[MaxMommy]

I just started my own puppy play group for my area. It will make life easier than running to the city during the winter time. I am going to hold it at my place. I have a big open running space that would be good for quite a few dogs. The organizer of the NYC Malti meet up group is going to mentor me through it. I am going to make up little coupons and leave them at the vets offices and supermarkets and petsmart in my area.

Thought I would share this, since it is a National website and you can create or join a group in your area.
Starting your own group costs $72 for six months with a free 30 day trial period. You can cancel within 30 days and get your money back. They have a monthly plan, too.

Only put up the site a day ago and already have 3 members (5 pups) and a puppy boxer waiting to join. cool.

Hope you like it. Any suggestions are welcomed, as I have never done this before.


My Staten Island Puppy Play Group

 

[Ladysmom]

I just started my own puppy play group for my area. It will make life easier than running to the city during the winter time. I am going to hold it at my place. I have a big open running space that would be good for quite a few dogs. The organizer of the NYC Malti meet up group is going to mentor me through it. I am going to make up little coupons and leave them at the vets offices and supermarkets and petsmart in my area.

Thought I would share this, since it is a National website and you can create or join a group in your area.
Starting your own group costs $72 for six months with a free 30 day trial period. You can cancel within 30 days and get your money back. They have a monthly plan, too.

Only put up the site a day ago and already have 3 members (5 pups) and a puppy boxer waiting to join. cool.

Hope you like it. Any suggestions are welcomed, as I have never done this before.


My Staten Island Puppy Play Group[/B]

Sounds like fun!

My only suggestion would be to require that everyone bring the pup's innoculation record with them to make sure they are current on vaccines and set a minimum age limit of at least 4 months. 16 weeks is the suggested age for puppy interaction/socialization since they will have had all their shots by then. The general rule is to wait 2 weeks after they have had their final shots for full immunization.

 

[MaxMommy]

index.php?act=findpost&pid=130373

I just started my own puppy play group for my area. It will make life easier than running to the city during the winter time. I am going to hold it at my place. I have a big open running space that would be good for quite a few dogs. The organizer of the NYC Malti meet up group is going to mentor me through it. I am going to make up little coupons and leave them at the vets offices and supermarkets and petsmart in my area.

Thought I would share this, since it is a National website and you can create or join a group in your area.
Starting your own group costs $72 for six months with a free 30 day trial period. You can cancel within 30 days and get your money back. They have a monthly plan, too.

Only put up the site a day ago and already have 3 members (5 pups) and a puppy boxer waiting to join. cool.

Hope you like it. Any suggestions are welcomed, as I have never done this before.


My Staten Island Puppy Play Group[/B]

Sounds like fun!

My only suggestion would be to require that everyone bring the pup's innoculation record with them to make sure they are current on vaccines and set a minimum age limit of at least 4 months. 16 weeks is the suggested age for puppy interaction/socialization since they will have had all their shots by then. The general rule is to wait 2 weeks after they have had their final shots for full immunization.
[/B]

I will do that. The one they hold in the city require the pups to have thier first 2 sets of shots. All the other puppy groups in the city, too.

It will take a few weeks to get this group up and running, I am sure...but, it would sure be nice for them to have some winter fun.

If and when it happens, I will share pics of the puppy play dates, for sure.

 

[paris'mom]

Hi,

I went to checkout your Meetup site and it looks WONDERFUL! My only suggestions are:

1. Password the site (so people who are looking to steal or maybe causing harm - just paranoid maybe? Cannot see who belongs in the meet group).

2. Distribute e-mail newsletters on important issues such as newly found diseases in the area, food recommendations, and other awareness issues.

3. Require stricter innoculation than the city. This way, more people will know that their dogs will not be put in harms way and you'll probably get more members.

**PS. you're so cute! I saw the picture of you and you're really a pretty lady!

 

[Ladysmom]

I agree with requiring stricter innoculations. Parvo is just so darn scary. We all learned a lot about it when Tucker was fighting for his life. Apparently, the earlier vaccines can be attacked and destroyed by the mother's immunities passed to the puppy, so even if he's had a few shots, he may be still be susceptible. I think requiring that the puppy be completely finished with all his shots would be much safer for everyone.

And do require that dogs over a year old be spayed or neutered. I know the local dog park here does and I would assume that's standard policy. You certainly don't want any dog fights!

 

[MaxMommy]

Thank you for the compliments and the tips. This is pretty overwhelming at the moment. I am just trying to get it going.

I already have my first delemma (sp?). A puppy mommy just joined, she said her pup was 8 mos. old so, I figured it was ok and approved her (gotta get people in there) turns out her 8 month old pit mix is 60 pounds? How is that going to work with my little 4 pounder? Is Max going to be terrified??

Oh Lord, now what.

 

[paris'mom]

Although it's tough not to discriminate, I say that this is YOUR HOME and it's YOUR GROUP, so it's YOUR CALL.

Personally, I don't want to take my two little ones to a park where I know that large dogs roam free. So since your personal interest is in the safety of your Max, I would decline her.

How about making it a small-breed (put a weight limit ) on the group? Instead of a puppy meetup, how about "Calling all Small Heros!"

and make it a small breed meet-up?

I'm sure there are many small breed dogs in your area that will be interested in knowing that
A) Their dog is among healthy dogs

No large dogs will harm their dog (not to say the small teeth doesn't hurt)
C) It's free (right?)

