Dog Birthday Treats

Birthdays are perfect occasions to celebrate those you love — including your furry family members, of course! So, a “happy birthday” dog treat is basically a must.

The irony is, loving your pets also means you want to do what’s best for them. So, the go-to human birthday treats won’t cut it. As fun as birthday cakes and other junk foods can be, they’re not any better for dogs than they are for people. And certain treats that are OK for people in moderation can be downright dangerous for dogs.

Fortunately, there are plenty of safe birthday treats for dogs that are also downright delicious to doggie taste buds. And don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you spend hours in the kitchen attempting a Pinterest-worthy creation. The folks at Milk-Bone^® dog treats have already done the work, so you can opt for easy dog birthday treats that feel just as special as homemade.

Look below for some of our favorite dog birthday treat ideas and tips. Enjoy!

How to Choose the Best Birthday Treats for Dogs

You want to give your dog the best every day, especially on his or her birthday. Here’s what to look for.

Consider the Presentation

Often the treats dogs find most exciting are ones with looks, smells, tastes and textures resembling the types of food you eat (even though they shouldn’t actually eat what you do). That’s why Milk-Bone^® has treats with so many different flavors and textures in addition to our classic crunchy biscuits! Milk-Bone^® Dipped Biscuits [link when available] feature peanut butter or vanilla yogurt flavored coating with other natural flavors that put any human sweets to shame. And who needs table scraps when you have the four delicious gravy-basted flavors of GravyBones^® Biscuits on hand?

Check the Ingredients

Even treats can offer some great benefits to your pup! Look for dog birthday treats (and everyday treats, too) that contain added vitamins and minerals. You can even check out grain free dog treats or dog dental treats that will help clean your dog’s teeth and give him or her extra-fresh breath.

Mix It Up

It’s always nice to choose treats you know your dog loves. But since birthdays are special occasions, you might want to pump up the excitement by throwing in something new. Milk-Bone^® dog treats have lots of shapes and flavors to explore. After all, variety is the spice of life!

More Tips for a Fun Fur Baby Birthday Party

Dog-friendly birthday treats are a great start, but the sky’s the limit. Whether you keep it small or go all out is up to you. Just remember, safety first!

Skip Real Bones & Rawhide

Even on a milestone dog birthday, real bones or rawhide treats may not be worth the risk. Splinters and pieces can sometimes break off and cause choking, injuries or blockages in the digestive tract if swallowed. Play it safe with rawhide free dog treats like Milk-Bone GnawBones^® chews. Or give them a chewing challenge with our extra-entertaining Wonder Bones^® long-lasting treats!

Add Some Extra-Special Play

Party it up with fun activities that aren’t part of your normal routine. Consider a play date with some furry friends, a hike somewhere new or an extra-long game of fetch. Feeling creative? Build a dog-friendly maze or obstacle course out of empty boxes and hide a few treats inside for the birthday boy or girl to find along the way.

Cue Up the Camera

Is there any better feeling than watching your dog’s eyes light up and knowing you’re the reason? Now that’s a cherished memory in the making. So, remember to snap some pics or capture some video of your sweet fur baby’s pure, unbridled joy when you serve up his or her birthday treats. Then tag us on social media so we can see the adorableness!

5 Things to Consider Before Making Your Own Dog Birthday Treats

Still thinking about making your own “pupcakes” or cookies? Hey, we get it! Those Pinterest photos of homemade dog birthday treats are awfully cute. And if you like tinkering in the kitchen, it could be kind of fun. But before you bust out the apron, make sure you take these considerations into account. 

Nutrition & Safety

Even if you’re practically a pro chef and you know exactly what will get your dog drooling, most of us aren’t canine nutrition experts. A dog’s nutritional needs are so different from a human’s, it can be tricky – and risky – to give our four-legged friends a food or treat without the input of pet experts.

Why? Many of the ingredients that are common in people food are less than ideal for dogs. At worst, some are dangerous. At best, they’re empty calories. (Check out the ASPCA’s list of people foods to avoid feeding your pet.)

Portion Control

If you make your dog a whole cake and set it in front of him or her to pose for the perfect pic, before you know it, he or she may eat that whole cake…in one sitting. Commercially made dog treats are single servings by design, so you don’t have to choose between letting your dog overindulge (and possibly get sick) or taking away what’s left and being a buzzkill.

Prioritizing Your Time

Most of us have trouble finding the time to cook for ourselves, let alone our pets. Give yourself a break. High-quality store-bought birthday treats for dogs, like Milk-Bone^® products, can feel just as special. And less time in the kitchen can mean more quality time with your dog, which is what he or she really wants most anyway!

Curious Canine Preferences

Some dogs can be unpredictably picky. There’s no guarantee they’ll love a homemade goodie they’ve never had before, even if you did spend time perfecting a dog birthday treat recipe just for them. And nobody wants to go through all that trouble just to have the results of all their effort go to waste. Your dog will appreciate a store-bought birthday treat just as much.

Avoiding a Mess

Your doggie dessert may look beautiful as you set it down. Sadly, your dog’s lack of opposable thumbs and inability to use silverware will probably make what follows much less beautiful. If you’d rather spend your dog’s birthday playing with him or her than cleaning up trails of crumbs, opt for store-bought treats, which generally lead to little or no mess.

Celebrate Your Pup’s Special Day with Milk-Bone^® Dog Treats

With Milk-Bone^® dog treats, there are all sorts of fun and tasty treats that will help make your dog’s birthday the very best. In fact, who says the party has to stop just because your dog’s birthday is over? Our 36 oz. tin of Milk-Bone^® Flavor Snacks^® Birthday Dog Treats is packed with five (5) delicious flavors of dog biscuits for your pup to enjoy for days after the celebration ends (just make sure that treats make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake). And the keepsake birthday tin can be used to store future dog birthday treats for years of fun to come!

Want to knock your dog’s birthday out of the park with a treat that really puts them front and center? Our custom box can help with that! Simply choose the birthday theme, upload your favorite picture of your pup and add their name to the box. For example, you could try “Fido” or “Fido’s Treats.”

There are even more dog birthday treat possibilities to discover from Milk-Bone® dog biscuits. Give your dog the ultimate birthday smorgasbord!