puppy parties

RE: puppy parties

Jade Henschker — Mon, 14 May 2018 06:22:43 GMT

Hi Ben,

I was looking at setting up puppy parties a little while ago, but started my nurse training. However I will be looking at getting them started over the summer so would you mind showing me your leaflets/invitations? Thanks :)

RE: puppy parties

Emily Towns — Sun, 13 May 2018 13:27:36 GMT

Hellooo! I know this post is old now but I am just looking into starting up puppy parties and never done this before I have a general idea of what I want to do just wondered if you still had the leaflets/invites or a schedule you could email me please? :)

RE: puppy parties

Ben Ogden — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 20:36:54 GMT

[quote user="debbie anslow"]

oooh Ben I love that response!! I however would like to lean heavily on freebies for now whilst I get my parties/classes off the ground. Did you buy the interactive toys or have them donated?

Thanks

[/quote]

If you have any form of relationship selling Kong products, they are worth contacting, I got the Kong wobbler, puppy kong and a squeeker toy from them! the Green feeder I got the practice to cover (Sold 28 of them since using it at my new practice 6 months ago).

I guess contacting companies to see what they can offer helps, over time though I have just acquired toys and with the use they get, I have to replace them every 6 months. I always use a wide range of toys in the classes and they are always the same as what is in stock on the displays.

Just exposing owners to a range of toys really opens their eyes to what is available out there and how they can actually use it to interact with their dog!

RE: puppy parties

debbie anslow — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:24:01 GMT

oooh Ben I love that response!! I however would like to lean heavily on freebies for now whilst I get my parties/classes off the ground. Did you buy the interactive toys or have them donated?

Thanks

RE: puppy parties

Ben Ogden — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 19:01:18 GMT

[quote user="Jill Macdonald"]

Ben, impresssed with the thought that's gone into your puppy classes. It can so easily all go wrong if we don't get this right - agree?

Just out of interest, why does everyone call them 'parties'?

If anyone's interested, we have a gerat 2 week module that covers all aspects of setting up and running puppy classes...

http://www.oncoreepd.co.uk/Puppy-Classes_A1UQAJ.aspx?nh=231739

Cheers,

Jill

[/quote]

It can go wrong to the point of detriment Jill! More articles are released discussing puppy classes as a contributing factor in behavioural issues, I think if run unprofessionally and without due thought this could be the case.

I think most choose to use "Puppy Party" to define these socialisation classes because it's easier to market, i've certainly found that to be the case here. The pharmaceutical companies do add to the idea of "party" with the promotional material they release. Frankly I don't use any of it anymore, we have our own literature which helps us give the advice that our clients want and if what you are offering in the classes is good enough, you shouldn't need to lean on "freebies".

RE: puppy parties

Jill Macdonald — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 17:33:30 GMT

Ben, impresssed with the thought that's gone into your puppy classes. It can so easily all go wrong if we don't get this right - agree?

Just out of interest, why does everyone call them 'parties'?

If anyone's interested, we have a gerat 2 week module that covers all aspects of setting up and running puppy classes...

http://www.oncoreepd.co.uk/Puppy-Classes_A1UQAJ.aspx?nh=231739

Cheers,

Jill

RE: puppy parties

Ben Ogden — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 09:20:08 GMT

[quote user="Leanne Henderson"]

Hi all, we are thinking of setting up puppy parties in my practice. I used to do them but its been a few years since ive done any!

Can any of you recommend where i can possibly get "supplies" from reps? e.g. socialisation charts, freebies etc?

Also any tips would be gratefully received in regards to the allocation of places! we only want maximum of about 6 puppies as we are short on room and i know big groups are a bad idea! Do you invite them at the time of the second vaccs?

Thanks guys

[/quote]

Hi Leanne, been running puppy parties for years, at my current practice we are always booked up 2 months ahead @_@....

We offer 3 sessions for £10, puppies attend a week after their 1st vaccination, waiting room is blitzed before the puppies attend each class. They are given an in house leaflet in there 'puppy pack' at 1st vaccine, this leaflet talks about the importance of socialisation and how puppy classes can help.

If they haven't booked from that prompt they are then given a in house made invite (looks like a birthday invitation), and generally they then book. The set up consists of multiple food puzzle games and a good mixture of different toys to play with. Sometimes (maybe 1 in 30) puppies food guard but it is easily attended too.

I don't have any set agenda on topics to discuss, preventative care, oral hygiene and neutering etc are discussed in the primary vaccines and are re-visited at each monthly flea & worm appointment. The patter at the start of the class for new attendees is that "these classes are to the benefit of confident/social puppies and shy/un-confident puppies, confident puppies are encouraged more to play with the food games and interact with their owners whilst shy puppies are encouraged off lead to play, interact and explore."

With this introduction you have a good reason for putting the boisterous puppies back on the lead to "interact" more with their owners and learn to be calm around other dogs, affording the shy puppies to "come out of their shells" somewhat. With this format even the really shy puppies are confident and the owners remark regularly how much of an improvement they have seen on walks etc.

Any dips in natural conversation are soon picked up again with questions such as, how is 'x's' toilet training coming along? etc. We do have leaflets put out for each party targeting puppies, things such as insurance and Kong food recipes. We don't give any packs out as that is all dealt with in appointments, but we do soften the £10 fee by letting them choose a free Kong toy.

If you want to know more or want to see the leaflets/invites, just drop me a line.

RE: puppy parties

Natasha Bentley — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 12:35:38 GMT

Hi, we been running puppy party for a few months now and they are going great.

Bayer and James wellbeloved have been great for freebies :)

Have fun

Tasha xxx

RE: puppy parties

Ailsa Main — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 17:06:59 GMT

It's been a while since I was involved with Puppy Parties, But Milbemax (novartis) are good for free poo bags and poo bag holders as part of their worming campaign.

RE: puppy parties

katrina leyland — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 12:41:58 GMT

Hello,

We have been running puppy parties for a few months now and they seem to be going well. We have a rather large waiting room and so we allow 10 puppies per party and they are invited after their 2nd vacc as a precaution.

We got a few good bits and bobs from ceva and also some shampoo samples from animology.

Hope that helps. :)