Spoil the dog, not the cake; some pets get treated to their own birthday parties

By MELISSA KOSSLER DUTTON

updated 11:04 a.m. PT, Tues., March. 4, 2008

Max at his 1st birthday paw-ty luau

Ashley Polston, 27, and Amit Bakshi, 29, of San Jose, Calif., credit their dog, Max, with helping them settle into their community. The couple befriended other dog owners during trips to the park and started a dog play group.

"Max is a great addition to our family," Polston said. "He is energetic and always happy, traits which I aspire to have as well."

When Max turned 1, she and Bakshi invited friends over for a luau-themed birthday party. All the four-legged guests received Hawaiian-print bandanas with their names embroidered on them.

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More pictures from Max's 1st birthday paw-ty: