6 Fun Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Your Pet
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. The holiday where some people swoon and others run and
hide. Chocolate, flowers and overpriced cards fly off the shelves. Restaurants are so packed that
you are only getting in if you have a reservation.
Having love in our lives is important for us to feel content and fulfilled. Valentine’s Day can be tough if you do not have someon to share it with. Especially if you seem to be surrounded by nothing but happy couples.
If you find yourself single this Valentine’s Day, consider celebrating the day with your pet. Our pets show us, unconditional love, all year long. Instead of moping that you don’t have a person to spend the day with, show your pet some love with these fun ideas!
Bake with Your Pet
Valentine’s Day is a day where you will most likely consume a lot of chocolate and other sweet treats. Even though our pets shouldn’t consume chocolate does not mean we can’t bake some fun treats for them!
Try making some peanut butter heart-shaped treats. There are quick and easy recipes all over Google that you can try. When picking the peanut butter to use, avoid any that contain Xylitol. This sweetener is toxic to dogs and should always be avoided.
Your peanut butter heart-shaped treats are made and cooling on the stove. You look them over and can’t help but think they look a little boring. You want to add some icing and decorate them because your dog deserves the very best. The icing in the pantry probably isn’t healthy so what can you use?
You guessed it, there are plenty of homemade icing recipes online! You can use yogurt, cream cheese, and even cottage cheese as the base of the icing. Just make sure you are using low fat or fat-free products. Do some research and you will find tons of fun ideas you can use to treat your pet this Valentine’s Day!
Enjoy Some Self-Care
We always talk about self-care for ourselves but what about our pets? Another activity you can enjoy with your pet is a spa day. What better way to show your pet you love them by keeping them clean and healthy?
You can start by giving them a bath. Put on a bathing suit and get in the tub with them. Use pet-safe shampoo and make sure you scrub everywhere and rinse thoroughly. Don’t want to leave any soap behind! To feel more included, you can put on a face mask that can stay on until the bath is done.
Once they are dry, you can then brush them out. Why not brush your own hair since it’s likely it got a little messed up from the bathing fun.
Next, if your dog doesn’t mind their feet being touched, you can even paint your nails together. Get fancy and pick a color that matches their collar!
This is a great way to do some self-care for yourself and keep your dog looking and feeling great.
Another way to participate in self-care for you and your pet is to get outside and get moving. You can take a walk around the block or head out to the backyard for a game of fetch. Being outside is good for us and great for our pets. Even if you live in a state where it’s cold and snowy around Valentine’s Day, you can still bundle up and get some fresh air and movement.
Have Dinner Together
Since our pets love food (and so do we), another way to celebrate Valentine’s Day together is to cook and eat dinner together. You can pick a meal that would be safe and healthy for your pet, such as chicken, rice, and a vegetable. You can make a portion that is unseasoned for them and you can doctor yours up with garlic or any other spices you enjoy.
You can even turn cooking dinner into a fun activity for your pet! Why not use pieces of chicken to train a new trick? Or you can hide pieces of the chicken throughout the house and see if your pet can find them. This is a great way to keep them engaged and for you to bond with them.
If you decide to simply sit down and eat together, don’t forget the candles and soft music!
To add some socialization, you can opt-out of cooking at home and pull through a drive-thru. Treat yourself and your pet to a burger and maybe a few fries. Most people love animals, so the workers will love it too.
Craft Project
If your pet’s collar has been looking a little shabby, or if their bed has some tears, this would be a great time to work on those projects. If you are a creative person, you can decorate their collar to make it look new. You can bedazzle it or draw on it with fabric paint. You can even make it Valentine’s Day themed by adding some hearts or fun patterns. If you do glue anything to their collar, just make sure you use a strong enough glue so the pieces don’t fall off and become a choking hazard. You can also decorate their leash as well.
If their bed has some tears, you can bust out the sewing kit and fix it right up. This will show your pet that you love them and will also stop them from eating the stuffing.
If you are an advanced crafter, you can even design a jacket or bandana. Get creative, your pet will appreciate the effort!
Watch a Movie
This can be a fun one. Pop some popcorn, grab a blanket, and cozy up on the couch with your pet to watch a movie. You can go the traditional route with a romantic comedy or, to keep your pet engaged, you can pick a movie like The Secret Life of Pets or an oldie, like Homeward Bound. Your pet will love watching the animals on the screen and since you’re an animal lover, it’s a safe bet that you will enjoy it too.
Or to keep it simple, you can put on Netflix and binge-watch your favorite show.
To make your pet feel even more included, you can even share your popcorn with them. Pets will rarely stick their noses up to human food.
Arrange a Playdate
Chances are, you are not the only person who may be spending Valentine’s Day without a special someone. If you have a friend that is also single, invite them over so you can spend time together. Even if they do not have a pet, your pet will love spending time with another person and your friend will love having a pet around. The best cure when you’re feeling down is to cuddle with a pet!
If your friend does have a pet, make sure they bring them. Your pets can play together and get some socialization. They will also get tired out of the activity. Just make sure your pets play well together to avoid unnecessary stress or injuries.
If your friend does come over and brings their pet, consider incorporating them into the activities mentioned above. They would probably enjoy eating dinner with you or taking part in some self-care. Everything is more fun with friends and pet companions.
Or, if you want a more relaxed evening, you can get some treats for the pets and pour your friend a glass of wine and enjoy a movie.
Enjoy the Holiday!
What’s great about these activities is that even if you do have a significant other, your pet can still be included in the festivities. Some of these activities will work better for a dog, but some of them will also work for cats and even birds. The most important thing on Valentine’s Day is spending the time with pets (and people) that you love.
Not having a significant other on Valentine’s Day can be pretty lonely but it doesn’t have to be. Just because you may not have another person right now, doesn’t mean you aren’t loved. The love of a pet is just as important.
Even though not having a significant other can be a bummer, never forget that you have a furry or feathered friend that loves you and will always be there for you. Spending the day or the evening with them is a great way to bond. Our pets provide us with comfort and joy all year round. Reciprocate this love with some Valentine’s Day fun!