One phenomenon that has become more and more common over the last few years is the idea of involving your dog in your wedding or civil ceremony, as an ever-growing number of people wish to recognise the importance of their dog in their lives, and make them a part of their big day.

While having your dog play a part might seem like a great idea in the abstract, there are still a lot of potential problems or challenges that can come up in reality if you really have your heart set on doing this, and although you may be able to surmount them, it is important to think things through before you commit to having a four-legged groomsman or bridesmaid in tow!

In this article, we will look at some of the various different ways in which you might want to think about involving your dog on the big day, and some of the potential problems you will need to think about first. Read on to learn more.

What could your dog do?

Exactly what part your dog plays or how involved they are is up to you-some popular and reasonably common options that other people have explored in recent years include having the dog walk down the aisle with the bride or groom, sitting at the front with the family, or being one of the groomsmen, among a whole range of other things! Exactly what you might like your dog to do on the day is up to you, and next, we will look at a few of the problems or challenges that you need to think about first.

Permissions

First of all, you will need to check with the church, hall or other venue that you intend to use for your wedding whether or not they will allow your dog into it, and if you want to take them to the reception or after-event too, this might mean checking with multiple people. Whatever you are told, get it in writing so that there are no problems or challenges on the day itself, when you will have a lot more on your mind!

Allergies

It is important to recognise the fact that a small proportion of people have allergies to dogs, and this might be one of your guests, one of the staff at the venue, or even the person conducting the ceremony. You will need to find out about this first, and find out how bad they are and whether you would be able to balance your dog and people’s comfort-and also of course, if anyone present is frightened of dogs!

Mucky pups!

Even if your dog is bathed and groomed to within an inch of their lives for the big day itself, remember that dogs have a great knack of being able to pick up dirt with ease, and also, that they will shed hair too! This means that your smart dress or suit (or that of someone else) may not make it through the day without traces of dog, and you will also have to assess the possibility that your dog might make you messy before the ceremony!

Your dog’s behaviour

If your dog is not really well behaved and very responsive to your commands, trying to get them to play a role in the ceremony may not go to plan at all. This may be alternatively entertaining or devastating depending on how your view it, but really think about the stakes, what you are asking of your dog, and if your dog is really up for the challenge before you commit.

Who will be in charge of your dog?

Because the couple getting married will have a lot going on, it is important to designate someone trustworthy and familiar to the dog to be in charge of them on the day-give them water, take them out to the toilet and ensure that they are where they are meant to be at all times!

This may mean spending a reasonable amount of time practicing and running through things with your dog and their designated chaperone to ensure that everything will go smoothly, so ensure that you pick someone who actively wants to do it, and not just someone who will see it as a chore.

Will your dog be stressed?

Finally, your wedding day is of course a really big deal, with emotions running high and lots of excitement, all taking place outside of the home and in the presence of two people who are not going to be able to give their dog their full attention at all times. This can be stressful for dogs, so ensure that your dog is a type that will enjoy it, love meeting new people and find the excitement good, rather than a shy or nervous dog that will hate every minute of it and potentially get really upset.