If you celebrate Easter then you know that your dog probably gets just as excited about this holiday as anyone else in your family. Sure you can't resist sharing a small bite of your famous Easter ham with them, but don't. Ham is loaded in nitrates, sodium and sugar which should not be on their menu this holiday. So, what else can you do to make this day memorable for them as well? Here are a few things you can do to have a great day with them.
Have a Doggy Easter Egg Hunt
Doing a doggy Easter egg hunt before your kids hit the yard can be a great way to include your pet. You can put treats in the yard and even an extra boiled egg. Here are a few tips for making this memorable:
Do not use plastic Easter eggs to hide treats. Your dog will not be able to find them and the plastic can break and harm them.
Follow your dog to make sure they get all the treats
Do the dog hunt first to ensure your dog does not pick up chocolate left from children
Give Them an Easter Basket
Now this is a little trickier than the Easter egg hunt because easter baskets are not exactly good for your dog. The baskets are easily splintered when chewed on by your dog and the grass in the baskets can be toxic to your dog. This is why giving your dog their own “basket” while your kids open their baskets can be helpful. You can just hand them the items or put it in a pet safe basket without all the Easter grass. Dogtown Bakery offers super cute Fuzzy Easter basket and decorative just for dogs cookies making sure they feel 100% part of the festivities.
Set Them a Place at the Table
OK, well chances are you are not literally going to set your pet their own place at the dinner table unless you're like us, but you can still make them a part of your Easter dinner. Make them their own plate to enjoy. Just make sure you are not giving them foods that are toxic such as onions and garlic. *Carrots and green beans on the other hand are an excellent choice for your pet on this holiday. Also, make sure you do not give them too much food as this will upset their stomach. The best way to do this is to make them a plate rather than hand feeding them where you can lose track of how much has been given.
These are just a few of the ways you can get your dog involved in your festivities. This can help to make your dog feel more like a part of the family and the entire family can have fun with this.
*Carrots should always be given in moderation as they are high in carbs and should be lightly steamed. Green Beans, are a great non-value veggie... and it's a great filler that is not harmful and can aid in weight loss incase fido is a bit too fluffy. A tablespoon of salt and butter free mashed potatoes is not a dealbreaker in the game of nutrition but def stay away from sweet potato/yams drowning in Tutu's brown sugar and marshmallow recipes. Dogs really just want to be part of the family, feeding them things that aren't necessarily good for them will ruin the moment and turn memories into runs, literally.
Whatever you do this Easter season don't forget to include your dog and remember to remove all baskets loaded in chocolate bunnies as it's toxic to dogs, including Reeses peanut butter cups.