Fun and easy ways to include your pup in this weekend's festivities - just keep them away from the chocolate!
With Easter fast approaching, you're probably already making plans for the Long Weekend, but what about your furry friend? Although they can't enjoy any tasty Easter chocolate, there's no reason why our pups can't enjoy Easter weekend too.
If you celebrate Easter and don't want your pup to miss out on any of the fun, we've come up with 5 cute ways you can get your furry best friend involved in the festivities.
1. Host a Doggy Easter Egg Hunt
An Easter Egg Hunt is a classic holiday tradition for children, and is one that your pup will love just as much as you did when you were a kid.
Whether it's your apartment, your garden or your favourite local park, making an Easter Egg Hunt for your pup will be a lot of fun for both of you, and it takes very little planning!
American Kennel Club reminds dog owners that, "plastic Easter eggs can crack in a dog's mouth if they bite down too hard, so a safer alternative to plastic Easter eggs can be a Kong, or other dog toys that have hidey holes especially made to hold treats. You can even just hide the treats themselves without a container. Your dog will enjoy sniffing these out just as much."
You can use kibbles or dog treats you already have at home, or you can try fruits or vegetables, just make sure it's not human treats like candy or chocolate as they are toxic to dogs.
2. Get some cute Easter-bunny themed photos
Seriously, is there anything cuter than a dog dressed as the Easter bunny?! It's adorable, and it's also super easy! Don't have bunny ears? Make your own!
This blog post by PeaceLoveOrganicMom.com tells you exactly how to make your own doggy bunny ears using 4 pipe cleaners you could grab from your nearest craft store.
Here's some adorable Vancouver pups for inspiration, and don't forget to tag #pawswapapp on social media if you're sharing your Easter photos!
3. Make a Doggy Easter Basket
Another classic Easter tradition for many is getting an Easter basket full of goodies, and this is a super simple way to include your pup. Fill a basket with all your pup's favourite treats and you'll be guaranteed to get their tails wagging this weekend.
If you want to add in something a little more special for the holiday, Vancouver company Barks & Biscuits is currently selling adorable Easter-themed Honey Bunny dog cookies - so cute!
4. Make homemade Easter Doggy Treats
Just because chocolate is toxic to our four-legged friends doesn't mean they should miss out on Easter treats!
Making you own Easter treats is a great way to celebrate the weekend with your pup, as well as a fun way to spend some time together while also getting creative.
You're in charge of the ingredients, so you know exactly what is going into the treats, and you can have fun with shapes - we love these colourful carrot shaped cookies!
A quick Google search will show up lots of healthy recipes for your dogs so you can choose your favourites to try out, but these 6 recipes from DogBuddy.com is a great place to start.
5. Have an Easter picnic with your pup
Although the forecast isn't looking great for the weekend, we all know Vancouver weather can be unpredictable, so if the rain holds off for the weekend (fingers crossed!) then why not plan a Easter picnic in your pup's favourite local park? Pack some of their favourite treats, and some Easter chocolate for yourself, grab a blanket and make a day of it! If you've made your pup their own Easter basket, bring it along, and there's no harm in bringing along the bunny ears for a quick photo!
Not sure which park to visit? Here are 9 of our favourite Vancouver dog parks that look particular picturesque in Spring!
6. Go for a walk amongst the Cherry Blossoms
Let's face it, your pup loves nothing more than getting outside with their favourite human, so if you do nothing else on this list, they will be more than happy with this one alone.
There are so many parks and neighbourhood walks that are in full pink and white bloom right now, so go for a long stroll with your dog this weekend and take in the stunning natural beauty. Check out these 10 best spots in the city for a perfect cherry blossom pup picture to give you some inspiration.