Gotcha Day Celebration

Gotcha Day is the day you brought your new family member home, whether it was a young puppy or a senior pet. Though some people know their pet’s birthday or have an approximate month, if you don’t know the exact day, the Gotcha Day is a great day to celebrate. But how does one typically celebrate a Gotcha Day? Here are some ideas:

Celebrate with Cake

There are dog-friendly bakeries that can make you a custom cake, you can make your own from scratch (typical ingredients that are good for dogs include peanut butter, carrots and honey) or there are even doggy cake mix boxes you can buy to make things extra easy. For cats, a patty made from fish flakes could be a big hit. This dog, Chance, got a cake and candles for his 10th birthday.

FUN OUTING OR STAYCATION – if your dog loves the beach or hiking take them out for a special outing. Let them sniff and pee on whatever they want. No rush! If they are a couch potato, indulge by watching a movie with them. Enjoy a cat nap with your cat.

NEW TOY – keep in mind a “new toy” could mean letting them chew on your dirty socks if that’s something they love. My cat, for instance, loves to stick his head in my smelly shoes and my other cat loves to roll on towels damp from just being used. A new ball with a fun squeaky noise is a celebration even if it only lasts as long as it takes for your pet to kill the squeaker.

Throw a Paw-ty!

A previous blog of mine documented a 1-year Birthday Party for two dogs that were from the same litter whose human families had become friends. That celebration involved cake, balloons, party hats, confetti and a bubble machine so don’t be afraid to pull out all the stops!

Commission a Portrait

Get a lasting photo portrait of your pet by scheduling a photo session just for them and you. If there are other folks that are close to your pet like a family member, invite them along too so the photographer can capture their special bond. This dog Domino had a special photo session for his 10th birthday. Here he is with his birthday “dog bone” pillow and his favorite stuffed animal.

We love to do special birthday/Gotcha Day photo sessions so email Pipi@SoulfulPetPhotography.com to start the process of planning for the big day!