Everyone knows that dogs live life through their noses, so what could be more fun than having your very own dog Easter egg hunt? Of course, bunny ears should be included if you can get your dog to wear them! (Pro tip: take photos before you start the hunt, those ears won’t stay on long.)
You can throw a big event and invite all your puppy’s best pals over for a large-scale hunt, or you can keep things quiet with just the family included. It’s up to you. Either way, you probably want to know what makes a dog Easter egg hunt fun for the canines. First things first: NO CHOCOLATE. Chocolate is toxic for dogs and no amount is safe for them.
WHERE TO HOLD THE DOGGIE EASTER EGG HUNT
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, where should you hold your dog’s Easter egg hunt? Location will probably largely depend on the weather.
Ideal places outdoors would be:
- in a backyard
- a park
- a beach setting.
If the weather doesn’t cooperate, you could host a smaller group indoors and maybe hide less “fragrant” treat-filled eggs.
WHAT KIND OF EGGS SHOULD YOU HIDE?
After you’ve chosen your location, the next thing to consider is what kind of eggs to hide. Smelly treats, bits of hot dog or bacon, and small chunks of chicken or cheese can all fit easily into plastic eggs and since they have a strong smell dogs are likely to fine them. You can also hide treats that don't have as strong of a smell, for advance noses. These small batch wheat free bone treats are perfect.
Try to find the largest eggs you can, and those that have connected halves would be the safest. You don’t want your furry friends to swallow plastic as they gobble up a treat!
Also, try to find plastic eggs that have small holes in them, or, if you’re feeling especially industrious, you can drill a tiny hole in each egg yourself to leak the scent of the treat hidden inside.
PLASTIC EGG ALTERNATIVES
Instead of plastic, you could use boiled eggs for your hunt. Boiled eggs are a healthy treat for most dogs, and that includes the shell, but if you’re worried you can peel them first, then dye them. Just make sure any dye used to color the eggs is non-toxic.
There are plenty of organic and natural dyes out there to choose from. You can even make your own. A word of caution should you use boiled eggs for your dog’s Easter egg hunt; make sure you remember where you hide them all. You don’t want a surprise in early June when Sparky eats a forgotten egg in the yard and develops tummy trouble, or worse, runs into the house with his coat covered in slimy rolled-in rotten egg!
SAFETY FIRST
At any dog Easter egg hunt, it’s a good idea to have guests keep their canines on-leash to more easily help them crack the eggs open or keep them from over-eating. Most important though is to prevent little
fingers from getting nipped and keep aggression from breaking out between guests who might lay claim to the same egg. We wouldn’t want a fight to break out on a holiday!
MAKE IT FUN FOR EVERYONE
If you are hosting a dog Easter egg hunt party with various-sized dogs, and you’re worried not everyone will get to participate, you can attach helium balloons to eggs and mark them “For Small Guests Only,” or “For Seniors Only” for example, so these pups won’t feel left out or get run over.
You could also divide the party space into designated areas and separate the dogs by size, or have them hunt in shifts, to make the hunt less chaotic.
MAKE IT TRICKY!
For extra fun, you could tie a hot dog or smelly treat on a string and drag it around the party space before the hunt, to throw your guests off their game. Hiding the eggs is a fun way to stimulate your dog and his guests, and the trickier you get when hiding the treats, the more fun and challenge they will have finding them.
BASKETS & PARTY FAVORS
You can prepare baskets ahead of time stuffed with additional treats and Easter-themed toys to hold your guests’ remaining eggs after they’ve eaten a few.
These lil Chick Peanut Butter Cookies for Dogs from The Dog Bakery would make a festive party favor! Not only are they made with lots of yummy peanut butter, but they’re hand decorated and adorable!
However you plan your dog’s Easter egg hunt; whether it’s in a group with his doggy daycare or his pals, or with just his pet sitter or family, don’t forget to bring the camera! And above all, have fun. Happy Easter!
Rocky Kanaka
Rocky Kanaka is an entrepreneur, pet rescue advocate and dog dad to a rescue boxer named Flip, a blind Cane Corso called Kobe, and a terrier mix named Zoey. He's also a pet chef and owner of The Dog Bakery, which specializes in
dog birthday cakes and fresh baked dog treats. His three dogs can't get enough of the dog cakes and treats!
Lorna Ladd
Lorna Paxton Ladd is a passionate dog lover and enthusiast of The Dog Bakery. She loves spoiling her 3 rescue dogs with
dog cakes and jerky. A 15 year veteran in the pet industry, her aim is to educate pet parents on the best recipes, products, tips and tricks to optimize the human/canine bond. Her favorite product at The Dog Bakery are the customizable dog birthday cakes.