Birthday parties have always meant fun, food, and frolic. I’ve been to my fair share of them. But never did I think I’d attend one where the guest of honour greeted me in a glittery bow and frilly frock, with sniffs, wagging tails, and sloppy licks. Hands down, the most wholesome welcome I’ve ever received.

Yes, I attended a pet dog’s birthday party, and it was unlike anything else. As funny (or crazy, depending on who you ask) as it sounds, it’s actually more common than you’d think.

At a time when debates around street dogs have intensified, following the Supreme Court’s order to remove strays from streets and place them in shelters due to a spike in bites and rabies cases, this celebration felt refreshing. It was a reminder that while a section rallied against having dogs anywhere close to them, there were also people who loved them like their own babies.

So now, back to the party.

The unexpected invite

My dog has a far better social life than I do. That’s how the invite landed on my WhatsApp for the birthday party of Brandy (my neighbour’s baby Shih Tzu): “Come. Sit. Stay. Let’s Pawr-ty! Baby Brandy is turning one!”

So, I was excited, tried (and failed) to excite my own dog, and before I knew it, I was already adding squeaky toys, treats, and bows to my shopping cart because if it is a birthday, you do need birthday gifts, right?

The birthday bash

There was no official dress code, but everyone turned up dressed to impress. And by everyone, I mean the four-legged guests, not the hoomans.

The fashion game was on point: lacey frocks, printed tees, even a few shirts. The room was decked with pink-and-gold balloons, an arch, birthday banners – and the usual stuff.

Once the greetings were exchanged, belly rubs were in place, and the dogs decided it was playtime. While they enjoyed running around with plushes and toys, we humans tried to keep things under control. Doggie etiquette 101.

At one point, I paused to soak it all in. One corner was all cuddles, another full of belly rubs, and across the room, pups darted like rockets. The common thread? Every single person in the room had a smile stretched ear to ear. There were no awkward silences, no small talk, just uncomplicated joy. I realised I hadn’t thought about my problems once since stepping inside. That’s the magic of dogs.

Photoshoot chaos

No party is complete without photos. But try convincing a pup to sit still while another zips past with a squeaky toy. Chaos doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Every time we thought we had a perfect frame, someone’s dog would photobomb with a wagging tail or blurry leap. The result? Not a single solo, just a gallery of happy, messy, imperfect memories. And honestly, that felt better.

The ceremony

Then came the cake for the birthday boy,topped with bone-shaped treats. It looked so good I had to remind myself to leave the drooling to the dogs.

The second it hit the table, little heads popped up from every corner with curiosity. Slices were served in their respective bowls, one for each pup (though, of course, everyone still wanted a bite of someone else’s). And their happiness was palpable from their wagging tails.

Food? Check. Playtime? Check. Photoshoot? Double check. Now came my favourite part of any birthday party – return gifts. Honestly, I did not expect.

Each pup got a customised dog tag with their name engraved. The perfect memory to take back from such fun party, I thought.

The party began with a pup in a glittery bow tackling me with sloppy kisses. It ended with me clutching a return gift and laughing at the blurry photos on my phone. Honestly, if this is what pet birthdays look like, I’d RSVP “yes” over and over again. Sorry, humans, you’ve got competition.

– Ends