Easter for Dogs: Fun Activities and Important Easter Safety Tips

Get the bunny ears out and hide the Easter eggs, because the Easter Bunny has arrived…or perhaps I should say the Easter dog! We love it when this time of year arrives, because it means a ton of fun, and family activities that you can include your buddy in, such as taking everyone to a dog-friendly “egg” hunt. As exciting as these events are, it’s also important to keep some Easter safety tips in mind, such as making sure they don’t eat or ingest anything that could make them sick.

Easter Gifts for Dogs

One of the more joyous presents to give your dog during this season is an Easter themed doggy gift basket. You might be wondering, What are some great Easter gifts I can give my dog? Thankfully, there are a lot of cute Easter present ideas which are safe options for your buddy. Here are a few examples of these ideas below:

• Easter themed dog toys. 
• Easter themed dog bed and blanket.
• Dog treats formulated specifically for dogs. Some bakeries even make Easter themed dog treats that you can give your loved one. Just make sure not to give them more than 10% of their daily calorie intake. 
• Easter themed hats, clothes, collars, leashes, or bandanas that are comfortable and breathable for your pup. Make sure the bandanas and collars don’t get caught on anything or choke them in any way while they are wearing them. We also recommend supervising your dog if they are wearing a costume of any kind.
• You can also combine many of the options above in your Easter themed doggy gift basket to create a more enriching present for your loved one.

Whatever you choose to give your dog, they will love you just for remembering them during this season.

Easter “Egg” Hunt for Dogs

One of the best Easter activities one can set up is a dog-friendly Easter “egg” hunt. There are many fun ways to create this, while ensuring that your pup stays safe during their “egg” hunting adventures. Below are some tips on how you can set this up for your buddy and their friends: 

1. Find the right dog-safe Easter “eggs”. Since plastic eggs tend to present many safety risks, especially if a dog tries to chew on them or eat them, it’s probably better to opt in for KONG toys or other dog toys you can hide treats in. You can also choose not to place goodies in anything at all and hide them as is. One recommendation is creating a scent trail by dragging the treats along the ground on the way to their hiding places.
2. Choose dog-appropriate treats. When it comes to figuring out what treats to use, it’s best to make sure they are safe for dogs and small sized snacks. This way they don’t eat too many goodies in a tiny amount of time. It’s also good to make sure they are treats that are easy for dogs to smell.
3. Pick a dog-friendly location. Make sure that whatever space you use, whether it is indoors or outdoors, is big enough to host all the contesting canines. If you have a fenced-in backyard, then this would be a great space for a dog-friendly Easter party and “egg” hunt. If there is a risk of resource guarding, then this activity might be best performed either solo or with dogs that are used to eating together.
4. Hide the treats. Remember that dogs are not like humans and aren’t able to see the vast number of colors that we can. They mostly rely on their sense of smell to find things, so by keeping the treats low to the ground this will help them find these hidden treasures more easily. It’s also important to make sure that you are hiding them in places which are safe for dogs, such as away from thorn bushes, poisonous plants, and other such spaces. Fun tip: You can try helping your pup find the first couple of treats, then let them smell these treats and see if they can get the hang of it on their own. 
5. Referee and monitor all doggy participants. It’s best for the owner of each dog to either keep them on a leash or to stay near them to keep an eye on their pup. Prioritize safety and make sure everyone has enough space to move around. If there is a mixture of puppies, small dogs, and larger dogs, it might be best to arrange separate Easter “egg” hunts for each group.   
6. Clean up! The dogs will most likely clean up all the treats and tasty goodies. However, make sure you pick up any trash or other items that could be harmful to your pup and other animals. It’s best to keep the environment clean and to make sure all items are accounted for.

Easter Foods Bad for Dogs

The following is a list of Easter foods that our Purina experts say are harmful to dogs:   

