Ideas for a doggie playgroup please

[misticaleclipse]

Original thread found here

What would you do for a doggie play group if you created one? Here are some of my ideas, please share yours.

1) Make home made doggies treats for the dogs. Provide them for free and print up recipe cards for anyone interested. (this can be the doggie dog bag at the end of the meetup maybe )

2) Must have a fenced in back yard and have a dog limit to make sure it was kept under control

3) Have a rotational meet up with other owners taking the responsibility next time.

4) Provide drinks for the owners and of course extra water bowls for the dogs

I am out of ideas, I'm not to good at this hosting stuff I guess!

 

[Lizmo]

Here's some more!


If you have agility stuff when you go to that persons house you could do that!

Have a training time where you work on training with your dog for a little while!

In the summer you could have a doggie pool so that the dogs could play in the water!

 

[misticaleclipse]

I love the pool idea! I wanted to get a pool for charlie in the summer any way.

I am not sure about the training though? I know that I can't really train charlie in an inviroment where there are other dogs so I am not sure if the owners would like it? I think I would like to make it just a fun thing, no work, but thank you for the suggestions.

 

[Lizmo]

That is fine!

The pool would be great!!!

I got a pool for Lizzie this summer and she LOVED it!!!

 

[misticaleclipse]

What do you think of the cookies and recipe idea? I thought that way they can see whats in it incase there dog is alergic.

 

[huskydogbeds.com]

being in the doggie business I have already done this a few times. The local pet store carries our dog beds and we both set up doggie dates we call them. We go to the local park that is right off a huge river in North Carolina called the Nuese. (if you look at the NC map it is the one on the coast that drops into the outerbanks) Anywho, we let all the dogs loose and let them play.

 

[Lizmo]

I like the idea of doggie cookies!!! I did that once at a flea market and people really liked them!!!

 

[misticaleclipse]

A fenced dog park you mean? I guess we could do it at the dog park, but its open to anyone.

 

[otch1]

play group

Hi there... as I understood it, you're talking about a playdate with your friends dogs that already know each other? (verses a group daycare open to everyone.) If it's just friends and their dogs, you'll make sure you see proof of current vaccines and worming, you're in a large fenced area, nothing dogs can jump off of that's a substantial height, cookies as long as there are no food issues and plenty of toys to go around. I have a student of mine who manufactuered a toy called "Go-Dog-Go", years ago. (Under $50.00, carried in a lot of petstore chains) It's a small machine that loads about 20 tennis balls at a time and sends them out on a timer, as quickly or as slowly as you want to set it. I run group plays at my kennel and it keeps the younger, large breeds entertained, while the more mature, less active dogs are free to walk the playyard at their own pace, interact with the humans and other dogs. If you're talking about a play group open to dogs you don't know, that might change week to week, good site to go to is ABKA. They'll give you info about daycares, groupplays, liability issues, health issues, control and training info for off leash dogs, and some forms you might want to create to protect yourself, were there a serious injury or fight. Some good reading. Good luck!

 

[misticaleclipse]

I never really thought about liabilities, good point. but that web site is probably for the us?

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Sounds good to me. We have weekly play sessions also. However, this session happened to turn into Buddy's birthday, the pups get treats, etc.

As far as liability... are other folks going to be present with their dogs? If so, they are liable for their own dogs since you arent a facility, just a person with a backyard.

 

[otch1]

Hello again... yes that site is the American Boarding Kennel Assoc. I see that you're from Ontario. You can still access info, or go to the CKC site (Canadian Kennel Club) and find referances for your area. There are important liability issues, if you conduct these group sessions at your home, against your home owners inurance, if you advertise to the public, it would be against you personally. Again, if this is just with friends dogs, you can create a liablity release form for anyone who enters play sessions, but should read up on it first. I have to pay a small fortune for my liability insurance for my kennel, covering not only the business but anyone possibly injured on my property, each dog insured up to a certain amount were they injured in kennel or in the group plays, coverage for me as a trainer when I go into someones home, ect. Unfortunately, you can easily be sued these days. Better to be safe than sorry. Have a good weekend!

 

[ToscasMom]

What a great idea! I was at the vet and Tosca and this golden pup were all over each other. The owner make a remark about he wished we lived nearby each other, because the dogs exhausted each other. I never thought of a play group. Now you have me thinking... I guess I would bring plenty of aspirin. Not for the dogs, for the owners. lol.

 

[misticaleclipse]

I never really thought about being sued. Honestly I know suing is getting more common these days, but where I live people are pretty laid back and not likely to try and waste there time suing.

Since it would be a group that would probably be a small amount of people and dogs at a time and in different areas I don't see how I would be completley responsible? I know that in the US the laws are very different than ours in terms of qualifying for a lawsuit.

How many people invite people to there house for party, provide drinks for them and actually have them sign a waver upfront about there safety? I know its not exackly the same with dogs, but it just seems strange to me.

 

[otch1]

You're right... odd that you would be responsible for someone elses dog if they're present, but in my state you would be if you invite them onto your property as the owner/coordinator of a daycare/ playgroup. If a dog were to bite another dog or person in group, they could sue your homeowners insurance for medical expenses. We have a lot of restrictions in Washington, not sure about your state. I have students who hit it off in class and want to get together at the park over the weekend, to let their dogs play. That is a little different though. I hope you get your playgroup going. It's overall, a lot of fun!