Ganpati With Zoey: How We Celebrated With Our Chow Chow 🐾🙏

Ganpati is always special for us, and this year it felt even more so because Zoey was right there with us through all of it.

We didn’t want her to just be somewhere in the background while the house was full, the prayers were happening and guests were coming in and out.

We wanted her to be part of the celebration.

And she was.

From wearing her cutest little bow to sitting around during the prayers, meeting guests and patiently waiting for what she now knows as her version of Prasad, Zoey had a full Ganpati experience with us.

She obviously approved most of it because there were treats involved.

We kept blueberries and a few other dog-safe snacks handy through the day, so after prayers she knew there was usually something coming her way.

Very quickly, she understood the routine.

Prayers first.

Treat after.

Fair deal.

One thing we were especially happy about was how well her training helped us through the day.

With guests coming over, there was a lot more movement, voices and general activity in the house than usual. Because Zoey has good command training and is used to listening to us, we didn’t feel the need to keep her locked away just because people were around.

Instead, we let her mingle, say hello and be part of everything while still keeping an eye on how she was feeling.

That mattered to us.

We wanted her included, but never overwhelmed.

And there were moments when we could tell she had had enough.

Her breathing became heavier, she looked a little anxious and we knew she needed a break.

So we took her into the room, sat with her quietly, gave her water and let her rest for a while.

Once she had settled down, she could come back out again if she wanted to.

For us, that was probably the biggest reminder of the day.

Celebrating festivals with dogs is not about making them participate in everything.

It is about letting them be part of the family while still paying attention to what they are trying to tell you.

Especially with a Chow Chow, heat, excitement and too much activity can become tiring quite quickly, so we made sure Zoey had water often and always had access to a calm, cool space away from the crowd.

She joined us for the prayers too, which has slowly become something we really love.

She may have no idea what is happening, but she knows when everyone sits together, something important is going on.

And she definitely knows what happens afterwards.

Her little treat after prayers has now become her own tiny version of Prasad.

Honestly, that may be her favourite tradition.

By the end of the celebration, she had met everyone, collected enough attention, eaten her treats and looked ridiculously cute in her bow.

And that was enough for us.

We didn’t need Zoey to sit perfectly still for hours or behave like she wasn’t a dog.

We just wanted her to feel safe, included and comfortable in her own home.

That is probably what made this Ganpati with Zoey so special.

What We Learned Celebrating Ganpati With a Dog

If you are planning to celebrate Ganpati or any festival with your dog, our biggest takeaway would be to keep things simple.

• Let them meet guests if they are comfortable.
• Give them a quiet space when they need a break.
• Keep fresh water available.
• Use dog-safe treats instead of human sweets.
• And most importantly, don’t force them to stay around noise or crowds just because you want them included.

Sometimes being part of the celebration also means knowing when to take them away from it for a while.

For Zoey, that balance worked beautifully.

She got her family time.

She got her prayers.

She got her guests.

And, most importantly...

She got her Prasad. 🫐🐾

Final Woof

Ganpati this year reminded us that having a dog doesn’t mean keeping them away from every celebration.

With good training, a little planning and a lot of attention to their comfort, they can absolutely be part of these moments with us.

Zoey certainly was.

Bow on.

Blueberries ready.

Ganpati Bappa Morya. 🙏🐶