Tips for Dog-Proofing Your Cocktail Party
Tips for Dog-Proofing Your Cocktail Party
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When your cocktail party includes pugs and their pals, you have to pay attention to the menu. Not only do your guests have admittedly indiscriminate tastes, but they're also likely to steal food from other attendees' plates. So be sure to dog-proof the menu by ensuring safe, tasty offerings for all.
Some popular party foods are downright dangerous for dogs, such as guacamole -- large amounts of avocado can be toxic. Onions and garlic, which flavor many appetizers, can destroy your pet's red blood cells and cause anemia. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure, dairy products are likely to create digestive upset and desserts with macadamia nuts or chocolate could be fatal. Even one taste of alcohol -- be it beer, liquor or wine -- can cause your dog digestive and respiratory distress.
Foods that can be enjoyed by both people and pups include fine cuts of fully cooked lean meats, al dente plain white pasta or rice, slices of fresh fruit -- apples, bananas, oranges and watermelon without seeds -- and raw vegetables, including carrots, green beans, zucchini and cucumber. Water, of course, will be appreciated by all your guests -- be sure to put down a few dishes for the dogs and refill them as necessary.
Prevent fights over food by encouraging guests to supervise their dog as they dine. Of course, nothing works better to eliminate food thievery than simply preventing access, so arrange high tables for pet parents to balance their cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. If your party is an indoor one for small dogs, schedule a group bathroom break every hour. If you hold your party outdoors, you won't have to worry about damage from accidents. Either way, you should still supply guests with small bags, scented if you like, for discarding dog poop (and a dedicated trash bin in which to put the bags).
As with any party, it's a good idea to either plan ways to include additional guests -- be they children or other small pets -- or state clearly on the initial invitation that the guest list is closed to anyone other than dogs and their parents.
Hosting a pet-friendly cocktail party takes significant planning. The pay-off, though, is a big one. You'll never wonder how to break the ice; dogs are great conversation starters.
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