Your pet doesn’t know it yet, but they’re in for the best April Fool’s Day pranks-fest ever! Well, okay, they won’t actually know it’s April Fool’s Day, but that doesn’t matter. With interactive pranks for every furry family member, your day will be filled with head tilts, tail wags, barks and purrs for more!
Try out these 5 April Fool’s Day pranks with your playful pet for a fun-filled day of surprises.
Should we really be pranking our pets?
Before we get into some of the best April Fool’s Day pranks to play on your pup or cat, you might be wondering if this is really a good idea. After all, you worked hard to earn the trust of your beloved furbaby! You certainly don’t want a bit of fun to lead to stress or confusion for your pet.
But, when done right, pranks can be a great way to provide your pet with some excitement and mental stimulation. As long as the prank appeals to your dog or cat’s natural curiosity and playfulness, you can be sure that April 1st is a day that they look forward to every year! As you’ll see, the pranks in our list are light-hearted, fear-free, and sure to give you some bonding time with your pet.
#1: Unleash a toy storm
This prank will require a large quantity of toys such as tennis balls—or for our smaller furry friends, table tennis balls. Make sure you have about a bucket full of them!
When your pet is in a playful mood, find a hiding spot from which you can toss the toys in their direction without them seeing you. For instance, if your pup is in the backyard, position yourself inside under an open window.
Start out with one ball or toy to get their attention. If they’re intrigued, start throwing a new one every few seconds until they’re absolutely bombarded with a toy shower. Your pet won’t know where the toys are coming from or which one to focus on. And, you’ll enjoy watching them scramble from toy to toy while trying to figure out how they got so lucky!
When you’re out of toys to throw, emerge from your hiding spot and join the fun.
#2: Try a meal-time prank
If your pet is a food-lover, we have a few meal-based April Fool’s Day pranks to get their mouths watering.
Here’s the cheeky version: think of a type of food that your dog or cat absolutely despises. Maybe they turn up their whiskers at broccoli or lettuce, for instance. Whatever their culinary kryptonite, you’re going to have a bowl of it on hand when you’re preparing their regular meal. Pretend to pour their food into their bowl as if this were any other mealtime. But instead of serving them their regular meal, give them the bowl of veggies and wait for their reaction. Your pet will be momentarily surprised before either giving you a look of disdain or disappointment. Don’t worry, furry friend. Your real meal is right here!
If you want your April Fool’s Day prank to be all tail-wags and purrs, here’s an alternative. Before you put your pet’s regular food in the bowl, put a very special treat in the bottom. That way, they’ll get a pleasant surprise when they’ve finished their food!
#3: Adventure switcheroo
Dogs are masters at observation, which means that they probably know well in advance when you’re planning on taking them to the groomers or the vet. As soon as you turn on that street, they might start looking at you with a “please don’t make me do this” face.
With this April Fool’s Day prank, you’ll show them that they’re in for a fun surprise instead of a trip to their least-favourite place! All you have to do is re-route your trip to the dog park or dog friendly beach so that you pass by the dreaded vet clinic or groomer. Once your pupper realises they’re actually on the way to a fun new adventure, their demeanour will change completely!
What we like about this April Fool’s Day prank is that it provides you with an opportunity for counterconditioning. Instead of associating the drive to the vet with something scary, you’re showing them that they might be in for something fun instead! You can even throw in a few treats along the way for more positive reinforcement.
#4: Bring back the blanket challenge
If you didn’t hop on this TikTok trend in 2020, this April Fool’s Day is the perfect time to play a magic trick on your pet.
The concept is simple. All you have to do is hide behind a blanket in a doorway while your dog or cat watches on the other side. Lower the blanket to expose your face two or three times and then toss the blanket up while you dash out of sight. The blanket will fall, and your pet will be left stunned at your disappearing act! Don’t leave them in suspense too long; your pet just wants to make sure you haven’t disappeared for good!
While many of the viral videos for this trick involved doggos, we have to say that curious cats are also made for great participants! Just take a look at this concerned kitty when her human disappears:
@smr_1222 Don’t mind the random pj combo😂 #kittensoftiktok #fyp #foryoupage
#5: Bath time shenanigans
Some doggos will never come around to the idea of taking a bath, but you can use that to your pranking advantage! On a non-bath day, you’re going to pretend that you’re getting everything ready for Fido’s least favourite activity. But really, you’ll be filling the tub with new and old toys and special treats.
Make a big show about telling your pup that it’s time for a wash so that when they step into the bathroom, they’re pleasantly puzzled. No bath? New toys? Tasty treats? This is their lucky day!
Just like the Adventure Switcheroo prank, this April Fool’s Day prank can help your pupper to reconsider their view of the dreaded tub while you laugh at their adorable reaction.
Which April fool’s pranks will you pull on your pet?
No matter which April Fool’s Day prank you choose, you and your pet are in for a day of fun bonding and memory-making. So get creative—and get your camera ready—for a laughter-filled day of humour, surprises, and plenty of tasty treats!
