sights and smells while spending quality time with you.
Bring along supplies like food, water, and bowls for your pup, too.
4. Practice Playing In The Water
Not every puppy is ready to start swimming lessons just yet, but it might be a fun time to introduce them to water and see if they enjoy it.
Try letting them run through the sprinkler a bit, or see if they want to dip their toes in the kiddie pool. Always keep an eye on your dog near pools or bodies of water, no matter how good they are at swimming.
Make sure they have a fun, positive, safe experience, and they may be swimming like a fish in no time.
5. Meet A New Puppy Pal
If one of your friends or neighbors has a pup who wants to celebrate National Puppy Day too, ask if they’d like to have a puppy play date.
Making a new friend is a great way to start socialization at an early age, and both of your little ones will benefit from it. As always, be safe and supervise the action.
6. Take A Puppy Nap Together
If there’s one thing puppies are good at, it’s napping.
Falling asleep together is a great way to show that you trust one another, and that’s a key to bonding.
If you’re the kind of person who moves in your sleep, it’s best not to nap right next to each other, just in case you roll over or kick while you’re in dreamland. Just take a rest instead and let your pup do the sleeping on your lap.
7. Play Puppy Karaoke
Your pup has to learn to put up with your antics at some point, and now is as good a time as any.
Make sure the volume isn’t so loud that it hurts your puppy’s ears or scares them, then have a sing-along to your favorite jams.
Your puppy might even join in with some howls or barks. Then you can feel the music in your souls together.
8. Make A New Toy
There are plenty of toys you can buy for your puppy, but making something, yourself, feels extra special.
Try making the homemade rope toy in the video above. All you need are some scissors and an old piece of clothing like pajama bottoms.
Follow the instructions and get ready for a fun game of tug-of-war or try practicing fetch.
9. Set Up A Puppy Obstacle Course
Puppies aren’t quite as agile or graceful as full grown dogs yet, but they do benefit from some mental and physical stimulation.
Try making a puppy obstacle course — nothing too stressful, though. Start with having your pup climb over a few pillows or walk around the leg of a table, then add more difficulty if your puppy isn’t challenged enough.
Give lots of praise for a job well done and take breaks so your pup can rest up after spending all that puppy energy.
10. Share A Puppy Photo Shoot With Your Facebook Friends
There’s no better way to celebrate National Puppy Day than sharing the happiness of puppies with everyone you know.
It’s time to have the cutest photo shoot ever and post it all over social media so your friends and family can share in the adoration of your precious little pooch. My day is always made better when I log on to find a Facebook wall of puppies, and your friends will love it, too.
What other ways will you celebrate National Puppy Day? Do you have a puppy at home who’s ready to have fun for this holiday? Let us know in the comments below!
