Last year, in the United States, more than 700,000 pets enjoyed being the life of a party thrown in their honor.

Labrador retriever owner Tyler Hurst, 26, of Phoenix, liked the idea after visiting a neighbor's son's first birthday party.

"I don't have a child yet. My family pretty much consists of Tiny Toons (the dog) and me," says Hurst. "I didn't want to miss out on all the fun stuff so I decided to have a birthday party for him."

"Dogs aren't the only ones having fun. Dog parties unleash the true party animal in everyone," says Arden Moore, pet expert and author of "Dog Parties: How to Party With Your Pup."

"Snicker if you will, but deep down inside, you know that you would rather attend a dog party than a boring candle party. At dog parties, you don't have to worry about wearing the right clothes or making the right small talk. Dogs take center stage and you get to revel in the moment."

And pets aren't the only ones to benefit. Pet product manufacturers with double digit increases in sales are smiling too.

If you host a pet party, Paws For a Treat at www.gooddogexpress.com offer a Pooch Party Pack containing invitations, hats, scarves, bone candles, toys and paw print balloons. There are "Birthday Dog" scarves and coordinating hats for dogs and humans in all sizes. A plush toy birthday present or party favor is included in the pack.

Moore offers these tips to ensure a successful bow-wow bash: