Yes or no to the notion of Easter basket for dogs? In our family, and especially when my daughters were little, it was a resounding yes.
Because if the Easter bunny was coming to leave a basket of treats for my daughters, then they expected that our dog Buffy would be getting an Easter basket, too.
Turns out, we weren’t alone in making an easter basket for our dog.
Popular gift giving holidays for dogs
A few years back, I got the results of a survey from the APPA, which is the American Pet Products Association. And here’s what it said.
When it comes to getting gifts for a family pet, there were three times during the year when they definitely did.
One was Christmas/Chanukah. Two was the pet’s birthday. None of that is surprising, right?
What is surprising is that the third most common holiday for giving a gift to a pet is actually a three-way tie among three popular holidays. They are Easter, Halloween and Valentine’s Day.
I’m a little surprised at Halloween and Valentine’s day. I mean, I’d understand dressing your dog up in a Halloween costume but giving them a gift? Surely, it wouldn’t be chocolate.
Same with Valentine’s Day–what, do you dress your dog up as cupid? Again, no chocolate. What can dogs not eat? Definitely not chocolate.
Finally, there’s Easter. So if you’re going to give your dog a gift, you’re probably making an Easter Basket for your dog.
What to put in Easter Basket for dogs
Do you celebrate Easter? And are you like many pet parents who want to put together a pet-friendly Easter basket?
Well, if you’re wondering what you should actually put in it, here are a few tips on how to make an Easter basket for dogs.
Make your Easter basket pet safe
Calls to pet poison lines jump at Easter time. Why?
Because pets tend to get into their human children’s Easter chocolate, and chocolate can be deadly to dogs and cats.
Our previous dog Buffy got into trouble when we left Easter baskets unattended for just a few minutes.
In no time flat Buffy gobbled up a chocolate bunny, and he was one sick puppy afterwards.
One vet trip and $500 later for rehydrating him with IV fluids, Buffy was better.
Look for Easter-themed toys
A few years ago I attended the Global Pet Expo convention in Orlando, Florida. It’s one of the largest pet products marketplaces in the United States.
That year was the first time I saw Easter dog toys from Peeps.
You know Peeps–the company that makes those yummy marshmallow chicks and bunnies for Easter baskets.
Now Peeps has squeaky and other toys that look just like the marshmallow confections, but they’re not edible.
To stick with the spring theme of many Easter decor, you might also look for egg or carrot shaped toys to put in your pet’s Easter basket.
Finally, I’ve heard that Kong makes Easter toys for dogs, too. My dogs love Kongs. So I would definitely add this to your list, too.
Don’t forget the treats in a dog Easter basket
It’s unanimous that dog lovers enjoy giving their pet treats. And it’s no different at Easter.
So fill your dog’s Easter basket with pet-friendly and pet-safe treats.
My dogs Oscar and Sadie love peanut butter flavor treats from Old Mother Hubbard. In addition to the peanut butter flavor, this brand also has bacon and cheese flavor.
So, stock up on whichever brand of treat your dog likes.
Finally, if you want to put real carrots in your dog’s Easter basket, that’s OK. Because carrots are one of the human foods that dogs can definitely eat–within moderation, of course.
Get pictures with your dog and the Easter bunny
My husband and I are guilty of taking our dogs to have pictures with Santa. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that we took our dogs for pictures with the Easter bunny at PetSmart.
That is, a few years ago PetSmart locations nationwide had pictures with the Easter Bunny. All were welcome–human and fur children alike.
We got a free digital photo from PetSmart and we were also able to get images on our own mobile device.
I hope they do this again this Easter.
Plan your own pet-friendly Easter egg hunt
You can plan an Easter egg hunt for your dogs, but without any eggs. Instead, you can hide treats all over your yard (or inside your home, if it’s too cold to be outside).
Dog Easter clothing
In addition to making toys for dogs, Peeps also has a variety of other Easter items for dogs. This includes an Easter hoodie and dog Easter bandanas.
I’m surprised they don’t have an Easter bonnet for dogs, too. Maybe one day they will.
Another place to look for dog Easter clothing? Target.
Target always has a great selection of Easter products, for humans and for pets.
In addition, I would check pet retailers like Petsmart and Petco for Easter clothing to dress your pup in or bunny ears to put on your dog.
Then you can take pictures of them beside their Easter basket, all dressed and ready to celebrate the holiday.
Personalized dog Easter basket
One of my favorite places to get custom pet gifts is Etsy. If you want to get your dog a personalized Easter basket this year, Etsy is definitely the place to go.
Did you get a dog at Easter? Perhaps you want to give them an Easter holiday themed name. Some good ones include Birdy, Bunny and Jelly Bean. You’ll find more Easter dog name ideas here.
Here’s where you can go to get pictures with the Easter Bunny this year.