Darlings, you know how I feel about my pooch America – I love him madly! He is a family member and I refuse to believe any different.

Like me, America enjoys moments of pet pampering and little pleasures (bully sticks are a favorite). But aside from treats, our pets deserve indulgences just for their pleasure and remind them to live in the moment.

There are many things we can do for our pets to make them feel extra special. Simple pleasures like a walk in a different neighborhood, buying them a new memory foam pet bed, or building them a pet condo are all small indulgences to put a skip in their paws. Recently, while taking a break from MOXIE!, I saw a YouTube video of a couple who renovated their entire home into one giant kitty condo! The condo featured tunnels, ramps and all kinds of fun things for their thirteen cats to enjoy. As pet culture is changing and becoming more and more like how we care for ourselves, maybe even to a certain extent better than how we sometimes care for ourselves, there are a few indulgences that your pet will love as much as you do.

Let Them Eat Cake

A birthday just isn’t a birthday without some cake! Pet birthdays are no different and thanks to enterprising young pet lovers, pet bakeries are popping up all over. Here in Chicago, there several bakeries that cater only to the canines with fresh baked peanut butter bones, birthday cake cookies and even doggie cannolis. Made with entirely natural ingredients, these drool inducing delicacies bring a smile to America’s face and a giggle to my heart as I watch him devour his luxury dog treat.

If you don’t live near a Pet Bakery, you can make your own! A really delicious one (based on America’s response) is the Wheat-Free Peanut Butter Dog Cake Mix. It comes with a silicone dog bone cake pan, four candles and frosting, allowing you to treat your pooch anytime of the year.

Massage

Another indulgence we humans enjoy and treat ourselves to is massage. As a fan of the many health benefits of massage, I try to fit one in every few weeks. Our dogs and cats are no different! America loves it when I give him a good tummy rub or a scratch behind the ears and for good reason: Pet massage is a thing! Like ourselves, they get tight muscles and sore paws and respond favorably to a targeted rub down. Pet massage is a specialty service that is up and coming around the country. Shown to reset and revamp our fur babies energies, massage has been shown effective for pet anxiety, increasing calmness and promoting digestion. Look for it as an offering at a doggie daycare, pet spa or cat cafe near you.

CBD Dog Treats

Speaking of calming for dogs, I’ve recently become familiar with the many benefits of CBD oil. Dogs have a similar endocannabinoid system as humans and can receive the many benefits of CBD. These benefits include reducing inflammation, reducing pain,  reducing anxiety and inducing sleep. Even if your dog is relatively healthy and active, CBD can help him/her to stay that way. When looking for a dog treat, look for treats that are organic, human grade and include “full spectrum hemp oil,” that is derived from hemp and has a full range of beneficial compounds. A favorite choice is Mr. Hempsy’s Full Spectrum Dog Treats.  A one month supply comes with a money-back guarantee and many 5-star reviews.

Puppy Play Date: Time is the Ultimate Indulgence

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve put a premium of spending time with my friends and family. It’s so important to carve out unstructured time to simply hang out and enjoy each other. Our pets are no different. When was the last time you invited a group of pet owning friends over for a play date?

As a huge fan of entertaining, a home pet play date is just another opportunity to entertain with moxie!  Taking a cue from Aunt Essie, my entertaining role model, it’s important that I make the occasion joyful so humans and pets alike walk away from the afternoon feeling indulgent, satisfied and inspired. My job as a hostess is to make my guests want to come back. My furry friends are the same. I will stock my table with gourmet pet treats, next to the gourmet human treats. If it is a brunch, I’ll make sure there’s plenty of champagne for the humans and water for the pups.

Social hour is important for us and for our pets. I love how happy America gets when he sees one of his puppy friends and they roll around and play. The socialization is not only good for tiring them out, but it allows them to express themselves in ways we humans can’t accommodate. They get to be dogs, we get to be humans and everyone gets to socialize. Giving time and effort is the ultimate indulgence and one we need to prioritize for all of our mental health.

There are many ways to indulge in the pleasures of life and there are just as many ways to enjoy them with our fur babies.

From a spa day with a blueberry facial and a paw rub, to an afternoon spent with friends who make us laugh and let us play,  indulgences are good for the soul and should be enjoyed on a more regular basis.

Do you have a favorite indulgence you share with your pet? Maybe a couples massage with your Frenchy? Tell me about it in the comments below! Or share it with the women on MOXIE!