• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Dog's Best Life

Dog's Best Life

The information you need to keep your dog happy, healthy, playful and loyal.

  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Celebrate 8 important dog milestones

Posted February 6, 2020

 
Dog birthday celebration. Mark dog milestones.
Celebrate dog milestones like your pup’s birthday.

The minute your pet walked into your life, everything changed. You nabbed an instant best friend who you get to watch grow from stranger to family member. If your dog or cat entered your world as a puppy or kitty, you quite literally get to watch them grow and learn every single day. And all pet parents know that all dog milestones are precious, and you don’t want to miss even one!

Consider marking any of these milestones with a royal pet portrait and turn your pet into a true king or queen with a canvas portrait. 

Here are some of the biggest ones to celebrate throughout the year.

Birthday

Contents

  • Birthday
  • Gotcha Day
  • Officially potty trained
  • Obedience school graduation
  • Christmas
  • National pet days
  • First swim
  • First vet visit 
  • Celebrate dog milestones every day with your pet
    • Related Posts

Your dog or cat’s birthday was one of the best days of your life, so you want to celebrate this dog milestone every year. For the big first birthday, get all the neighborhood animals—plus your two-legged friends and family members—together for a fiesta. Celebrate each year with a fancy new squeaky toy (or some catnip) and a homemade pet cake. Be sure to create your own birthday traditions each year, like a trip to the pet store or dog park.

Gotcha Day

Man, woman and child consider adopting a rescue dog at a shelter.
Understand your new dog may have baggage from a previous owner who was abusive or neglectful.

Gotcha Day is the special day a person or animal joins their family by adoption and considered one of the major dog milestones. It’s especially important for pet parents who don’t know the exact birthday or history of their furry friend due to them having multiple owners or unknown life history. Even if you do know your pet’s actual birthday, as anyone with a beloved furry family member can attest, his or her Gotcha Day is one of the most memorable moments during your life together! We all remember that first ride home and wet kiss!

Officially potty trained

If you got your little guy as a puppy, you know what a big deal this is! And, since positive reinforcement and rewards are recommended by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as a great way to train and bond with a pet, this is one milestone where it’s A-OK to pile on the kisses, snuggles, treats, and toys. You can—and should—celebrate all the significant developments in behavior and training as your pet gets older.

Obedience school graduation

Ah, you must be so proud! Your pup passed puppy school! This is a huge deal and means that your pet is ready for a long life of behaving well in your household. To celebrate your pup’s transition into adulthood, surprise her with a cute dog bandana that shows her big personality. Whether she’s shy, spunky, or protective of her owners, there’s a pup scarf to help celebrate it.

Christmas

christmas
Be sure to take lots of great photos of your pup.

We love Christmas with our pets because it’s SO cute to hang doggie and kitty stockings from the fireplace. Oh, and then there’s the fun part—filling them up and watching them dig through them on Christmas morning! You could start a memorable tradition of sending out funny photo cards featuring your favorite furry model or taking your pets to meet and take pictures with Santa at the mall or pet store. You could also dress them up for the holidays because nothing’s cuter than a cat in jingle bells and a dog in a Santa hat!

National pet days

National Dog Day takes place annually on August 26 to celebrate all dog breeds, pure and mixed, and to help shed light on the number of dogs in need of rescue each year. National Cat Day, which takes place on October 29, also helps raise awareness for animals in need. To celebrate these dog milestones, consider donating to the pet rescue of your choice—maybe the one where you got your pup?—in your pet’s name. Some other pet-related days to celebrate annually include:

  • National Dress Up Your Pet Day (January 14)
  • Love Your Pet Day (February 20)
  • National Walk Your Dog Day (February 22)
  • World Spay Day (February 26)
  • National Pet Day (April 11)
  • Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day (April 21)
  • International Chihuahua Appreciation Day (May 14)
  • National Hug Your Cat Day (June 4)
  • National Best Friends Day (June 8)
  • Take Your Dog to Work Day (June 21)
  • National Dog Day (August 26)
  • National Black Dog Day (October 1)
  • National Pit Bull Awareness Day (October 26)
  • National Cat Day (October 29)
  • National Black Cat Day (November 17)
  • National Mutt Day (December 2)

First swim

If you have a dog who won’t stay out of the water—we’re looking at all the labs, goldens, and Newfies out there—then you’ll probably vividly remember the first time they went for a dip. Although you may have had to provide some gentle guidance, they eventually doggie-paddled their way to success, and you haven’t been able to keep them out of the water since! The same goes for their first dock jump, dog show, or agility competition.

