Bark Mitzvah History and Ideas
Most of us who have dogs view them as part of our family. It’s not unusual for our dogs to sit next to us on our furniture, accompany us on all kinds of outings, and sleep with us in our beds. Many of us refer to our dogs as our “kids” – even if we also have human children.
So it should come as no surprise that some Jewish people decide to have a “Bark Mitzvah” for their dog. It’s common to celebrate a dog’s Bark Mitzvah when the dog turns 13 – which could mean 13-years-old, 13-months-old, or almost two years old (i.e., 13-years-old in “dog years”). Others may celebrate a dog’s “Bark Mitzvah” at a time that’s unrelated to the number 13 in the dog’s life, but is for some other reason significant.
While Bark Mitzvahs have become more common in recent years, the first recorded Bark Mitzvah took place decades ago, back in 1958. It was in Beverly Hills, CA (no big shock there!). The term “Bark Mitzvah” was coined by Janet Salter, who, along with her husband Max Salter – philanthropist, businessman, and former Beverly Hills Mayor and City Councilman – had a coming-of-age ceremony for their black Cocker Spaniel Duke of Windsor (nicknamed Windy) when Windy turned 13-years-old. The Salters sent out invitations to the event, and guests brought presents for Windy, including dog biscuits and fountain pens, a gift that was commonly given to 13-year-old humans for their B’nai Mitzvah at the time. The event was written up in the The Beverly Hills Courier. In later years, when the Salter’s other dogs turned 13, the couple had Bark Mitzvah ceremonies for them as well.
Bark Mitzvahs can be – and are – celebrated in many different ways. Some people simply put a kippah/yarmulke, and maybe a “doggy tallit/prayer shawl,” on their dog, and perhaps give their dog a special Bark Mitzvah bone-shaped cookie or cake from a local dog bakery, and take some pictures. Others invite friends and family, and often the pet dogs of those friends and family members, to a Bark Mitzvah celebration. The celebration may be held in the dog owner’s home, or it might be outside at a park or other area where dogs are welcome.
Some people send cute invitations – either by snail mail or online – with a Bark Mitzvah theme to the humans and dogs on their Bark Mitzvah guest list. The Bark Mitzvah and their dog guests may get “dressed up” with special bandanas (with sayings such as “today is my Bark Mitzvah” or “Mazel Tov,” or sporting Jewish stars), and guests may bring presents for the “dog of honor” (though probably not fountain pens), and/or the hosts may request that guests make donations to a local shelter or other organization that helps dogs. At the end of the celebration, the hosts may send home special treats for the dog guests.
Whether your dog’s Bark Mitzvah involves simply putting a kippah on your dog’s head and taking a picture or a big celebration at a venue other than your home with invitations, lots of human and canine guests, special treats for dogs and humans, gifts and/or donations and “doggie bags” to take home, it can be a fun way to celebrate your dog – even if your beloved dog has absolutely no idea that’s what you’re doing.
KEEP IN MIND: Having a Bark Mitzvah can be a fun, as well as meaningful, experience. But remember that no matter how much you love your dog, they’re not human, and care should be taken to ensure that a Bark Mitzvah is a joyful event, but not a religious event in the way that a Bar/Bat Mitzvah of a person is. For example, while it’s fine to put a kippah/yarmulke on a dog, it would be inappropriate to put a real tallit/prayer shawl, with real tzitzit/fringes, on a dog, due to the item’s holy nature (though it is possible to purchase fake tallitot/prayer shawls that don’t have reall tzitzit that you can use to take a picture of your dog at their Bark Mitzvah, or at some other time). And while your dog shouldn’t be called up to a real Torah, you can get a stuffed Torah and take pictures of your dog with the Torah. Additionally, while it wouldn’t be appropriate to use most traditional liturgy at a Bark Mitzvah, you can certainly create a blessing for your dog, expressing how special your dog is and how much your dog means to you, and thanking God for giving you the precious gift of your dog. The Shehecheyanu, which praises God for creating us, sustaining us, and bringing us to a special time in our life, for many people may feel like a very appropriate prayer to recite at a Bark Mitzvah.
