It's A . . . Dog!
The latest party trend celebrates “pet parents.”
The Best in Show dog boutique in San Francisco sells a t-shirt that says, “Dogs are the New Kids.” And in that neighborhood, it’s true. Dogs now outnumber children in the city by the Bay. Tour guides in Seattle make the same claim. You can see the evidence for such claims in the proliferation of dog parks across the nation, which as grown from only nine twenty years ago to more than 2,000 today (Houston alone has eight dog parks). You can find it in the cottage industries that have grown up around America’s obsession with dogs: industries such as doggie day care, camps, spas, taxis, and even yoga classes for dogs and their people.
A recent poll of 700 American dog owners by Fun Stuff For Dogs found that forty-five percent agreed that, “Having a dog is preferable to having a child.” As more people opt for dogs instead of kids, a new party trend has emerged: puppy showers. Although the notion is met with skepticism by the non-doggie set, dog people are embracing the concept that after attending – and purchasing gifts for – countless baby showers, a puppy shower is not out of line for those whose kids have tails.
Empty-nesters, the gay community, single professional women, people who are childless by choice, and even teenagers are organizing puppy showers so often that pet products manufacturers have responded by creating products for puppy showers, such as pink and blue balloons with paw prints on them, puppy shower invitations, decorations, and party favors. Fun Stuff For Dogs, a nationwide online retailer, offers an entire department devoted to puppy shower party supplies and puppy-appropriate gifts. There’s even a book, aptly titled, “How to Host a Puppy Shower,” that’s a hot seller in pet boutiques.
Since articles began appearing in The Washington Post, the Boston Globe, USA Today, and a host of other newspapers across the country about puppy showers, the stigma of organizing such a party, even for yourself, is beginning to fade.
“That’s the great thing about puppy showers,” says Elaine Bennett, owner of DogBirthdaysAndParties.com, which provides free articles and recipes for puppy showers. “Unlike baby showers, you can throw a puppy shower for yourself.” Devoted pet parents hold puppy showers more and more frequently, undeterred by wet blankets such as Miss Manners and Ann Landers, who have both frowned on throwing oneself a puppy shower, calling it “outrageous” and “inappropriate.” They are clearly in the minority.
With this in mind, however, there are a few rules of etiquette that will help you have a fun party with no misunderstandings, whether you’re a guest, a host or the honoree.
Puppy Shower Etiquette
The elephant in the room is the issue of gifts. A gift is traditional at any type of party, and puppy showers are no different. So why is it sometimes an issue with puppy showers? Non-dog-people may ridicule the idea of a puppy shower and see it as a thinly disguised gift grab. Naturally, these are the same people on whom you have spent thousands of dollars on attire, travel, and gifts for their bridal and baby showers, weddings, and kids’ birthday parties. Nevertheless, a line of demarcation seems to be whether you are throwing your own shower or someone else is throwing it for you. When planning your own puppy shower – and plenty of people do – it’s usually most tactful to decline gifts (“Requesting the honor of your presence, not presents”). On the other hand, if you’re throwing a puppy shower for someone else, it’s perfectly acceptable to mention gifts by naming a local pet store or online shop where the honoree is registered.
DogBirthdaysAndParties has another suggestion. Ask guests to bring a gift for a local shelter. People can bring a laundered blanket, cash, treats, or toys for the shelter dogs. Collect all the gifts in a large box and bring them to the shelter after the party. Don’t forget to take pictures and email them to everyone who donated something.
The invitation is also the place to gently inform people to leave their dogs at home. Increasingly, people bring their dogs along nearly everywhere they go. But the puppy shower is not a dog party. Part of the reason is that it’s usually held in a home or restaurant that may not be dog-proofed, and dogs tend to mark when they go into a new environment, even ones who never do that at home. The only dog at a puppy shower (if any) should be the new arrival, who probably isn’t old enough to have had all his/her inoculations yet. A polite “just people, please” on the invitation should make it clear that the party is for people, not dogs.
Choosing a Gift
Some of the newer products aimed at the puppy shower set are squeak toys that look like alphabet blocks, plush pacifiers, bacon-flavored teething keys, and puppy chews that are softer to bite and easier to digest than regular chews. There are even pet strollers. New puppy announcement cards from BarkTalk are inexpensive and make a welcome gift, especially when combined with a rawhide cigar.
Fun Stuff For Dogs has an entire department devoted to “Home Alone” toys. For a new puppy entering an experienced dog-owning household, gifts can be more frivolous and fun, like “Puppy’s First Year” scrapbook album or a humorous engravable collar tag. The Puppy Shop has nothing but puppy items, including a puppy play activity gym.
Several guests can share the cost of a larger gift. There are now beds designed to look like bassinets, which make great baskets. Fill with smaller toys, treats and wrap with cellophane and a big bow.
One of the most popular gift ideas at Fun Stuff For Dogs is a crate bumper bed set (similar to a baby crib bumper) which turns a crate into a soft, cozy den. Combine this with a plush toy crate mobile that hangs from the top of the crate to make crate-time a happy time, and you’ve got a gift that the pet parent will really love. But you don’t have to spend big bucks to give a gift that will mean a lot. Large bones are great for mouthy babies, and they last for years. Once they’re hollowed out, you can put peanut butter or spray cheese inside, along with cubed carrots or kibble, to keep puppy happy and busy for hours. They’re also dishwasher safe.
Goody Bags And Decorations
Goody bags for guests are the norm for modern parties, and it’s a nice way to say “thank you” to the guests who came to celebrate your new arrival. If the guests are dog owners (and the ones who attend usually are), creating a goody bag for their dogs will be much appreciated and very memorable. Choose items that will “fit” most dogs, such as a tennis ball (look for pastel tennis balls, which are perfect for puppy showers), a bandana, and treats. Put these in decorated cellophane bags and tie with paw print or pink/blue ribbon for a very cute goody bag your guests will love. For guests without dogs, create a few goody bags with cookies for the people.
Decorating for a puppy shower can be the most fun part of the whole party. You can get tips from the book, “How to Host a Puppy Shower” and Pampered Puppy.
Games And Activities
Should you plan games and activities? It depends on the group. Some people aren’t into party games. For them, refreshments, visiting and opening gifts is enough to create a fun time, especially if the new puppy is at the party. For a more lively bunch, here are some ideas for games you can play.
- Guess the number of doggie biscuits in the jar (for a prize)
- Ask every guest to recall a funny story about having a puppy, or – if this is a first puppy – offer a piece of advice to the new pet parent.
- Ask local grooming salons, veterinarians, training centers and pet boutiques if they would donate a coupon or gift certificate, and use them as prizes in a dog trivia game. Tell the merchants that anyone who goes to a puppy shower is a highly-motivated consumer of dog products, and they’ll probably give you something that will get your party guests into their places of business.
Puppy showers aren’t just for puppies. They’re a great way to celebrate a newly adopted dog, as well. For that matter, puppy showers aren’t just for women, either. Men, too, enjoy having a fuss made over a new dog. Just don’t call it a shower.
Copyright . Published 1 July 2007 in The Zone.
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