Are Puppy Parties a Good Idea?

When you bring a new puppy home, often you will get an invitation asking you if you want to participate in a puppy party. Intended to give your puppy early socialization, these puppy parties are supervised and they are supposed to be fun. But are they really all that they seem and should you take your puppy to a puppy party?
Puppy Parties
The reasons behind puppy parties are simple - by socializing your puppy at an early age, it will enable them to get used to other dogs. This will limit the chance of your puppy developing any aggressive or nervous behavior around other dogs at a later stage.
As all dog owners will be aware, your puppy has to have two injections before they can be taken for a walk around other animals. This is to protect them against diseases which could potentially be fatal. Not all dogs are vaccinated each year and that leaves your puppy at risk of developing a serious disease if they do come into contact with an unvaccinated dog. So socializing your puppy before they have had their injections can be an impossible task. That is why veterinary clinics often allow unvaccinated puppies to socialize with each other in a controlled environment.
The reasons behind the puppy parties are definitely advantageous; however that does not always make them right for your puppy. Different places will run different types of parties. Mainly there should be around five puppies in the party. Any more than that and it can get difficult to keep an eye on them. Throughout the party, the puppies are simply let off the lead and they are able to run around, play and interact with all of the other puppies. It sounds fun and in some cases it is, but there are times when puppy parties are not as good for your puppy as they should be.
What can go wrong?
While many puppies have a blast at puppy parties, some can find the experience traumatizing. It all depends upon how the party is run, but usually the staff will allow the puppies to do what they like. When a puppy leaves its mother and goes to live in a new environment; it is extremely rare that they will mix with large groups of dogs and other puppies. Also, they are not used to being surrounded by so many different breeds. Different breeds of dog will behave in a different manner and some individual puppies will be more dominant than others.
This means that when you take your puppy along to a puppy party, they could experience bullying from other puppies. There have been instances where puppies have had to have veterinary treatment after a play fight went too far. This has left them traumatized and nervous around other dogs. So things can and do sometimes go wrong with puppy parties and it is important to be aware of this.
Generally if there are five or less puppies at the party, you are more likely to have a positive experience. It would be a good idea to discuss your concerns with the vet and they should be able to ease your mind. If you are worried about taking your puppy to one of these parties then simply don't go. It is unlikely that missing out on a puppy party will have a negative effect on your dog. You can always socialize them in a better controlled environment once they have had all of their injections.
Overall puppy parties can be great for your puppy. You should think about both the positives and the negatives to a puppy party and remember that if you don't attend, it is unlikely to affect your puppy.
Go to [http://www.InternationalKennel.com ]www.InternationalKennel.com for your new puppy, or call us at 516-794-PUPS for more information on how you can get your registered purebred bred for quality, temperament, and trainability. The International Kennel Club has brought happiness and joy with its pure bred selection of puppies to Long Island residents since 1979.