Owners Tell Why They Spend Hundreds of Dollars on Dogs’ B-Day Partie

People across the United States celebrate birthdays every day, and some even throw lavish parties to celebrate their dogs’ birthdays. 

Pet ownership in the U.S. has skyrocketed in the past decades. An estimated 68% of households own a pet in 2023, and around 65.1 million of those households own a pet dog, according to Statista. 

Given that most owners view their dogs as family members, it comes as no surprise that some pawrents go the extra mile to celebrate their four-legged companions. 

In an exclusive interview, three dog owners told Fox News Digital why they’ve decided to throw b-day parties for their pooches and what they would go through to celebrate the furry member of their family. 

Sandra Macedo from Atlanta, Georgia, is a proud mom of a one-year-old long-haired Dalmatian named Ryder. Turning one is a big milestone in any dog’s life and should be celebrated in style! Ryder’s first birthday party included invites, a cake, a piñata, gifts, and decorations. 

Macedo, who works as a content creator, shared that she probably spent around $100 for the party and that she’ll definitely throw one every year for her beloved pooch. 

“Whether you got your dog as a puppy or [at] a few years old, they are here for only a few years, if we are lucky, so I think they absolutely deserve a birthday celebration dedicated to them,” said Macedo. 

She noted that she always wanted a dog like Ryder and said that he is her “soul dog.”

“I always wanted a Dalmatian, so he holds an extra special place in my heart, and I want to celebrate him every single day,” she said. 

Erika Ekman, owner of a four-and-a-half-year-old golden retriever named Lady, explained why she celebrates her dog’s birthday. According to Ekman, her dog Lady has more friends than she does, so a birthday party was really called for this year.

This content creator from Orange County, California, said that she celebrates her pooch as she would any friend of the family. “She is a VERY important family member. We want to make it special for her,” Ekman said. 

Laughingly, Ekman shared that she spent more on Lady’s latest birthday party than she would readily spend for her husband. 

“We usually invite six dogs and 12 people - most dogs are Lady’s best friends… She’s been friends with [them] for a long time,” she said. 

Like Sandra Macedo, Ekman also confirmed that she will continue to throw parties in celebration of Lady’s birthday for many years.

Another dog mom decided to celebrate her golden retriever’s first birthday by throwing a party and inviting each of his eight siblings. 

Ally Diaz, a bridal makeup artist from Palm Springs, California, planned a lavish birthday party for her golden retriever named Sunny. Diaz said that Sunny’s birthday was a day to remember as all eight of his siblings and their owners attended the party. 

“For the dogs’ first birthday, we wanted to reunite them all with their pet siblings and their pet parents,” she said. 

Getting all the dogs together was easier than it seemed as Diaz’s dad owns the mother of the pups, and the family friend owns the dogs’ father. Luckily, all nine pups from the litter live in close proximity and most belong to family members. 

Sunny’s birthday party was the first reunion for the siblings since they were littermates, and was a very special and unique occasion.

“To prepare for the event, we made favor boxes for the dogs filled with toys and treats and made them cute attire to wear to the party.” Diaz spared no expense to make her pup’s first birthday party a success. 

In total, she spent around $300 on a backyard event that included pawty favors, photo drops, balloons, a piñata, cupcakes, dog popsicles, and more.

“Dog events are a great opportunity for the dogs to socialize and interact with each other in a controlled and safe environment. We had so much fun with the first event that we can’t wait for the next one,” she said.

While these owners spared no expense for their pooches, you don’t have to go all out to make your pup feel special on their birthday. Sometimes an extra treat or a brand-new chew toy can do the trick.