• Seasoned lamb and lamb bones. There are many seasonings which can be toxic for dogs. It’s best to keep things plain and simple. There is also a risk of bones being a choking hazard or causing other issues and harm.
• Turkey bones, skin, drippings, and gravy. Meat that has bones, pieces of skin, fat, or seasonings and even gravy can be dangerous for your dog. These can lead to serious health issues, such as pancreatitis and other digestive issues. The high fat content in these ingredients could lead to obesity and other weight concerns, and the bones could become a choking hazard or cause serious health risks, such as rectal bleeding from splintered bone fragments.
• Ham. Many store-bought hams contain a lot of salt, sugar, and preservatives that could lead to a range of symptoms for your dog. This includes vomiting, diarrhea, frequent urination, increased thirst, kidney damage, seizures, comas, and even death. It has a huge amount of fat outside normal range for your dog, which can cause pancreatitis and other ailments. 
• Deviled or raw eggs. Raw eggs could contain harmful bacteria and pathogens, such as Salmonella, therefore eggs should always be cooked. Deviled eggs have too many ingredients that could make your pup ill. Many ingredients used in deviled eggs either have too much fat or sodium content, and if spices, seasonings, or other herbs are added then this could be harmful to your loved one as well. 
• Yeast dough. We love those Easter bread buns, however, there are quite a few issues when it comes to bread and yeast dough. Bread is a carbohydrate and too much can lead to obesity and other dietary health concerns. Bread dough carries other concerns due to the yeast. The stomach heat of your dog will make the dough rise inside your dog’s stomach causing bloating. This might even turn into ethanol and alcohol poisoning if it ferments too long. You will also need to keep an eye out for added ingredients to bread, which could be toxic for your dog. This includes raisins, garlic, macadamia nuts, xylitol, and more.  
• Xylitol and anything “sugar-free.” Xylitol and many other artificial sweeteners can be found in a lot of Easter goodies, including candies, cakes, peanut butter, and more. Xylitol can be extremely toxic and even fatal for dogs. The reason is because it creates a spike in a dog’s insulin levels, leading to a dramatic drop in their blood sugar. This can cause acute liver failure. Symptoms might include seizures, the inability to stand, comas, etc. It is important to check the labels of all the items your dog ingests, in case xylitol is present.
• Chocolate, including chocolate eggs. Chocolate and cocoa contain methylxanthine compounds, theobromine, and caffeine, which are toxic to dogs. The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more dangerous it becomes to dogs. If your dog ate Easter chocolates, it can cause chocolate poisoning in your pup with symptoms ranging from restlessness, hyperactivity, and stomach issues to seizures, coma, and death. 
• Garlic, onions, leeks, chives, scallions, and allium vegetables. Garlic, onions, leeks, chives, scallions, and other veggies like these are all part of the allium species of vegetables. This species of vegetable can be toxic to dogs. There is a risk that they might cause hemolytic anemia, a breakdown of the red blood cells, and liver damage. There is also a chance that if they touch a dog’s skin, this could also cause dermal irritation.  
• Sage and other herbs. Most experts agree that it is best to avoid herbs in your pet’s diet. The reason is because some dogs can have an adverse reaction, while others might not.
• Casseroles. Fatty foods and casseroles might increase the chances of your dog getting pancreatitis or other digestive issues. This is due to the substantial amounts of sodium, sugar, and fat that casseroles and similar foods contain. These foods might even include ingredients that are toxic for dogs, such as onions, garlic, herbs, and more, which can be another health risk. 
• Mashed, seasoned, and raw potatoes. Most mashed potatoes have added ingredients to them, such as butter, milk, seasonings, etc. This can cause some health risks for your pup. Other potato dishes, like French fries, might have a lot of sodium or include seasonings, which aren’t good for your pet. Make sure your potatoes are cooked as well, because raw potatoes, as mentioned above, contain solanine. Solanine can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. It is also a good best practice to peel the skin off potatoes first, since the skin can be difficult for dogs to digest. 
• Creamed and canned peas. Creamed peas tend to have too much fat content due to the cream, and canned peas tend to have too much sodium content. Either choice is not healthy for your dogs and can lead to obesity and other health problems over time.  
• Alcoholic beverages. It’s important to make sure your dog doesn’t get into any alcohol and end up with alcohol poisoning. This is especially true for beverages that have mixers in them which contain xylitol or other artificial sweeteners. Watch out for other items that contain alcohol as well and can seep into your dog, including hand sanitizer, perfumes, medications, and raw bread dough. If your dog licks these things off you or ingests them in some way, then the dog’s stomach might begin to act as an oven and produce ethanol, resulting in alcohol toxicity. This could cause many symptoms in your buddy, including seizures, stomach pains, drooling, vomiting, hypothermia, and more.  
• Raisins and grapes. Raisins and grapes are highly toxic to dogs. They say that if a dog eats even one it can be fatal to them usually due to acute (sudden) kidney failure. Experts still aren’t 100% certain as to why this is so. What they do know is that if ingested, a dog could experience different symptoms, including decreased appetite, lethargy, stomach issues, dehydration, increased thirst, frequent urination, and more. If you know your dog devoured a grape or raisins, then act fast and call your veterinarian right away. 
• Fatty foods. Fats and fatty foods can cause obesity, pancreatitis, or other digestive issues. The best rule of thumb is to avoid giving your dog these types of food in general.  
• Foods containing spices. Many spices are made of various herbs. We know from earlier that different herbs can have an adverse effect on some dogs. There are also toxic spices that need to be watched out for, such as garlic powder.
• Mushrooms. Mushrooms can be highly toxic and can cause kidney and liver failure, neurologic issues, and sometimes death. In fact, experts say that 99% of wild mushrooms are toxic to pets, so make sure to watch out for wild mushrooms growing outside during this time of year.
• Butter. Butter is usually the staple of a well-cooked Easter meal, but it also comes with a high-fat content which can be a dangerous choice for your dog. While a lick of butter might not result in any grave consequences, too much can lead to pancreatitis, stomach issues, and more.  
• Specific nuts (macadamia, walnut, pistachio, almond, etc.). Nuts can be unsafe and highly toxic for dogs. For example, macadamia nuts can lead to nut poisoning causing fever, tremors, muscle weakness, loss of coordination, and more. Then we have walnuts, which are susceptible to mold creating a fertile breeding ground for tremorgenic mycotoxins, which can be fatal to dogs. The same is true for pistachios, which can carry the Aspergillus mold leading to a loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, jaundice, and even liver failure. Then we must take into consideration that nuts can be a choking hazard, which is especially true for certain nuts, such as almonds. Also, the high fat and calorie content in all nuts can increase the risk of pancreatitis, obesity, and more if too much is given to your dog. 

If you suspect your dog has ingested anything toxic, call your veterinarian or nearby animal hospital immediately. You can also contact the Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) at (888) 426-4435. 

For more expert tips on feeding your dog, explore our other dog feeding guide articles.