First vet visit 

Establish a relationship with your vet to provide the best possible care.

Your pet’s first vet visit is an occasion to celebrate! If you rescued or found her, that very first visit will be quite illuminating, cluing you into her age, breed, and any possible health concerns. Celebrate the first vet visit with some special treats and a belly-scratching session or two to mark the occasion.

Celebrate dog milestones every day with your pet

Pets are such an essential part of our lives, mainly because we know our time with them is short. Turning every holiday or milestone into an event to celebrate will help ensure that you don’t take a single second for granted and that every day is a pet-centric day. As all pet owners know, those dog years sure do go by fast, so every single one should be cherished!

 
 
 
 

Related Posts

  • puppy kisses
    9 ways to celebrate Valentine's Day with your dog

    Spend Valentine's Day with someone who loves you unconditionally --…

  • dod mom
    Celebrate dog moms

    Celebrate dog moms: If you define Mother's Day as a…

  • puppy 101
    Celebrate National Puppy Day by adopting a dog

    National Puppy Day is an ideal day to consider adopting…

  • dog-friendly halloween
    Plan to celebrate a dog-friendly Halloween

    Plan a dog-friendly Halloween that considers your dog's temperament and…

Share this post:

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Email Share on Reddit

Filed Under: Dog Fun, Holidays, Home Page Tagged With: Christmas, Easter

« Previous Post
Next Post »

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Categories

  • Adoption
  • Dog Breeds
  • Dog Facts
  • Dog Fun
  • Dog Grooming
  • Dog Health
  • Dog Inspirations
  • Dog Training
  • Dog Travel
  • Holidays
  • Home Page
  • Puppies
  • Top Stories

Featured Posts

  • Tricolor Australian shepherd in front of white background. Take steps to stop dog pawing.

    Canine body language: What’s your dog saying with his paws?

  • The most common warning signs to watch for in your puppy's behaviors include snarling, growling, mounting, snapping, nipping, lip curling, lunging, dominance, challenging stance, dead-eye stare, aggressive barking, possessiveness, and of course, biting!

    Take action immediately when you spot aggressive puppy warning signs

  • Cute corgi puppy wrapped in a blanket. Talk with your vet about starting your dog on medication to protect him from parasites including flea and tick prevention, as well as heartworm prevention.

    Puppy training 101: 10 tips to prepare your dog for success

Tags

Socialization Dog Medical Emergency French bulldog Flying Non-shedding breeds German shepherd Chihuahua Emotional support dogs Neutering and spaying Bichon frisé Cats Working dogs Independent dog breeds Dog brushing Dog temperament Rescue dog Dog apps Canine autism Chasing Petfinder.com Canine exercise Home renovations Chewing Apartment living Fourth of July Outdoor activities Arthritis Guard dog Cavalier King Charles spaniel Valentine's Day

Footer

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Recent Posts

  • Discover 7 adorable Saint Bernard mixes
    Saint Bernard mixes carry the appealing attributes of Saint Bernards combined with the characteristics of another breed. […]
  • Try 5 easy ways to keep your dog’s fur soft and shiny
    Keeping your fluffy dog clean and healthy doesn't have to be complicated. Simply brush, bathe, use a pet hair dryer, and feed a healthy diet. […]
  • Big or small dog? Which is the right choice for you?
    Consider your home, time, energy and finances when you decide whether to adopt a big or small dog. Big dogs eat more, need more exercise. […]
  • 5 mistakes new dog parents make and how to get it right
    Use this dog training advice to avoid making common dog owner mistakes and produce a happy, well-trained, loyal companion. […]

Get Our Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.

© Copyright 2022 Dog's Best Life online magazine · All Rights Reserved · Privacy
Get Our Free Monthly Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.