What is a puppy party?
It’s a party given to welcome a new puppy into your household! It’s like a baby shower for an upcoming birth, but held after the puppy arrives in its new home. It’s the perfect opportunity to start your new family member’s socialization to the humans in his life.
Puppy parties can be planned well ahead of the puppy’s first day in your home, but wait a while after that first day to actually hold the party. Give your new family member time to settle in. Adjusting to a new home and family can be hard for a pup who’s known only his own doggy mother and siblings and the humans who raised him.
Be sure your pup has had a thorough well-puppy check-up with your own veterinarian, so you know all is well and that his vaccinations are up to date for his age. Even though only humans will attend the puppy party, many of those humans will have dogs of their own at home. You don’t want your puppy to bring anything contagious into contact with your guests.
Also, make sure the humans you invite understand that your puppy is not fully immune. Ask if they have animals at home with any health issues that might be contagious. Those folks should wait to meet your puppy until he is older and fully vaccinated.
To be especially careful, ask party guests to remove their shoes before they come inside, as shoes are most likely to carry unwanted substances—like fresh dog eliminations—into your home. If your party is held outside, consider providing a “bleach bath” for attendees to walk through before they enter your yard. Deep enough to wet the soles, but not deep enough to soak the shoes. Disinfectant sprays might also be provided.
Who should be invited?
Family, friends, and neighbors—anyone who will come into contact with the puppy as he grows up. Children, too, but only under the close supervision of their parents. I suggest leaving the babies and toddlers with a sitter. They can meet the puppy when he’s a bit older and has learned some bite inhibition around younger humans.
Why not other dogs?
This early in his life, as mentioned, your puppy is not yet fully immune. He has had no experiences with other animals outside of those in his “birth” family. When he does interact with other animals, the situation should be set up for success, and managed specifically for a good outcome. That’s not something you can do well in a party atmosphere. While you can explain to your human guests how best to interact with your new puppy, you cannot explain proper deportment to visiting dogs. The situation could get out of control and your puppy could have a bad experience. Puppy parties are for good experiences only!
How do I prepare the puppy?
Your puppy should be well-rested before the party. You should be well-rested, too, but that’s not always likely unless you’ve had a lot of help with the housebreaking! Your friends will understand that you’re exhausted, but if the puppy sleeps through his own party, your company will be disappointed.
Your puppy should be empty before the party. That means: don’t feel him the meal he would normally eat in the hours before your party, and take him out to potty just before the first guests are scheduled to arrive. During the party, even if it’s only an hour long, take the puppy outside several times. It will be a good break for him from all the people. He may not eliminate, but at least you’ve tried.
Your puppy should be wearing a buckle collar that fits well.
No fancy hats or special scarves—he’ll only chew ’em up!
How do I prepare the guests?
Your guests should not be dressed formally! I strongly advise against fancy clothing for a puppy party. Instead, how about “dog-walking attire” for the adults or “play clothes” for the kids? Encourage everyone also to consider wearing long pants and closed-toed shoes, rather than shorts and sandals. Puppies are often very interested in human feet. When they are very young, that interest expresses itself with a lot of licking and possibly some chewing—fair warning!
Hold the party in an area of your house where the puppy is allowed.
Don’t risk your best furniture and carpets to impress the company. Remember, accidents are very likely when a puppy is so young. Use the family room or even the kitchen, if it’s large enough. Choose an area that will be easy to clean afterward so you don’t make more work for yourself.
Leave purses, backpacks, and electronic equipment hung up in the closet with the door closed. Do not give the puppy a chance to make a big mistake at his first social event! Cameras and camera phones are the exception, but warn your guests to keep those devices in their pockets when they’re not in use.
Ask everyone to keep an eye out for anything left on a surface where a puppy might reach it. If you leave it there long enough, a puppy will reach it!
Do I serve refreshments?
I say no. Just keep that water bowl full for your pup.
Or . . . serve refreshments after the puppy has been put in his crate for a nap. First, though, give your guests a few minutes to wash up. You might want to make a lint roller available for those who get really furry. Once everyone has clean hands, refreshments will no doubt be welcome. With the puppy in his kennel in another room, probably fast asleep after all the fun, your guests won’t have to guard their food!
Do the guests bring presents?
That’s entirely up to you . . . and them!
Presents certainly aren’t mandatory for a puppy party, but friends and family love to bring them, so set some basic rules. Help guests who aren’t dog owners by specifying what sort of treats or toys the puppy might enjoy the most. That gives you a chance to mention that you want to be sure the puppy eats only organic, or only made-in-the-USA, or only whatever you’ve decided to feed him.
Experienced dog owners on your guest list will no doubt have some favorite toys that their dogs have always loved, and they will be likely to remember what young puppies like to play with and chew on. You don’t know yet what kind of toy your pup will enjoy most, so give the new ones all a try! The pup may not play with them now, but there’s a good chance he will play with them later.
How long should a puppy party last?
Limit the time to an hour or so. That may be all a little pup can tolerate. Don’t overdo! Take him outside to eliminate, put him to bed in his crate in a distant room, and the party can continue without him.
The puppy will sleep well after the party—so get some rest yourself.
Next week, we’ll talk about what happens at a puppy party: introductions, confidence-building, interactions with guests, and games you can play with the goal of successful socialization.
