puppy partys - a year on

Re: puppy partys - a year on

Saskia Quinn — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:58:30 GMT

yes, probably best to leave well enough alone S-J.

Re: puppy partys - a year on

S-J — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:31:10 GMT

well im on hols at the mo but one of the other nurses knew that i was posting them so warned them they might get something, unfortunatly they had ordered and paid for some pet tags. we didnt know what to do about those as we ordered them but through a company, thought best to just leave it alone.

Re: puppy partys - a year on

Saskia Quinn — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:42:30 GMT

thats very sad S-J. I am sure they will look on that as a happy memory.

Did you tell them you had already posted it?

Re: puppy partys - a year on

S-J — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:30:10 GMT

Had some bad news this morning, in my last group there was a little staffie called poppy unfortunatly yesterday she got run over on the farm where she lived. the owners asked for no information or anything to be sent to them unfotunatly the day before i had already sent out a thank you letter with a picture of poppy, i just hope that it doesnt upset them too much.

Re: puppy partys - a year on

Debbie Allgood — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:05:44 GMT

For anyone interested in settimg up puppy parties and is unsure where to start. CAW do a 'Puppy Seminar' to help you get started - http://www.caw.ac.uk/ac/acsc.asp £165 for 1 full day course.

Re: puppy partys - a year on

S-J — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:08:53 GMT

not sure if it makes a difference but we see the majority back for neutering, they buy worm and flea tx after iv explained how much more expensive it is to buy shop stuff that doesnt work then to have to buy ours.

they always seem really happy to see you again and wil ask for u by name, esp as they all get a personalised picture in the post a week later.

Re: puppy partys - a year on

Noodle — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:40:43 GMT

Hiya

All your posts are really interesting Thank you!

To go back to the client loyalty thing - do you find it makes a difference? Enough of a difference to put it to a reluctant boss? LOL!

Re: puppy partys - a year on

S-J — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:15:30 GMT

hi
there were a few reasons i dropped to 2 nights.
1. people found it difficult to come for 3 weeks so i would lose them halfway through
2. i was struggling to find someone to help esp as just setting up a new branch practice so lots of overtime for people already.
3. i was getting a little worn out, i now have more time to prepare and get puppys and promote its a lot better.

i hope that helps, you still get to see the same dogs meeting each other again which is fun but not as much hard work, and no i dont charge

Re: puppy partys - a year on

Natalie Brooks — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:22:05 GMT

Hi S-J, I'm planning to start classes up myself. I notice that you mentioned that you dropped from doing 3 classes down to 2? Some places seem to do one off ones, I was thinking along the lines of doing 3 or 4. I was just wondering what your reasons were for dropping your number of classes down?

I have done them before, but the setup was completely different - 1st class was done by a VN & further 5 by a behaviourist. Obv we charged for this....do you charge for yours?

Nat

Re: puppy partys - a year on

S-J — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:09:32 GMT

Hey, sorry its taken me so long to reply work been mental. pretty much like steph i cover worming, fleas, neutering, nutrition insurance, handling the puppy and getting the owners used to checking their dog, making sure they arent sensitive to having feet touched etc.

Er wot else? explaning socilising, dental care, microchipping and tagging. i try and make it as interactive as possible and get then to ask questions and share thier puppy storys.

i have free handuts on display that they can choose from, theres some great stuff on www.dogtrain.co.uk by Sarah Heath. the goody bags are pretty much what i can beg borrow or steal from the practice and reps, some are quite reluctant and wil only give leaflets but these can be quite useful eg dental care sheets and D.A.P otherwise pens a really good hardback book and a cd of sounds from hills, flea combs from frontline.

Hope that helps
SJ

Re: puppy partys - a year on

nicky shoult — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:57:25 GMT

Thanks for that!

nicky

Re: puppy partys - a year on

Noodle — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:15:16 GMT

aww how lovely Steph that they bought you pressies

thanks for your comments - would never have crossed my mind to get the reps on board!

Re: puppy partys - a year on

Steph Worsley — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:40:35 GMT

i used to cover basics like worming, flea tx, vacs, neutering, insurance and a bit of basic training, also letting the pups play is great. we used to offer a discount on chipping as well if it was done then, also the owners could come and ask me things which they felt a bit daft asking the vet.

I used to call them puppy socialisation classes as "party" sounds too mad!!!!

I always set a limit of max 6 pups per party, and 2 people per pup.

goodies I targeted reps...we had just become a purina practice and our rep was fab she went and raided their warehouse and came back with a huge kbox of mugs, pens, bags, note blocks, lots of stuff like that, we also had pens and slip leads made up with the practice name and number on them in practice colours, i also used to watch the 0pups in the first couple of weeks and see what toys they preferred to play with and my boss allowed me to buy little toys etc for them to go in, i also made them a certificate up as well which i put their names on.

It definately bonds the clients to the practice i'm pretty sure 90% of them are still going to that practice 2 yrs after i have left. It also bonds them to you as a nurse, when I told them I was leaving they all brought me presents on my last party even some who weren't staying or had finished their course came and dropped something off for me....I was so touched!

Re: puppy partys - a year on

nicky shoult — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:17:14 GMT

We are thinking about starting up puppyparties at our practice- but neither me or the other nurse have ever done them before.

What kinda things do you cover and what do you put in your goody bags ??if you dont mind me asking

nicky

Re: puppy partys - a year on

Noodle — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:45:13 GMT

aww congrats on your puppy parties! i know from experience that they can be bloody hard work lol!

just out of interest, what goodies do you give out? and do you find that the puppy parties help with client loyalty etc?

Re: puppy partys - a year on

Steph Worsley — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:39:17 GMT

Congrats to you and the pups!!!

I did start them there but then i left so obv no one carried them on after that till you got there!!

I had some good returns at another practice on my 4 week batches again waiting to give out goodies etc till the end was a great idea