How to celebrate your dog's birthday

I didn't know exactly Argo's date of birth, so we chose to celebrate every year on the day he entered our home for the first time.

My dog's birthday began every year more or less like this…

“Happy birthday to my dog Argo! The kindest, sweetest and most adorable ever (and the more troublemaker!)

Today is your special day, whether you know it or not!

Either way, you're getting a special treat today in the form of lots of attention and lots of treats..

I hope you enjoy yourself and that your tail keeps wagging all day long”

(Argo in response wagged his tail and jumped on me all happy and excited!)..

And so the celebrations started!

How to celebrate my dog's birthday

Even though Argo has long since crossed the rainbow bridge, I remember every single birthday of him.

I remember on his third birthday I bought him a trampoline (and I admit I had maybe more fun than Argo that day.. hehehe).

Argo didn't understand what that big thing was, but as soon as I showed him some jumps he immediately wanted to try it..

I can't tell you how much fun we had.. He jumped like a hare!

Or another year I had him make a bone-shaped dog cake. It was so beautiful.. (I am firmly convinced that Argo also liked it hahaha…)

I wanted at all costs to take a souvenir photo of him.. But it was impossible to hold him still.

In the frenzy, one of his paws inevitably ended up on that splendid cake.. Destroying it! Pieces of cake flew all over the living room..

You had to see Argo's mortified face that day. But it was impossible to get angry, also because a piece of the cake ended up on her nose... I couldn't help but laugh!

Do you also remember your puppy's birthdays?

Celebrate birthday even though my dog crossed the rainbow bridge

First birthday without Argo was devastating… In my mind I started remembering all his birthdays. I cried all day, until I had no more tears to shed..

I was left with endless sadness for days.

And I was aware that without Argo my life would have been very different. More monotonous and lonely.

I started getting better, and overcoming the sadness in sophomore year, without him.

I've been trying to find a way to remember it positively (this was around the time Flowerpup was making its debut into the world, and I was starting to have my own sales).

And that's when the idea of remembering him by creating a new portrait of him flashed through my head.

I decided to make a different one. On my laptop I have really a lot of him:

• Surrounded by immense sunflowers
• Or with autumn leaves
• Playing with his favorite dog toy
• With all colorful flowers and a few butterflies fluttering around

But that year I wanted to do something different...

A few days before I dreamed about Argo... We were at park and the ice made the roads very slippery. So much so that Argo kept slipping!

I woke up just as her butt had flipped up after yet another slip.

I woke up laughing, with a feeling of happiness, so I decided to create a new type of portrait, more funny and witty.

The Flowerpup Cartoon pet portraits

And so remembering that funny dream.

How to celebrate your dog on his birthday

There are several ways to remember your dog on his birthday. And since I wish you weren't sad on that day, I share what I've done over the years to remember him happily on his birthday:

• Every year I choose a photo of Argo and put it in a visible place in the house, for example on the desk or on the mantelpiece. But at the same time I look his photo album in my laptop. I have so many photos of him! (I'm sure your cell phone will have plenty of your sweet pet too… right?)
• I take a walk in one of the places he loved to go, picking flowers or other small objects to dedicate to him as a symbol of the good times we spent together.
• I make some cookies that remind me of the moments spent with him in the kitchen
• I walk past his Flowerpup-style memorial pet gift in the living room. I dedicate a moment of silence to him to thank him for all the love he has given me.

Today, every time I see Argo's portrait, I feel him right next to me..

I really hope that these tips can help you make his birthday less painful, and that you can remember it better.

You can try the one you like best and that best represents your dog and your bond.

Conclusion

It's important to remember that everyone mourns differently and there are many different ways to honor your dog on his birthday.

The important thing is to find your own way to honor your puppy dog: that way that makes you feel connected to him and allows you to remember him with love, forever.

You can also create a tradition to honor your dog on his birthday each year. For example, taking a walk in a special place, or eating what your 4-legged puppy was crazy about (My sweet Argo was crazy about ice cream!)

This can help create an ongoing and deep bond with him, and thus help you to grieve over time.

The pain of losing your best friend is immense, but I hope this article has given you courage and reassurance.

A big hug,

Helen