Sophie, a little shy, sniffed her way around the patio of the Garden Grove Dairy Queen where the party was being held. Mycorn, meanwhile, wished Cubbie, the birthday dog, a happy birthday and presented the 1-year-old with a wrapped gift. From modest gatherings with dog-bone-decorated ice cream cups to more elaborate bashes at neighborhood restaurants, dog parties are becoming de rigueur for the trendy pet-owning set.
Huntington Beach restaurant owner Mike Bartusick said he has had about a dozen dog parties already this year and plans to revamp his party packages to offer more enticing delicacies and treats to his canine celebrants. The cafe has long been a gathering spot for dog walkers, who are particularly fond of its Doggie Menu, which includes Hot Diggity Dogs and Hound Dog Heaven burgers.
A cake of wheat germ and liver with peanut butter frosting can be specially ordered. The Park Bench, in a popular outdoor area, is an obvious canine party venue, but more offbeat locations like the Garden Grove DQ are gaining popularity. Each canine received a dish of vanilla ice cream and an assortment of bones, while the adults munched on burgers and fries.
The magazine for dog owners recently published an article offering advice for planning pet birthday parties. The advice? Hold the event in a park or yard, include games and a Frisbee competition, and always serve a cake. The editors included a cake recipe and a notation that only low-fat cheese should be used to avoid gastrointestinal upset. That bond is what led the Shapiros to honor Cubbie on his 1st birthday, Harold Shapiro said. Out of work with a disability, Shapiro said he and his wife bought 7-week-old Cubbie last year as a companion.
Patti Welker, a single owner of two mixed-breed dogs named Molly and Max, can attest to that. Last month she began holding weekly dog parties in her yard, inviting all the canines in her Santa Ana neighborhood.
