[ReadingMama]

I don't think we have a designated dog park in my town, but I would love it if we did. Does anyone schedule dog play dates for your dog? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> I'm kinda embarrassed to ask, but my dog loves to play with other dogs! <a href="http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t133/readingmama/DCFC0190.jpg" target="_blank">Here's</a> a picture of her--just because she's cute!

 

[Danemom]

Awww! She IS cute! We thankfully have several dog parks around here so I can't help in that department. Except to say that you shouldn't be embarrassed to ask that question. You puppy deserves playdates! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/winky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink">

 

[mamamillet]

I do doggy playdates---love them. Usually they are mommy playdates too though. I have two girlfriends that have very social dogs. One lives right around the corner and the other is a bit of a drive. My girl is almost a year old so it has been an almost weekly thing for us as its great socialization and it wears her out! Might try posting in your tribal area.

 

[ReadingMama]

Thanks Danemom! Yay for doggy playdates! We're having our first one today. It's also a playdate for us moms and our sons. Yesterday we went to our homeschool group's park day with our dog. They told us to bring our dogs, so I was hoping for a friend for Raven, but the only other dogs there were a little shivering 12 year old mini pin and a not-too-sure-about-other-dogs bichon. Oh well. The kids enjoyed Raven and my son and I went over to the pond and were surprised to see a family of mallards with 12 little fuzzy baby ducks. My son got within 3-4 feet of them and just sat and observed for a while. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"><br><br>
Here's another question: What about dog parties? Not the ones with dresses on the dogs and all that, but what about a birthday party for your dog where other dog friends are invited? (Really, I'm not THAT weird!) My dog would love a peanut butter cake! (OK, maybe I am that weird.) <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[Shenjall]

Funny I would come across this thread.....<br><br>
I dont have a dog, <i>yet</i>, but in the meantime I search the internet for anything dog and my city related so when I do get one, I have all my resources ready. I came across an online ad for a woman trying to get others together for doggy playdates. She had a link to her website so others could join in and she posted the times and places and the other doggys who were attending. It was soooo cool! What a great way to meet people.<br><br>
So, when I get my doggie, I sooooo plan on joining her for doggy playdates.<br><br>
p.s. when my kitties turn 1yr this may, we're making them tuna "cakes". and a regular cake for the rest of us. We <i>are</i> that weird. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[mamadawg]

We have two dogs now, but my original dog is anti-social with other dogs (except his brother) so we've never done them. Even at the dog park he ignores other dogs.<br><br>
Your dog IS cute. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin">

 

[daekini]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/bag.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Bag">:<br><br>
My pup Thorn (haven't picked him up yet) is already scheduled for half-days at a local doggie daycare!<br><br>
They have pools, playyards, toys, and most importantly - other dogs!<br><br>
It's only $11.50/half-day. His breed (Australian Cattle Dog) really needs socialization, and I don't know anyone here in my new town with dogs, so this was my solution. Also, I'd rather not have him be alone too much, and I can schedule this for the days we're not home. We're always here in the afternoon, so I'll take him there in the morning.<br><br>
I'm not a little bit obsessed with my future pup or anything! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/shine.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="toothy"><br><br>
He's also lined up for obedience classes, and I'm ordering agility stuff soon (but he's not allowed to jump til he's over 1 year) <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[mamadawg]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>daekini</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7969485"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/bag.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Bag">:<br><br>
My pup Thorn (haven't picked him up yet) is already scheduled for half-days at a local doggie daycare!<br><br>
They have pools, playyards, toys, and most importantly - other dogs!<br><br>
It's only $11.50/half-day. His breed (Australian Cattle Dog) really needs socialization, and I don't know anyone here in my new town with dogs, so this was my solution. Also, I'd rather not have him be alone too much, and I can schedule this for the days we're not home. We're always here in the afternoon, so I'll take him there in the morning.<br><br>
I'm not a little bit obsessed with my future pup or anything! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/shine.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="toothy"><br><br>
He's also lined up for obedience classes, and I'm ordering agility stuff soon (but he's not allowed to jump til he's over 1 year) <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"></div>
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This is one of the cutest posts I've read in a long time. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><br><br>
FYI, my dog is an ACD and his first 3 years of his life we lived next to a dog park. He never learned to socialize. He's just a working dog who wants to chase a ball. But maybe doggy daycare would have taught him to be a bit friendlier. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1">

 

[daekini]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> Don't you just luuurrrrve ACDs? They're certainly not for everyone. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/winky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink">

 

[k9rider]

definitely check into a local doggy daycare. our dog goes twice a week (full days) and has been doing so since we got him at 8wks of age. we are currently doing an adoption trial with a new puppy and she's going to daycare too! my co-workers do look at me odd when i say that i'm dropping off/picking up my dog(s) from daycare though <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><br><br>
we've had play dates with neighbor dogs too. especially before we cleared out our backyard and put up a fence. he used to go to other pups' houses for some contained romping <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"><br><br>
we did the pupcake thing for miles on his first b'day too <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hide.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hide">: of course the dumb pup went and ate a bunch of sticks/grass/leaves/mud that day and was too sick to enjoy his cake <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[ReadingMama]

Thanks mamadawg! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/winky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink"><br><br>
Raven's first playdate went well. There were two dogs at my friend's house-a little 6 yr old female terrier mix who barked at Raven half the time, and a 1 year old female mixed breed about my dog's size who wore Raven out with all the playing. They had fun-despite the little fun police dog trying to spoil it! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><br><br>
Tell me more about doggie daycare. It sounds kind of like summer camp for dogs!

 

[mesa]

I *only* do playdates for my dogs <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"> We've had one too many bad experiences at the dog park, and besides, the closest one is 30 miles away. I like playdates because I can be choosy about who they play with, LOL. I'm just a teensy bit neurotic about them, Austin in particular, partly because he's just a puppy, but also because he's intact (and male ridgebacks can turn dog aggressive if they have even one negative experience) and because he is just barely getting over a torn ear tip dealt by the basenji, and I never EVER want to go through that again. Whew. Holy run on sentence batman!! LOL.<br><br>
I've never taken a dog to doggie daycare, mostly because my itty bitty town isn't that enlightened, but I think it's a great idea, particularly for folks who work. I have heard that some offer basic obedience and agility lessons too. Lots of fun and enrichment for the canine kids, much better than human daycare (at least, the ones I have had to use in the past)

 

[daekini]

Here is a link to the one near me.<br><br><a href="http://www.meadowsbedandbiscuit.com/cgibin/photo/photo.htm" target="_blank">Bed and Biscuit</a><br><br>
Click on "photo gallery" for some super cute pup pix!<br><br>
They also have kitty facilities.<br><br>
I like the "doggie cam!"

 

[Sharlla]

I take my dog to my inlaws all the time. He loves playing with their dogs.

 

[ReadingMama]

That's so cool, daekini!

 

[3boobykins]

Our pup will be home in a week, and to start, he'll be doing playdates/socialization with our trainer's well-socialized and well-trained dogs, and her client's dogs. I'm hoping this can continue indefinitely. She told us that there have been a number of deaths at our two local dogparks, so we won't be doing that any time soon. We're very serious about having a well-trained, well-behaved dog. Socialization is of course crucial, but we plan on being very careful, especially early on, about how and where it happens.