Dogs are family. That is why so many of us include them in birthdays, Christmas and the little moments that matter. The lovely part is sharing time together; the dog does not have to understand the calendar.

Start with what your dog enjoys

Choose a familiar activity: a walk, a favourite toy or quiet company. A celebration can be small and still mean a lot to you. The dog’s comfort is a better guide than how impressive the plans sound.

A greeting for them, too

An edible card lets your dog join in the greeting-card moment. Choose edible dog birthday cards for their birthday or Gotcha Day cards for the anniversary of joining the family.

Keep the words personal

A nickname, a familiar habit or a memory makes the message yours. Use a dog-friendly edible ink pen if you are writing on an edible card. “Thanks for making every ordinary day better” works beautifully.

Enjoy the moment without making demands

Take a photo if your dog is comfortable, then let them enjoy the edible card under supervision. Remove the envelope and packaging. If they would rather go back to the sofa, that is a perfectly reasonable party decision.

Choose a card that feels like your dog

Funny, heartfelt or personalised: there are different ways to say they belong. personalised dog cards can feature their name; other designs leave the choice of words to you.