If you’ve ever considered throwing a party for your pup, I hope you will. Some people may scoff and say that a dog doesn’t even know when his birthday is. However, a dog always knows when something special is happening. Dog parties don’t have to be elaborate, but I’m a big fan of picture-perfect moments. Photographer Ali Tso captured these adorable moments between Lucky, the Golden Retriever, and his favorite person, Lindsey. Special details for the celebration include the coolest, shiniest birthday hat, a birthday bandana, balloons, a birthday bandana, a cake with candles, but the best part of all is the love between them.
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From Ali: “Lindsey wanted to capture every special moment with her furry best friend’s 12th birthday.”
From Lindsey: “I got Lucky when I was 19 years old. I was literally a baby. But I always wanted a golden retriever. So when I had finally saved enough money and was ready, I was so excited to finally pick him out. The day I went to pick him out, I noticed him instantly. He was much smaller than his siblings because he was the runt of the litter, but he was so calm and sweet.
I just knew he was my dog. At that time, he was too young for me to take home because he was only a few weeks old. So Before I left, the breeder asked me what I was going to name him as she was placing this little blue bow around his neck to indicate that he had been picked, and when I told her his name would be Lucky, she wrote ‘Lucky’ on his ribbon and told me she would start calling him by that name. It was a really sweet and proud moment for me. It may sound cliché, but he’s been my best friend for almost 13 years.
He’s been there through so many coming-of-age moments, such as being fired or getting that job you hoped for, probably 15 different moves in or out of state, so many bad decisions, and a lot of good decisions and so many difficult times. When I got a dog at 19, I was way too young to fully comprehend the gravity of responsibility of which I was taking on. I just thought, ‘I’m getting a really cute dog, I can take him on hikes and stuff,’ but there were times it was really hard. I had been out of my parents’ house before I was out of high school, so there were many lessons I learned the hard way.
There were times when I had to make certain sacrifices that my friends or other people my age didn’t have to make because I had this responsibility to make sure he was cared for. I missed out on things in life, such as places to live or trips or staying out late as the rest of my friends were some nights because I had to go home to feed him or take him out. There were times I could hardly afford dog food because I couldn’t afford my rent, so I was feeding him before myself. But he has always been there.
He’s been that one stable variable in my life that I could count on in times when that was what I really needed. And now that I’m older and I look back on all the craziness we endured together, it makes me appreciate him more than I can explain. We got through it together, and we counted on each other. I’ve had him for a third of my life, and sometimes that trips me out.
Lucky has just been the greatest gift from the universe. He’s such a special dog, and everyone who knows him can attest to that. I feel very lucky to have him. No pun intended. He’s such a good boy. For me, he hasn’t just been a pet. He’s been someone to hold me accountable and has been a support system. That’s why I had those photos done. I wanted to have something nice to remember him by when one day he isn’t here anymore.”
For more dog party ideas, check out our Pinterest board. You can find some wonderful birthday bandanas on Etsy, as well as banners and hats! Check out Eagle’s First Cake Smash too!
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About Ali Tso Photography: Based in Arizona, Ali specializes in lifestyle, couples, portraits, family, and brand photography.
Happy birthday to this beautiful pooch! I can’t tell you how much I love everything about this. Great shots, and a great subject!
AWW! How cute! Happy birthday Lucky! My older dog turned 12 this year too!
Happy Birthday to Lucky! I hope he has a wonderful day. My cat is 12!
What a beautiful dog! Lucky is such a sweetheart! Happy Birthday to him!
I can’t even express how much I love this! We have to have a party for our pup now!
This is so adorable. The pup really does seem to be enjoying himself!
I love having parties for my pets. We have given my cat a party and now we can give one to our dog. So cute.
Great pics! Happy birthday, Lucky! Such a cute dog. Lovely celebration.
Such great pictures, what a sweet pup. I love this idea, so much fun!
OMG! How cute is Lucky?! And so sweet! Happy Birthday!
Aww these photos are so precious I can’t help but smile. Such a sweet pup looks like this is a great party for both the owner and pets.
Aww this is too cute and sweet! Happy birthday to him!! I definitely agree that doggy birthday parties should be a thing.
Happy Birthday to Lucky! These photo memories are just beautiful. I did always have a birthday celebration for each of my FiveSibes. I truly looked forward to them. Three of them shared a birthday as they were siblings, but all five joined in with hats, birthday plates & gifts and the pièce de résistance was the homemade ice cream cake! Oh, the fun times we had with all five sharing in it (the birthday pup(s) always had first licks, then the rest would join in). Being a photojournalist, I am so lucky to have photos and videos and blog posts of their birthdays. The only thing I wish is that I had someone take more of me with them. These of Lucky and Lindsay are just precious! Ali’s shots are simply beautiful. I love the high-five one, but that last one of the birthday kiss from Lucky is just my absolute fave!