Baking for the barkers

DAVID HALLETT/The Press

WHERE'S THE BEEF? Daisy eyes the cake owner Kathleen Crisley has for her.

Relevant offers

Our Communities

Tee-totaller for one month Rifle range in firing line Selwyn schools booming Tourist bus crash Sod turned on new police station site Popular bar latest closure victim Richie McCaw of Science? University - $10 million lost Rip offs plague fundraiser Opening still a long way off

This party gives the phrase "a dog's dinner" a new meaning.

A group of Christchurch people have got together to throw a party -- for their dogs.

"People enjoy parties for different reasons," said Kathleen Crisley, organiser and owner of eight-year-old birthday bitch Daisy.

"If you enjoy your dog and you enjoy a party then you will enjoy this. You don't have to dress the dog up in clothes or carry them around in a box or anything like that."

However, the party at the Christchurch Dog Training Club did serve a specially baked birthday cake, as well as laying on party games.

Crisley -- director of company Canine Catering, which bakes food especially for dogs -- said the concept of dog birthday parties was becoming more common.

"It is a nice way for people to incorporate their dogs into their social lives."

With all that canine energy and cake around there was always the potential for the party to turn sour.

"You get used to fact that some of them might get into a scrap," said Crisley.

"If they do that's where the naughty dogs have a little time out and have to go and sit in the car for a while."

Among the 16 human guests and 11 dogs who attended the party were English pointer Daisy's father Shakka, 10, and his owner John Hamilton.

"This kind of thing is getting more and more common," said Hamilton, who breeds English pointers with his wife Jenny, in Belfast.

"People treat their dogs as more than just pets these days. We live for our dogs."

- © Fairfax NZ News