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How to include your pet in Easter celebrations

Here's how to enjoy the holiday with your dog

Three dogs pose with bunny ears for Easter
Caity / Pixabay

It’s that time of year again! Springtime is here, and Easter is right around the corner. Now is the perfect time to begin making plans for your family. We’re all familiar with the Easter Bunny … but don’t forget about your Easter dogs!

Whether you plan on hosting a nice dinner for your loved ones, arranging an Easter egg hunt for neighborhood kids, or spending the day enjoying the warmer weather, don’t forget about including your four-legged family members in the celebration. Easter dog activities are a fantastic way to include everyone, and we’ve gathered some of our favorite inspirational ideas to help you out.

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From an Easter basket that your pup can enjoy to cute Easter-themed accessories, you have many options to explore. Best of all, these options won’t take up much of your time, and how much money you choose to spend is entirely up to you. If Easter egg hunts and parties aren’t your thing, then there’s no need to go all out. The most crucial aspect of any holiday is spending time with loved ones — fur babies included.

Treat ideas for Easter dogs

A Corgi wearing Easter bunny ears
Bachkova Natalia / Shutterstock

With everyone else getting Easter treats left and right, it’s only fair your dog does too. Thankfully, pet stores and sites are chock full of treats for your fur baby, so they won’t be left out. You can even find festive, seasonal treats like , the doggy version of Peeps! Their soft texture is great for pups with dental concerns, while the sweet flavor and aroma make them perfect for the sweetest season.

For DIY dog owners who’d rather make some Easter goodies, try out a simple carrot biscuit recipe. There is an endless number of dog-safe ingredient combinations that can make a delicious cookie for your buddy, but it can be fun to take advantage of seasonal ingredients like egg whites, berries, and, of course, carrots. For an extra Easter twist, try out a bunny-shaped cookie cutter!

Another easy Easter dog treat requires just a few things from your kitchen: carob chips, smooth peanut butter, and an Easter-themed silicone mold to shape your treats. All you’ll need to do is melt an even mix of carob chips and peanut butter in the microwave, stopping and stirring frequently. Once mixed, just pour the liquid into your mold and place it in the fridge to cool.

If you want to take the Easter fun another step further, try giving your dog their own egg hunt! You can hide a few yummy things around the yard or the house for them to find (you may have to help them toward the general area). Whether you use treats or kibble is up to you; just be careful not to overfeed your best buddy. As a general rule of thumb, treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s total diet.

Easter toys for dogs

An Alaskan malamute looks around a fence that's decorated for Easter
Zanna Demcenko / Shutterstock

Every pup needs a festive toy to make a holiday special, right? Your local pet store will likely have many fun toys to choose from, but Chewy’s Easter collection has some of the cutest we’ve seen.

Small to medium-sized dogs will love tossing around these with squeakers and crinkle paper inside. They’re the perfect size to chew and carry, and the springtime colors are just too sweet. For pups who like to chew, consider this . It also has a squeaker inside and a chew-resistant lining, so they chew to their heart’s content all day long.

Visit the Easter Bunny

A Doberman, Dalmatian and King Charles spaniel at a Easter egg hunt
Kasefoto / Shutterstock

Christmas features Santa Claus and the North Pole, while Easter celebrates the famous Easter Bunny in a springtime wonderland. Although it’s not as common for families and children to visit a life-size bunny as it is to visit St. Nick, it can still be a delightful way to create lasting memories with your family — or even just your dog! Some pet stores host Easter Bunny meet-and-greet events specifically for furry friends, which are great for socialization, enjoyment, and capturing adorable photos of your pup.

If there’s no Easter Bunny around, perhaps your dog is the only bunny you need! A cute pair of rabbit ears for your dog and a nice spot for a photo are all you need for a fun springtime-themed photoshoot.

How to make an Easter basket for your dog

A woman holds a bunny-shaped box of Easter chocolates while her fluffy, beige dog investigates.
rfranca / Shutterstock

With treats, toys, and maybe a cute Easter bandana ready to go, why not arrange them all into a fun basket for your pup? You won’t need to worry about bright colors or the fancy fake grass that many baskets use. You can just put something together that’s easy for your pup to dismantle.

A shallow basket will be easier for smaller dogs to reach into if you want them to take their goodies out themselves, though we recommend a much larger and deeper basket if you’re planning on snapping a few photos of your fur baby sitting in it. It is a classic photo, after all.

To arrange the ultimate Easter basket for your dog, make sure the basket is filled! Toys, treats, and even some new poop bags will make excellent space fillers in the basket, and you can even put a small layer of kibble in the bottom to give your pup something to snuffle around for. It will be so cute!

No matter your holiday plans, your dog can be part of the fun this Easter. Treats, toys, and activities are just a few ways to enjoy the special day together, though you can find even more ways to celebrate if you want to get creative. No matter what you do, don’t forget to take a picture or two for the memories!

Gabrielle LaFrank
Gabrielle LaFrank has written for sites such as Psych2Go, Elite Daily, and, currently, PawTracks. When she's not writing, you…
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