You have already prepared yourself to spend an amazing night with your significant other, but you feel like your pooch might be left out without experiencing the wonders of Valentine's Day. And even with all the Valentine's gifts for your pet, there's still that little extra you want to do to please your significant-dog.
Show your love to your pooch, and consider spending at least a part of the day with her: playing, eating and cuddling together. Any activities you can come up with where both of you will spend the time enjoying each other's company will result in a perfect day for you and your canine.
Valentine's Day is just the time to do something special you've never done before with your pet, or maybe go that extra mile for the things that are absolute favorites of your four legged friend. Here's a list of 11 such things which you can do to show how much you love your pup.
Go sightseeing, find new places together
Regular daily walks which you and your dog both know in and out are nothing special anymore.
Sightseeing, going to visit new places, meeting other people or animals, or simply spending time alone in the nature where your dog has never been before – that's an adventure! Maybe go hiking together if you've never been? Or how about just visiting new places of the city? A different park, different neighborhood? How about a long-drive somewhere you've been planning to go?
Let your pet enjoy something new for a change. Dogs are like children, they love exploring, they love adventure and everything is always interesting to them. Going somewhere new will be very exciting to your dog, even if you have already been there before.
Have a picnic in a park
Carrying the vibe of introducing your dog to new things, how about making a day out of having a picnic together?
Grab something for yourself, and don't forget your dog. Some tasty homemade meal or even if it's a store-bought quality dog food brand, anything goes. Don't forget to bring a few games to play before and after the meal in the park.
Best place to do this might just be your local dog park, but it's the new things you'll do together is what counts. Maybe your pooch will meet old friends, too, or be introduced someone new to interact with. Plus, all this prancing around the park for a few hours longer will burn off those calories you both have just consumed.
Spoil your pooch with some gifts
What's better than surprising your dog with a new, shiny, squeaky dog toy?
Turns out, Americans already love spoiling their dogs and spend insurmountable amounts of money on them. If you're not the one to constantly buy your pup new things, then how about making this day one of the rare occasions and look into some great Valentine's gifts for dogs?
We like surprises, and your dog will love something new to play with as well. Forget the treats, foods and edibles, and opt for something that will last at least throughout the day and keep your dog interested in busy. After all, you are trying to make your dog's day better.
Take your dog to a good groomer
A washed, cleaned and groomed dog is going to be a happy dog (at least afterwards).
This could be a win-win situation for both of you. Find a good local groomer, or possibly even take your dog a more luxurious place for an all-round dog grooming experience and plenty of pampering. Some of those places will make your pet feel like a queen or king, and they will love the experience.
Can't afford a grooming service? Not a problem. Give your dog a SPA day at home, if you can make this a more relaxed and less stressful experience for him or her. You want them to feel clean but at the same time, you really don't want to ruin your dog's day on Valentine's.
Give more time for roaming and exercise
A happy dog will always be the one that is exercised and tired from all the running around.
Provide your pet with plenty of time to run around in that dog park. Sniffing, looking, searching and everything your dog never has enough time to do on your regular daily walks – this is a chance to change that, if only for a day.
Dog experts know that dogs who are exercised well will be much happier, with a well-stimulated mind, a body ready for rest and have much less dog behavior problems. So again, spending longer outside and relaxing while your dog is doing her thing is a win-win situation.
Touch your dog more and cuddle
ASPCA says that the best way to show your dog you love him is through touching.
So do not hesitate – Valentine's Day is the time to show your pooch how much you love and adore your furry pal. Spend plenty of time not only running away from your dog in the park, but also being close together.
After a long day of picnics, sightseeing and roaming dog parks, cuddling on the couch might be exactly what both of you need. We all know what canines love: belly rubs and ear scratches. This is the day to move the attention away from yourself and focus on giving your dog something more than just 5 second belly rubs. Let your pooch enjoy this to the fullest.
Play plenty of games together
Exercising your dog's body and mind through playtime is the best thing you can do to keep your Fido happy.
Most dogs love playing games, and especially if they can do that with their owner whom they always try to please. Keep your dog busy throughout this day and lavish her with plenty of your attention. Get a list of games together, whether it's in the park, in your home or both.
Remember how the last time you played with your pooch and the session lasted for 10 minutes? The last game of fetch which was only 15 minutes. We get bored of doing the same thing over and over again, but not our dogs. If they love the game, they want to continue playing it. Now is the time to submit to your dog's wishes.
Let your pooch socialize with others
Dogs are social animals, but those staying very often at home normally don't get enough socialization.
Valentine's Day is the perfect time to let your dog meet other canines or even other animals. This is the day when most other loving and caring pet owners will take their dogs outside for longer walks and have a picnics together in the park, or otherwise follow some of these top dog tips.
Get together with a few other dog owners or meet them in the park, and have your pups spend time together and socialize. Maybe they'll go into their old games, or possibly find new friends in where you are. The point is to let your dog socialize to the extent where his bar for social interaction requirement is full.
Give your dog that extra treat
On Valentine's Day stop worrying for a minute about “too much,” and give your pup that tasty treat for a boost in happiness.
There are very few holidays in a year when we can spoil our canines as much. This day is the time to stop worrying about how much weight you will put on from that meal with your significant other, those chocolates you're eating all day or whether your dog should have those extra few pieces of dog treats.
Relax and enjoy the holiday, and try to provide the same opportunities for your pet. You'll be playing more, spending more time, cuddling and having a picnic with your pal this day. All of these are great opportunities for a few more extra dog treats for your pooch to fully enjoy the day. And you can always make some healthy dog treats yourself.
Prepare a tasty homemade meal
Show how much you love your dog with a very tasty, nutritious and healthy meal your prepared yourself on Valentine's Day.
Why not splurge this day on a few high quality ingredients and spend a good amount of time preparing your dog a really healthy yet delicious homemade dog meal? There are so many recipes available online today, from cheap and simple to expensive and 5-star restaurant worth looking.
Even if your dog cannot appreciate how great the plate of doggie meatballs will look, she will surely appreciate the way those meatballs taste. Maybe drop a few more as an extra and let your dog complete the day with this gorgeous homemade dog meal and a full stomach.
Allow some space and rest time
After all the running around, let your dog to sleep it off well, and respect their privacy.
If you have planned this whole day for you and your pup to enjoy Valentine's to the fullest, don't also forget that these furry animals can get tired. Your aim should be to have enough playtime, great meals together, spend time seeing new places and running around, and then having some rest at the end of the day.
Rest from each other, too. Give your dog some space, because even the cuddliest ones will eventually want some time alone. Respect your dog's wishes and have a place where your dog can retreat from you for a while and simply nap. If your dog has his own dog crate or possibly a whole dog house to himself, this is mostly where he will spend the rest of the evening. But in the end, your pooch has probably had one of the most wonderful days of his life.
