Indiana Jones never had a party quite like this. Indiana Bones, a Belgian sheepdog mix, had her face Photoshopped onto the Mona Lisa and made into magnets — one of many personal touches at her princess party.

The annual birthday parties were a small way for Jennifer Schneider to give back to her dog, an animal who was an inspiration by beating cancer twice.

"She was a once-in-a-lifetime dog," said Schneider, of Limestone, who works at Razzle Dazzle Doggie Bow-tique in Kankakee. "She was a lot more human than dog — very empathetic."

Throwing your child a birthday party is a given, but as dogs become more a part of the family, pup parties are getting to be the norm in today's pet-obsessed society. It's one of the fastest-growing trends in the pet industry — one which topped $55 billion last year, according to the American Pet Products Association.

Adoption parties, puppy showers and birthday parties are commonplace. Pet owners may also throw a soiree after their pampered pup passes the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen class, invite bow-wow buddies over for Howl-a-ween in fall, and even send out invites for a Whine & Cheese event for girlfriends and their dogs. A quick Internet search shows people are even having Bark Mitzvahs, similar to the Roman Catholic "blessing of the animals," for the congregation's beloved pooch.

Jennifer O'Donnell is owner of Doggie Works, a dog daycare in Chicago that plans pet parties, including Prince and Princess birthday packages, Let's Meet Up playdates and Dirty Doggie groups, where dogs play dirty then enjoy a bath and a facial before being sent home.

O'Donnell's work combines her passion for puppies with her event planning prowess. Check out these tips from her and other resources to make your next pet party a success.

<strong>Guest list and invites</strong>

Some new owners use party activities as opportunities to socialize their pups — an important part of proper dog development — but the most successful parties invite guests that get along well together.

"Not all dogs want to go hang out with 18 of their closest 80-pound friends," O'Donnell said. "A bunch of German shepherds shouldn't necessarily be hanging out with a Bichon ." Think about Fluffy's friends, and invite the dogs that will play nicely together.

For invitations, Joan Alexander, owner of Dog House Parties in XX, personalizing. Stamp your dog's paw print on invitations or attach its photo and capitalize on one of many fun puns, like "Yappy Birthday," "Birthday Pawty" or "Come. Sit. Stay."

<strong>Feeding Fido</strong>

When planning the menu, keep in mind that some foods for human guests can be toxic to dogs — such as chocolate, grapes, avocados, macadamia nuts, garlic or onions — and you don't want an issues in case something falls on the ground. It may be better to stick to things found in the kitchen will set tails wagging: peanut butter, cheese, and pumpkin are furry favorites.

Reversing the serving dishes is a cute way to bring hound and human together. Serve dog-themed snacks like puppy chow or hot dogs in plastic doggie bowls to the people. For pets, consider using a bone-shaped cake pan to make pupcakes. Recipes for dog delicacies abound on websites like Pinterest — everything from ice cream and truffles to donuts and lollipops. Serve kibble in bone-shaped bowls and fill apothecary jars with treats.

You can also find custom pet cakes at area specialty bakeries like Blackbird's Bowl in Morris and Chew on This Dog Barkery in Frankfort, which use natural ingredients like peanut butter, pumpkin, apple sauce, bananas and yogurt.

<strong>Games and activities</strong>

A pet party can turn from cuddly to chaos if not properly planned. Both O'Donnell and Alexander stressed the importance of activities to keep them busy. Alexander's golden retriever Sunshine and her friends enjoy playing musical hula hoops. Dogs circle a ring of hula hoops on the ground, racing to sit down when the music stops. The slowest dog is eliminated.

Dogs also love solving puzzles with treats hidden inside, bobbing for hot dogs, and running hay mazes, said Donna Santucci, owner of Fido To Go, a Chicago food truck and catering service.

Since dogs spend most of their time sleeping, plan rest breaks in between activities, and have a separate room available for dogs who need to settle down.

But activities aren't just for animals. While the dogs are asleep, the people get their play time. Schneider once set up a dog agility course for the humans to run.

<strong>Partied Out</strong>

As the party winds down, send each guest home with a doggie bag. PetSmart and Petco offer rawhide bones shaped like cupcakes. Tennis balls and bandannas can be used as favors.

Before the dogs leave, take a picture of each one wearing his new bandana and print it out on your thank-you cards. Pet photographer Jennifer Whaley created an app called Pose a Pet, which makes noises to attract a dog or cat's attention for a photo. She recommends getting in close, on the animal's level, and shooting them against a background that's not the same color. Your dog-owning friends will love having an adorable picture of their best friend to put up on the fridge, or in a frame decorated during the party.

It's the kind of relationship worth celebrating. As Schneider discovered, a pet party is the perfect excuse to bring together a big group of friends and their pets.

"I remember everyone standing around Indiana Bones in the living room and singing 'Happy Birthday' to her while she was sick. We felt so much love and support from our friends," she said. "Dealing with cancer changes your perspective on pets and life."