Posted: February 2, 2012, 7 p.m. EST
The Feb. 5 showdown between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants is sure to be a howling good time. Not a football fan? Check out the Puppy Bowl!
Let the dogs join in on the fun with these simple Super Bowl dog party planning tips:
Food
It’s not a party without food! Treat dogs in your life to water flavored with beef or chicken broth, or for a special treat, you can buy “dog beer,” a non-alcoholic beer made just for dogs by Bowser Beer.
For treats, Lucy Postins, CEO of The Honest Kitchen, has come up with a pawsome football-shaped dog treat in honor of the day.
Touchdown Tasties
Ingredients
1 cup dehydrated dog food
¼ cup ham, diced
3 tbsp grated American or Cheddar cheese
½ *Avocado, mashed
1 free range egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup warm filtered water
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Hydrate the dog food with the warm water and stir. Thoroughly mix in the remaining ingredients to form a batter.
2. Use your hands to form the mixture into "football" shapes, and place onto a greased or non-stick baking sheet.
3. Bake in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes.
4. Cool completely before serving.
5. Treats can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
*Although Avocado stones are poisonous to dogs (and the stone as well as the tough skin could potentially be a choking hazard), the flesh itself is fine for occasional feeding in small quantities, and is a great source of natural, healthy oils. Take care to keep avocado skin and stones out of your pet’s reach and dispose of them (as well as other hazardous food scraps like onion and cooked meat bones) in a secure trash can that they can’t easily raid while you’re enjoying the game.
Toys
You can’t have a Super Bowl without a football! Get squeaky football toys for your guests as party favors. Planet Dog, Kong, and a host of other brands make cute rubber and plush footballs that your guests are sure to love.
Sports Gear
No sporting event is complete without fan-fare! You can find collars, leashes, ID tags, even dog jerseys of NFL sports teams at many retailers and on line. If you are crafty, you can also make your own using the teams’ colors and a little creativity. For example, buy plain gray dog tees for Patriots fans and plain blue tees for Giants fans. Print out the teams logos on transferrable paper and iron onto the dog shirt.
Halftime Games
Entertain yourselves during halftime with some doggy games. Have a dog beer (or flavored water) tasting, a game of hide and seek with the football treats or toy, and a best dressed fan contest are just a few ideas.
Let The Games Begin!