Dog Dads are special – no doubt about it.

Dog Moms get lots of love and recognition, which is only right, but Dog Dads deserve their day in the sun also – maybe every day of the year!

To get the summer started with lots of delicious fun, we’ve planned a BBQ party for the Dog Dads we know complete with bacon cheeseburgers and bacon-themed mojitos.  Everything tastes better with bacon.

Invite all the neighborhood Dog Dads and their pups, and you’ve found the perfect way to welcome summer to your world.

A Mojito Cocktail with Bacon

I have a Dog Dad friend who has – on more than one occasion- told me that he’s not drinking alone if his dog is home.  I feel the same way about cocktails with my pup.  One of our favorite summer cocktails is the mojito, which can easily be adapted to our bacon theme for this BBQ.

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients 

• 2 slices of bacon, crisply cooked
• 10 mint leaves
• 1 lime, cut in 6 wedges
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 3 ounces light rum
• 1 cup club soda
• 2 cups ice cubes

Directions 

• Squeeze 4 of the lime wedges and then add wedges to a large cup.
• Add sugar and mint leaves. Use the back end of a wooden spoon to mash the limes and mint with the sugar, releasing all the oils and flavor.
• Add the rum and club soda, and gently mix to combine.
• Prepare 2 lowball (rocks) glasses with ice and a lime wedge.
• Pour the mojito mix equally over each cup of ice.
• Garnish with half a slice of bacon.

Bacon Cheeseburgers are the Best

In my opinion, the best kind of hamburger ever is the bacon cheeseburger, and you pick the cheese of your choice.  I’ll opt for blue cheese, but I wouldn’t say no to a sharp cheddar either.  I bet your dog won’t turn down a bite or two of your burger (with only the hamburger and the bacon), so make it big enough to share.

Bacon Bits Gourmet Dog Treat 

I am pretty sure that my dog and I have the same thoughts going through our minds when we see a plate of bacon – what are we waiting for?  We can snack while we make these really easy Bacon Bits Gourmet Dog Treats with 4 ingredients you are sure to have on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 ½ cups flour
• ½ cup water
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix the egg and water together.
• Stir in flour. Add more flour if needed to make the dough workable but not sticky.
• Add the bacon.
• Drop by tablespoons onto the parchment lined cookie sheets.
• Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.

Pet BBQ Safety

A backyard BBQ party is perfect for entertaining pups and Pup Parents, but you want to make sure that the pups will be safe, so here are some tips.

• It’s important that you keep the dogs away from the grill, so you may want to consider using a portable pen or fencing to block off the area where the grill is because they could get burned or inhale the smoke.
• There are some commonly used foods associated with grilling that could be dangerous for dogs including onions, garlic, and bones (which they could choke on).
• Make sure you have a lidded trash bin so the dogs can’t get to things like kebab skewers and corn on the cob (as the cob could get stuck in their digestive tract).
• Make sure they can’t get to alcoholic drinks, sugar-free foods, and chocolate desserts, all of which are toxic to dogs.
• Make sure you have lots of dog water bowls so they can stay hydrated.

Dog Dads and their Pups LOVE Bacon and BBQ!

What pup doesn’t love bacon and lots of Pup Parents agree.

But more than bacon, Dog Dads and their dogs love each other unconditionally — for where will you ever find a better best friend? Father’s Day is one day each year to celebrate Dads, but we think Dog Dads should be celebrated every day of the year.

A shout out to every Dog Dad out there – Best Dog Dad Ever in your dog’s eyes.