By Anushka Verma*
Pet Parents put a lot of pressure on themselves despite their best efforts. It is difficult to comprehend everything pet coveys in a language completely unfamiliar to us.
I admire pet parents for taking the time to go the extra mile and cover up all the essential necessities, research, and everything available to them in order to understand their pets. Let’s take a moment and lighten their load by offering easy and accessible ways to host a pet-friendly event. An event with other pets might just be what your respective pet would require and might not be able to express it.
Sometimes all it takes is a happy moment to add a fresh perspective and enjoy this wonderful adventure with your pet that only makes sense to you. Furry animals deserve to have a good time and a good life. This might just be one of those moments when they cannot stop wagging their tails out of excitement. However, throwing parties can be overwhelming, to say the least. Lucky for you, I have done some research and broken it down into simple steps that are easy and budget-friendly for pet owners. Here’s what you need to do.
Selecting the venue
This is the first and the most obvious step. Choose a suitable venue for your dogs where they can dance around in their own way and have a good time. You can choose your own home space for this and be as creative as you possibly can. Nothing is more gratifying than a house full of dogs for a dog lover. However, that depends on a couple of things. If you love to host parties and take up that responsibility, it might work for you. Individuals who are wired that way, tend to get a satisfying feeling after making a bunch of dogs very happy. That also comes with more planning, taking charge of everything, not being in a position of delegating tasks, and doing it all by yourself. Not to mention, the mess you will have to clean afterwards. If you find taking on too much stressful and want other pet parents to take up equal responsibility, or at least responsibility over their pets, a venue outside your place would work wonders. Preferably a garden where all kinds of dogs can enjoy, with extra space. Outdoors make them very happy in general. In that case, you can coordinate with other pet parents and create a potluck out of this. It is a great way to connect with fellow pet parents as well.
Hydration Check
Keep water for dogs handy as they might need plenty of it to cool down specially, with all the running around. This is one of the most essential items required and might help more than you think it would.
Food
This is self-explanatory and no party is complete without food. A dog party, as opposed to a party you throw at home, will be most useful in this regard. As each parent will be responsible for their own pets, they would know what food item works best for their pet based on allergies and preferences. Moreover, this will be a good time to have a meeting with pet owners so you can discuss various food sensitivities, and likings, come up with recipes for dog treats, and divide the tasks so every pet parent can bring something to make the picnic a success.
Space and Monitoring
By assessing how much garden space you hold for the picnic beforehand can save you so much trouble. This way you will be able to regulate the movement within the setting and not risk losing your pet. It will also be helpful to set a specific time slot. These regulations are very important for dogs and you want to keep an eye out for your furry friends. To monitor this, pet parents can also swing by and hang out, socialise with each other and ensure the boundary line is not crossed. Pets require pet-friendly rules.
Bringing a Vet
A dog picnic can be very chaotic and it is always useful to have a vet for precautionary measures nearby. You can schedule an appointment with a local vet if it falls well within their services to do so or a vet you know personally to be there during the picnic and ensure all dogs are healthy and safe. If you are aware that there is an accessible vet nearby, you are good to go.
Activities
Now that all the basics are covered, let’s discuss the activities that will take place during the picnic. This could include playing fetch or anything creative and engaging for pets. This can be one of those things that can also be discussed in the meeting. This could have meshed into something that inculcates all the day-to-day quirks and fun moments of each pet. Try not to micromanage this section, as they need to be monitored only, not controlled. Give them space to let loose and have some fun yourself as well, you have taken care of everything. Pet Parents, you deserve this!
*Anushka Verma is a marketing and management enthusiast who uses her skills and understanding to help everyone around her.
