Show Some Puppy Love for National Dog Day!

National Dog Day is coming soon on August 26! Dogs are well known for being man’s best friend, and it’s time to show our dogs some puppy love. Whether you’re in the business of dog walking, doggy daycare, or even veterinary services, now’s your chance to show your stuff with a National Dog Day celebration. Throw a party, pass out some promotional gifts, or just give a little love back to the dogs with these National Dog Day celebration tips for small pet businesses. 

Paw-some Dog Day Activities for Your Business

If you’re in the pet-care business, you’re already doing a lot to give love back to our fur-babies, so this National Dog Day, take some time to toot your own horn while celebrating the dogs themselves. Here are a few tips to help make this Dog Day a special day both for your business and the wonderful dogs you work with. 

Throw Them a Bone

Nothing says holiday like a special treat! Reach out to a local butcher for some fresh beef bones, or make an order of some rawhide bones for your dogs to dig into. This is both fun for the dogs and helps clean their teeth. At the end of the day, turn the activity into a promotion by sending leftover bones home with the dogs with your business information and an invitation for the bones to be shared with the dog’s friends as part of National Dog Day. This will help spread the love to dogs outside of your care and help get some free advertising to other dog owners in the area. 

Do a Photoshoot

Everyone loves having pictures of their dog. Getting a professional photoshoot for each dog in your care is fun for the dogs and meaningful for the owners. With their permission, you can use those photos on your business’s blog or social media as well. Even if you can’t afford a professional pet photographer, today’s phones allow for great high-quality images that can let you take great pictures of your dogs in action. Customers will appreciate the keepsake, the dogs will have a blast, and you’ll get free advertising; it’s a win-win-win! 

Give Branded Doggy Gifts

Pet promotional products have always been a popular way for businesses to get their name out, and what better way to advertise your company than to have your brand on your customer’s favorite chew toy? Style up your furry friends with a custom branded bandana, or send them home with a complementary pet accessory bag for their next outing with their human. Customers will remember your generosity and give you free advertising when they show off their new doggy gifts to their friends. 

How to Throw the Perfect National Dog Day Party

Sometimes you want to BIG when celebrating how much dogs do for their human friends. And what better way to show your appreciation than throwing a National Dog Day party for the dogs themselves?  From set-up to clean-up and everything in between, here are some tips to get you started on your own dog party. 

Rent Out Your Local Park

Many cities actually allow you to rent out your local park for a day, and that’s an easy way to get a lot of outdoor space for your party dogs to play! Of course, you still want to be respectful of the public land, so make sure to get some volunteers to help with the set-up and clean-up. A great way to help make sure the park stays clean during the party is to give out doggy waste disposal bag dispensers to your volunteers and guests so they can easily clean up after the dogs. The more hands there are to pick up after the dogs, the less work at the end of the party! 

Plan Play Areas and Toys

If you want to let the dogs run leash-free, you’re going to want to fence off areas so you don’t lose any furry friends, or at least make sure you have at least one owner per dog keeping an eye on their pet. Dogs, especially when around other dogs, are easily excitable and can run off when overly stimulated or distracted. You can also provide a quiet space for dogs to settle down if they get too excited or tired, particularly the older dogs. 

Make sure you have plenty of toys on hand for the dogs to share, as well. An easy way to do this is to have custom party-branded frisbees, tennis balls, and rope toys that doggy guests can take home with them at the end of the party. This way, nobody has to worry about keeping track of their own toys, and everyone gets to take some of the party home with them. 

Have Lots of Treats

With all of the exercise these party dogs will be getting, a few extra treats will help keep them energized and having fun. To make sure all the good dogs are getting treats, provide your own custom party-branded doggy treats that party-goers can take use throughout the party and take home with them. Make sure there is a lot of water provided as well so the dogs can stay hydrated, whether that means providing the owners with collapsible water bowls or setting up stationary watering areas. Of course, make sure you feed the human guests as well! 

Dogs treat every day like it’s National Human Day, and it’s time we returned the favor by giving them a little extra love on their own national holiday. Whether you’re walking the dogs, helping them when they’re sick, or keeping them company while their humans work all day, you’re already a doggy hero, so make sure you have some fun with them on this National Dog Day! 

Next, read more about marketing ideas for veterinary practices.