6 ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your pet

Valentine’s Day is a great day to take some time and celebrate our furry friends. You might be thinking, “I celebrate my pet every day,” but when is the last time you’ve taken your dog or cat on a true adventure? Or made them a special treat? Well, consider this blog post your friendly reminder.  
 

Throw a Party

Does your dog or cat have some human or furry friends they like to spend time around (other than yourself, of course)? Then this might be the perfect opportunity to throw a little celebration in honor of your pet.

Make them a pet-friendly treat (more on that below), decorate the house, and send out fun dog- or cat-themed invitations if you’re feeling really festive.  

Make a treat

It’s tempting to give our pets a yummy human treat as a show of appreciation, but as a veterinary hospital you can probably guess that we advise against that. If you want to show your pet some love through food, we have several pet-friendly homemade treats you can make. Here are a couple of our favorites:  
 
Peanut butter pumpkin cookies for dogs 

Ingredients 
-1 ½ cup flour 
-½ cup peanut butter (no xylitol)  
-1 cup plain canned pumpkin  

Directions 
-Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a bowl and add flour slowly. You only need to use enough flour to make the ingredients stick together and create a dough-like consistency. 
-Form cookies into whatever shape you’d like.  
-Put cookies on a parchment-covered cookie sheet and bake at 350°F until they’re firm.  
-After they’ve cooled, hand one to your sweet lovebug!  

Please note: Cooking time and temperature vary depending on your oven and the size of the treats. 
 
Tuna yums for cats 

Ingredients 
-1 pound raw tuna cut into 1-inch cubes (be sure to wash your hands after handling!) 

Directions  
-Cut the cubes in half. (This makes the yums thin enough to dry thoroughly without burning.) 
-Put the cubes in a single layer on a greased oven-safe pan. 
-Bake at 200°F for 2 hours or until dry and jerky-like. 
-Turn the yums once to make sure they’re evenly baked.  

(Please note: Tuna yums aren’t shelf-stable, but they can stay fresh for weeks in the fridge. And you can keep a large number of tuna yums in small batches in the freezer. You can also make chicken yums using plain, skinless chicken breast, or fish yums using a firm, non-flaky fish.) 
 
Check out more of our homemade treat recipes here. And if you’re not into making your own treats, pet stores often sell Valentine’s Day-themed treats. 

 
Go on an adventure

Taking your pet on an outdoor excursion is not only a great way to show them some TLC, but also a great opportunity for you to get out of the house. Winter can be super dull for both people and pets, and this Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to get out and see something new.

We’ve got helpful tips on road-tripping with your pet, or traveling overseas. We also have ideas to help combat the winter blahs. (Note: If your pet isn’t really inclined to go outdoors and doesn’t respond well to leashes or carriers, this might not be the best idea for you.) 
 

Learn a new trick

It’s never too late to teach a pet a new trick, and if you find yourself at home with your furry friend on Valentine’s Day, why not try give it a try? Dogs and cats are curious creatures and keeping them mentally stimulated is something you can practice at any age of their lives.

We’ve got great mental and physical activity ideas for your pet, like puzzle toys, hide-and-seek, tug-of-war, and more here. 
 

Make a donation

Donating a gift to a nonprofit in your pet’s name, whether it’s pet supplies or a monetary donation, is a great way to honor your pet. Look into your local pet shelters or nonprofits to see if they need supplies like food, blankets, collars, leashes, etc. Some nonprofits may request gently used supplies, or they might create a digital wish list that makes it easy for you to shop online and have the item delivered directly to their address.

If you want to make a monetary donation, many nonprofits have an “in honor of” section in the donation form where you can put your pet’s name. Need help finding a nonprofit? Banfield Foundation provides medical supplies and resources to nonprofit partners in need, and supports pets, people, and communities in crisis. Learn more about this amazing nonprofit here.  

 
Enjoy the moment

If you just want to embrace the season by being close with your pet, you can always cuddle up with them on the couch and watch some pet-friendly movies or shows. It might not be very active, but at least it’s a great opportunity for you to enjoy each other’s company.