Dogs bring residents together and put a smile on everyone’s face 365 days/year - but they’ve got quite a special day coming up. National Dog Day is celebrated on August 26th, and while we know on-site teams will often take any reason to spoil pups at the property, this is certainly a big one! We’ve compiled some simple ways for you to celebrate and show the dogs in your building just how much you love and appreciate their furry faces.

Organize a Neighborhood Walk

Bring residents together for a group pack walk to celebrate! Since National Dog Day takes place in August, we recommend sticking to the evening hours and scheduling your walk for an hour before sundown. Try to plan out the route in advance to avoid high traffic areas and maximize the amount of grass on your walk. Want to go the extra mile? Order some pet bandanas or collapsible water bowls and pack water bottles for the adventure!

We especially love this idea because it’s a great chance for residents to make friends with other pet parents and also get to know the property team members who join for the walk.

Host a Pop-Up Event

Host a special event for the dogs in your building and you’ll both make residents happy and generate lots of great content for social media. Need Ideas?

• Bring a snow cone machine to the dog park and make dog-friendly snow cones by ditching the sweet syrups and mixing in some pumpkin puree instead!

• Visit your local pet bakery or pet store and purchase decorated treats to hand out along with puppuccinos (mini cups filled with whipped cream!) in the lobby.

• Set up a Treat & Toy Bar pop-up by purchasing various goodies (treats, tennis balls, rope toys) and displaying them in acrylic jars or decorative crates/buckets for residents to bring their dogs by and pick out something special to take home.

Another nice way to make these events even more meaningful is to have a couple of boxes handy and collect donations of gently used pet supplies from residents to donate to your local animal shelter! Many shelters will even coordinate a pick-up for the donations.

Surprise & Delight with a Door Drop Gift

This is a really simple one to pull off and is sure to put a smile on everyone's face! Purchase bone-shaped cookie cutters in bulk and attach a printed recipe or two for biscuit dog treats that residents can whip up at home. Use string to attach the card(s) to the cookie cutter and hang off door knobs of units with a registered dog. And we’ve made this extra easy for you! You can easily download and print our custom recipe cards for Blueberry Banana Biscuits and Glazed Pumpkin Spice cookies - available here.

Strike a Deal with your Local Pet Store

Support your local pet store by partnering with them to secure an exclusive deal for your residents, to be redeemed on National Dog Day! We recommend seeing if they’re able to offer a free gift with purchase (such as a bag of treats or a small accessory) for all residents who make a purchase on this day, or even in the week leading up to the holiday. Design a quick flyer and send an email blast out announcing the special perk!

Host a Pet-Friendly Outdoor Screening

August is the perfect month for movie night! If outdoor space allows for it, host a dog-themed movie night where residents can bring their pup and lay out some blankets to take in the flick. There are so many great movie options to choose from, but our favorites are Homeward Bound, Secret Life of Pets and Hachi. Lacking the outdoor space? You can still host a movie night in your resident lounge and give away to-go bags of treats for residents to bring home to their pups!

Want more great ideas on engaging pet owners in your community?

Bookmark this blog! Or better yet, let us do all the legwork for you by implementing a marketable pet amenity program that your residents will LOVE. Reach out to learn more about Bark Buildings!