Friday, February 10, 2017

Is Your Valentine’s Day Date Your Dog? Here Are 10 Ways to Celebrate!

Editor’s note: Have you seen the Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? This article appeared in our February-March issue. Subscribe to Dogster and get the bimonthly magazine delivered to your home.

Roses are red, noses are wet, and I’m spending Valentine’s Day with my pet. It may not be prize-winning poetry, but we’ve got 10 date-night ideas for the unattached canine fancier (or any one coupled with a human who refers to the 14th of February as a “floral-scented farce”).

1. Netflix and chew

A date night meme made popular by millennials, Netflix and Chill can easily be adapted for mutts. Replace the euphemistic “chill” with a brand new chew toy, and your dog will definitely feel like he’s gotten lucky.

2. Get takeout for two

Spending the 14th with your four-legged friend means not worrying about where you’ll dine. While last-minute daters are begging maitre d’s for an open table, your pup will be begging you for a bite of the takeout you didn’t have to make reservations for. It’s a win for everyone (except maybe your waistline).

3. Kiss the canine cook

Doggie chef by iStock.

Doggie chef by iStock.

If you are (figuratively) watching what you eat while your dog (literally) watches what you eat, it’s easier to control the calories in your own kitchen. Whip up a cleaner version of your favorite restaurant meal, and your doggie date will be happy to assist you. He may not be great at chopping vegetables, but he can definitely clean the plates!

4. Take a hike

Paper hearts will be trashed by the 15th, but the anatomical ones will keep ticking long afterward, if we’re lucky — and hikes can help increase our odds. Make a date to hit the trails with your puppy love, and those heart rates will be up faster than the Valentine’s Day decorations come down.

5. Walk in a winter wonderland

High-intensity hikes aren’t for every climate, but even if it’s a frosty February in your neck of the woods, a walk makes for an inexpensive date worth freezing for. Your feet might be chilly, but your heart will be warmed by the sight of your pup enthusiastically changing the color of freshly fallen snow.

6. Go on a double dog date

For those who require a little more human socialization, a double date to the dog park — whether romantic or platonic — could be the perfect way to share the love on Valentine’s Day. Just don’t let your dog get too frisky with your date’s date.

7. Hit the road

If being surrounded by love marketing is making you long for peace and quiet, why not pack up your pooch and flee the city? A Valentine’s Day road trip is sure to be a hit with your dog, especially if it ends with two things all pups love: bed and breakfast.

8. Get coffee in cars with canines

Dachshund coffee date by iStock.

Dachshund coffee date by iStock.

When a weekend away isn’t possible, a quick trip through the drive-thru can be just as relaxing. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld gets his laughs from driving and drinking coffee with human comics, but he’s obviously never witnessed the comedy gold that is a Lab lapping up a puppuccino.

9. Go on a shopping spree

Everybody says they don’t want anything, but we all know Valentine’s Day is really about the gifts — and our dogs are no exception. Combine the excitement of an outing with the fun of presents by letting your pup pick what she wants at the pet store. If you like it, you should put a collar on it!

10. Take a bubble bath

There will be no candlelight, and only one of you will be in the bathtub. It may not be romantic, but making a date to get your dog squeaky clean is a great way to show love not just to him, but also to everyone who has to smell him.

The post Is Your Valentine’s Day Date Your Dog? Here Are 10 Ways to Celebrate! appeared first on Dogster.

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