Hello Spring! What a great time to be outdoors with your furry friend. You notice your go-to social platform is showing adorable vids of dogs on an Easter egg hunt. Thought bubble: that looks like fun for my dog–and me!

An Easter egg hunt can be a fun way to engage in playtime with your dog, and boost your dog’s enrichment through nose work, the stimulation of a new activity, and a refresh of training commands. It’s a rewards-based activity for dogs that exercises their brain as well as their body. 

Here’s how to hatch a good plan for your dog’s Easter egg hunt ahead of time to make sure it’s safe and enjoyable, and not just Insta-worthy.

Easy-peasy Easter egg hunt for dogs

Everybunny loves an Easter egg hunt! Your dog will use his keen sense of smell for this activity, so the stinkier the treat, the easier for him to sniff it out!

Steps for this fun activity with dogs

1. Hardboiled Egg - Peel and chop up a plain hardboiled egg. Limit the number of eggs to ½ for small dogs, 1 for medium dogs and 1 ½ for large.

2. Peanut butter -  Roll up balls of natural peanut butter (make sure it’s free of xylitol).

3. Carob chips -  This is a dog-safe alternative to chocolate chips. It doesn’t have much aroma, but you can encase them in peanut butter.

4. Meat & cheese -  Your dog will happily scarf down bite-size pieces of cooked boneless chicken or turkey, lean beef, or bites of aromatic cheese.

5. Vegetables -  Diced veggies like carrots and broccoli (raw or plainly boiled or steamed) are a hit with most dogs. Dip them in gravy or peanut butter so their nose will pick up the scent.

6. Ice Cubes -  If it’s not too warm outside, a few ice cubes in a bowl will be a fun find. You can also freeze seasoning-free homemade bone broth or bone broth made specifically for dogs (free of salt, onions, garlic, etc.).

7. Dog Toys -  This one is tricky as your pooch may not want to release the toy once it’s found. Avoid rawhide bones since these become a choking hazard as your dog runs from treat to treat!

Be mindful of where you hide Easter eggs for your pet. Best to plan the activity in a fenced-in backyard and monitor closely during the game.

Safety tips for your outdoor activity with your dog

You want to make this event a great time for all, but no need to compete with the White House Easter Egg Roll. Keep it simple, as your doggo will be happy just to spend the time with you and finding those treats.

Want to know how to make an Easter egg hunt safe for dogs? We’re hopping with answers!

Safety tips for your dog's Easter egg hunt

1. Well, shell no! - For the purposes of this read, we’ll use the word “egg” a lot. But don’t use plastic eggs; they’re an invitation to an emergency trip to the vet’s! Think: cuts…ingestion…blockages…vet bills. 

2. Keep ‘em separated - Keep an egg hunt for children separate from a doggie egg hunt. No child wants a piece of chicken in their egg and your dog will pick up on the smell of human food or candy, just as much as his own food. He may fight over a new found treat (the same way kids do!) and will be unpredictable if anyone tries to take that food out of his mouth.

3. Too hot to trot around - Know your dog’s tolerance for exercise and heat. Especially in hot climates, look for cues like excessive panting to make sure he’s not overheating. Always have water easily available and nearby.

4. Color me confused - Dogs don’t see color the same way we do, so use light colored paper plates or paper bags in dark landscaping, or dark colors in light spaces.   

5. (Not always) better together - Considering a multi-dog egg hunt? Make sure the pups are already pals, and relatively close in size. Trust us, at VEG ER for Pets, we see the aftermath of little dog/big dog scuffles and it’s not pretty. It’s best to keep small dogs and large dogs in separate Easter egg hunts.

6. Back the pack - An Easter egg hunt is not a set-it-and-forget-it activity. If multiple dogs are playing together, don’t just release the hounds! You’ll need to support their good time by playing referee and keeping a watchful eye.

   
   

Health hazard: if dog ate hard plastic, get to the vet asap

As we’ve noted, plastic eggs can be crushed by overly eager jaws, causing potential and serious injury.

Here are some safer alternative ideas to plastic Easter eggs:

1. Hide small plates or bowls around the yard

2. An extra large paper bag, large enough to stick their snout in and grab the treat. If your dog is struggling to reach the treat, the bag is not large enough. It should be an easy grab! Supervise closely and immediately remove the bag for safety

3. Tuck food inside other foods like a dollop of xylitol-free peanut butter, a bit of cream cheese, or liverwurst. You can also try hiding kibble in a small piece of bread or a hard-boiled egg (but not too many!)

4. Forego hiding the treats inside of things and simply place the treats in hiding spots

Is your dog aggressive around other pets? You might want to rethink this activity. But if they're the mayor of the dog park, they're in for a happy playtime with this Easter egg hunt for dogs!

Rethink this activity if your dog gets aggressive around food

Lastly, think about your dog and food. You might want to rethink inviting other canines if your dog is prone to food aggression.

Some signs of food aggression in dogs include:

1. Growling when anyone is near their bowl

2. Unable to release a bone or food dogs shouldn’t have

3. Nosing out other dogs in the home to eat their food or drink from their bowl

If the hunt gets ruff, call VEG ER for Pets, open 24 hours on holidays, too

VEG ER for Pets has hospitals across the US and in Canada that are open 24 hours every day. We never close, even on holidays, so keep us in your contacts. Call to speak with a doctor who can answer your questions or come right in and your pet will be triaged immediately. Best of all, you stay by your pet’s side the entire time!