How To Dog-Proof Your Home For Hosting The Ultimate Puppy Bowl Party

While many friends and families around the U.S. get together on Super Bowl Sunday to watch football and eat junk food, the real ones (if you're reading this, you're one of them) celebrate the Puppy Bowl with all the dogs in their lives. Animal Planet's annual face-off between Team Ruff and Team Fluff pits some of the most adorable adoptable pups from many different rescues and shelters across the country against each other in a game where points are scored but everyone's a winner. Yes, really! What's more, the event has a standout record of getting all of its pet athletes adopted as of 2023.

Hosting a Puppy Bowl celebration is no small feat. You basically have to plan two simultaneous parties: one for your canine visitors and another for their human guardians. Everyone needs to be entertained, well-fed, and on their best behavior. And you definitely don't want any pups (or humans, for that matter) snooping around your house and getting into trouble.

The first, most-important thing you need for a successful Puppy Bowl party is a group of sociable, trustworthy dogs and humans who are all on the same page about safety and have a history of getting along well. Dogs can be unpredictable, so you want to start off on ground that's as solid as possible, only inviting pups that are already friends. It's best to keep the group small, as that will be much more manageable for you humans who are also trying to have a good time. Once you have the guest list solidified, it's time to dog-proof your home to keep everyone happy, safe, and enjoying the pawty!

You'll obviously want to decorate for your Puppy Bowl party, and you absolutely should! Just keep in mind that there will be dogs sniffing around your place, so it's best to forgo things like confetti that are small and potentially easily swallowed by your canine friends. In that vein, it's a good idea to use hooks when hanging things like banners and garlands instead of thumb tacks because the latter fall easily and could be a serious threat to dogs if they play with it or swallow it.

Instead, the 3M Command Hooks and 3M Command Strips are generally quite sturdy and easy to install and remove for all your Puppy Bowl decor. And don't forget to dress up your pup! If you're a football fan, your pet can cheer on the Eagles or Chiefs in style with different gear. You can also show your allegiance to one of the Puppy Bowl's teams by dressing your pup in blue for Team Fluff or orange for Team Ruff.

When planning your Puppy Bowl party, you'll want to dedicate a room or a portion of a room as the dogs' play area. If you have a whole room that's puppy-friendly, great! If not, using a playpen or a gate to confine the pups to one area is vital. They shouldn't be able to snoop in all corners of your home or hop up on the snack table while everyone is distracted by the Puppy Bowl player introductions. The FXW Homeplus Indoor Dog Playpen can be closed off on its own or opened and used to portion off part of a room, so no matter the setup of your party, you can customize your dog enclosure. You can also take a look at these six playpen options for keeping your dog safe and secure.

Keep in mind that any time there are pups playing, human partygoers should be supervising. You can take shifts or keep everyone responsible for their own pup, but at least one human should be overseeing puppy playtime at all times. If a dog becomes visibly nervous or uncomfortable, make sure it's safely removed from the situation and placed on a leash outside of the doggy play area. You don't want to force a dog who's uncomfortable to interact, as it could lead to snapping or biting and injuries.

Once your Puppy Bowl party decor is up and your canine play area (aka Puppy Bowl field) is designated, it's time to think about snacks. You've obviously got to provide refreshments for your human guests, but it's super fun to provide some Puppy Bowl dog treats as well.

When it comes to human food, traditional football fare — like chicken wings, chips and dips, chili, and deli sandwiches — always reign supreme. Just make sure you're aware that things like chicken bones are choking hazards for pups, so keep tables and trash inaccessible to them at all times. Keep garbage bags up high, and put food out on tall surfaces whenever possible. You may also want to avoid foods that are toxic to dogs — like chocolate, onions, and grapes — in case anything were to fall on the ground.

It would be adorable to provide a table of treats for the pups as well. Just make sure to label the dog treats very clearly (and bonus points if the dog treats are also on theme). There are several companies that make different delicious holiday-flavored dog treats. Bocce's Bakery makes many different treats with various flavor profiles, including Burgers and Fries, which totally fit with the game-day vibes. You can also share in the chicken wing love with WOOF Air Dried Chicken Wing Tip Dog Treats, which are natural, made from just one ingredient, and a safe way to serve your dogs chicken wings. Keep the packaging for any treats you serve so if there are any allergies or intolerances, you can let each dog's owner decide for themselves what to give their pet. Then, enjoy the Puppy Bowl!