Today my girlfriend’s dog turned 9. He had a birthday party at the dog park. He dressed up for the occasion and wore a tie. The invited guests were mostly well-behaved. The uninvited ones were the ones we needed to worry about. A French bulldog was especially enamored of a stuffed, plush cake. He chased it. He tossed it in the air. He even tried to bury it in the dirt for later. Birthday parties in public places are always a challenge.