10 Ways to Celebrate IndePAWdence Day with Your Dog

6/26/2017

I'm probably guilty of making separate claims that every holiday is my favorite, but I love Independence Day. Parades! Fireworks! Barbeques! Plus, everyone looks great in red, (white and blue)! When will you be celebrating the Fourth? Coordinating mid-week holidays is always tricky :( Regardless of your plans, it's always fun to loop your dog in during the holidays. So, we rounded up 10 of our past posts and remixed the concepts to inspire you with new ways to celebrate IndePAWdence Day with your dog...

1. For a unique take on the classic dog bandana, trade Mardi Gras beads for red, white and blue strands and DIY this bead bandana. These beads should do the trick!

2. Flower crowns? How about flower collars! Grab a variety of red, white and blue flowers, or stick with one color flower and finish with festive ribbon.

3. Blank bandanas are widely available and come in a variety of colors. For the upcoming holiday, you could go with a cluster of patriotic patches, or use iron-on letters to spell out cute phrases like, "PAWTRIOTIC PUPPER" or "RED, WHITE & WOOF".

4. Can you tell how much we love patches right now? :) Back in this post, we linked to more than 20 fun patches, including a handful of patriotic patches. Make a set for both you and your dog and you'll have the perfect accessory for everything from parade-watching to barbeque-hopping.

5. We had so much making these rainbow donuts for National Donut Day, but you can make spirited donuts by only dividing the dough into thirds. Then, leave one portion undyed and tint the other sections red and blue, respectively.

6. How fun is this mini surprise cake?! For bold patriotic colors, load the center of the cake with blueberries instead of little biscuits.

7. If you're in the baking mood, this doggie take on strawberry shortcake uses a different flavor of the same dog mix as the surprise cake above. Add blueberries to the layers to achieve maximum red, white and blue.

8. These frozen heart pops are meant to be a total crowd pleaser. Using only strawberries, blueberries and plain yogurt, these pops can be enjoyed by both dogs and humans. But to keep your dog or several dogs entertained during a gathering, make a giant pop by layering the same ingredients in a sand castle mold! We tried a version of this in Arizona and it worked great.

9. Need to bring a treat to a barbeque? Don't forget about the pups! These "Treat Fireworks" are so simple to prepare. For that extra touch, add gold star stickers to the outside of the treat launchers.

10. Lastly, don't be afraid to include your dog in dog-appropriate activities within your dog's comfort range. Last year, Pierogi (this was PG -- Pre-Gilly) tagged along to a local fair, a parade and several barbeques. But this time of the year can also induce anxiety in many dogs. Here, we shared our top tips for comforting a worried pup through situations like a fireworks show.