On second thought- how about making certain days(meetup schedules) for certain weight class, and other times for small ones? lol

I'd recommend advertising your club in your local (i hate to say this) Pet stores, and community centers.

This will give you the chance to educate the mass regarding care and issuses such as spay/neuter.

Do you need posters? I can make them for you! FREE SERVICE FROM ONE MALT mom To ANOTHER Malt Mom!

 

[MaxMommy]

Although it's tough not to discriminate, I say that this is YOUR HOME and it's YOUR GROUP, so it's YOUR CALL.

Personally, I don't want to take my two little ones to a park where I know that large dogs roam free. So since your personal interest is in the safety of your Max, I would decline her.

How about making it a small-breed (put a weight limit ) on the group? Instead of a puppy meetup, how about "Calling all Small Heros!"

and make it a small breed meet-up?

I'm sure there are many small breed dogs in your area that will be interested in knowing that
A) Their dog is among healthy dogs

No large dogs will harm their dog (not to say the small teeth doesn't hurt)
C) It's free (right?)

On second thought- how about making certain days(meetup schedules) for certain weight class, and other times for small ones? lol

I'd recommend advertising your club in your local (i hate to say this) Pet stores, and community centers.

This will give you the chance to educate the mass regarding care and issuses such as spay/neuter.

Do you need posters? I can make them for you! FREE SERVICE FROM ONE MALT mom To ANOTHER Malt Mom![/B]

hmmm, I thought I was aiming it at toy breeds. I could make a toy and a regular group. I will just let Max watch when the big ones are around...unless he gets comfortable. I will have to see what the other puppies mouthing habits are. The last thing I want, is for him to be traumatized, that goes against what this whole thing is supposed to do for them. They should come away feeling more secure, not threatened.

It is free. I am going to start leaving little flyers on bulletin boards, PetSmart, and vet offices.

Hey, I will take you up on the poster offer, that is way cool. Specify toy breeds only please. I will figure a way to handle the 60 pound pup issue...somehow.

Thank you, again.

 

[Boobookit]

Hey There,
I agree with everyone else...get medical records first and foremost. Second, I would definitely put a weight limit on the group....call it a Toy pup meet-up.....at 60 pounds even his easiest play will be too rough for the little ones.

It just scares me...one good shake and he can do some damage.....

Marie & (oh, no, he's too big for me, Mommy!) Pacino

 

[MaxMommy]

Hey There,
I agree with everyone else...get medical records first and foremost. Second, I would definitely put a weight limit on the group....call it a Toy pup meet-up.....at 60 pounds even his easiest play will be too rough for the little ones.

It just scares me...one good shake and he can do some damage.....

Marie & (oh, no, he's too big for me, Mommy!) Pacino[/B]

yeah, for a 60 pound pit mix, his raw hide chews probably weigh more than Max...believe me, I am nervous about it...but, I feel bad about offending the woman...well, Max's and every other toys safety means more than that. I am going to remove her and appologize, it's not like I met her, yet, anyway.

Oh well. She probably hasnt even had him fixed...I just get that feeling...meaning more aggression.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

I used to be the organizer of a maltese play group in my town. We stopped meeting due to lack of interest from the members. Anyway I would definitely put a size limit on the dogs that can come. I would not allow any dog over 25lbs, maybe even less than that. My neighbor has some Westies that the girls play with and they are in the 20-28lb range. They get along great and play well. I definitly would not let the girls (especially Nikki) play with a 60lb dog. If I did I would be watching them constently to make sure they didn't get too rough.

 

[FannyMay]

I was going to voice my concern about the Boxer pup that was waiting approval, but I see everyone else said to have a weight limit. It will be safer for all the dogs there and it will be safer on your house lol. Having a bunch of 25lbs and less dogs running around won't do as much damage as a bunch of 60+ dogs running around lol. Fantasia used to play with a boxer pup when she was a puppy and one day the boxer just got too big and she pounced on my fantasia pinning her down on the ground. Fantasia and I were NOT happy! I shooed the dog away and told the owner that her pup just outgrew my Fantasia and they couldn't play anymore.
I know others have said to make sure the dogs get spayed and neutered and I was going to say that too. Since most dogs can get spayed and neutered by 4 months I think most of them will already be done but I would put a 6 month limit on that. Make sure that ALL your dogs are spayed and neutered at or by 6 months of age so you don't get any fights and pregnancy scares.

 

[MaxMommy]

Well, the dog wasn't even a boxer, he was a pit bull mix...which worried me even more. You know their history.

I removed her from the list and just gave her a one sentence excuse, Ox is too big for this group of toys. I am sure she can find another group...or she can create her own.

So far, we have 4 members with a total of 6 toy breeds. We have enough for a little party. They are all under twenty pounds.

Maybe I will have everyone sign an agreement of some sort that everyone is responsible for their own dogs and they swear their dogs are not aggressive. With pups, how much damage can they really do to someone. A scratch? The place I went for puppy play...it looked so harmless...I mean they are babies.

 

[Ladysmom]

The issue of liabilty if someone gets bitten or injured is a good one to think about. We live in a lawsuit society, unfortunately.

I'd check with the company who carries your homeowners insurance, explain the situation and find out what kind of liabilty you would face if a dog or person got hurt.

A weight limit is a great idea. I'd make it 20 (or whatever) at mature weight, so you don't have to kick anyone out down the line.