So, you’re bringing home a new furry family member. Congratulations! It’s a very exciting time, and you’ll probably want to share it with as many friends and family as possible. That’s where a puppy shower comes in.
A puppy shower is a fun event where you can introduce your new dog to the humans they’ll come to know and love. It’s also a great chance for your puppy to get some valuable socialization.
Puppyhood is an important developmental stage. The social skills they learn now will last into adulthood and help prevent aggression, anxiety, and unwanted behaviors later in life. Therefore, a puppy shower might be more than just fun — it might be a chance to learn!
Of course, any good party starts with invitations. Already, you’ll have some decisions to make. Who do you invite? Where do you have the party? What kind of invitations do you send out? Luckily, we’ve got some tips that will help you make those decisions and create the perfect invitations.
Here are a few things you should consider when it comes to puppy shower invitations.
Look At Online Invitations
Whether you’re throwing a puppy shower for someone else or for the new addition to your family, one easy option is to send an online invitation. Not only do they save time and money, they’re earth-friendly too!
You can email them instead of spending time and money on stamps and envelopes, and your guests get them instantly.
There are tons of sites online that will allow you to create your own invitations for events. Evite and Punchbowl are two of the most popular sites for creating invitations.
You may have trouble finding a template specifically for puppy showers, but most of the cards are customizable. You can add your own personal flair in any way you’d like! Then, just send them out to the people in your email contacts and wait for them to RSVP.
Another option is to create an event on Facebook. It’s a pretty easy way to get the word out. Once you add all the details, you can invite anyone in your friends list.
Keep in mind that some people don’t have Facebook, and others don’t check their notifications or RSVP in a timely manner. That’s why it might be best to send email invitations and Facebook invitations, just to cover your bases.
Pretty On Paper
A quick online search will turn up lots of paper puppy shower invitations you can buy. But if you want a personalized touch, you can make your own featuring your pup’s picture or their paw print on the front of a paper invite. And someday you’ll be able to look back and wonder that they were ever that small.
Adobe Spark is a free program that lets you make your own cards. It’s fairly easy to use, and you can choose to print out your cards or send them directly to your friends via social media or email.
Using a program like this will take a lot of the guesswork out of making invitations, and they’ll look nice, too!
The Location: Where To Party
Many doggy daycares allow you to rent out their space for parties, or you can throw a puppy shower in your own home. If you’ll be inviting other puppies and dogs, you may want to rent a venue or use your backyard where there’s less stuff for the pups to destroy.
Just remember that, until about four months of age when your puppy’s shots have kicked in, they’re vulnerable to picking up dog diseases even by just sniffing areas where unvaccinated dogs have been. Make sure a rented venue is well-scrubbed, or stick to a home where the resident dogs are all up-to-date on their shots.
If you choose to have a party in the backyard, it should be fenced in. Always supervise playtime between dogs, even if they are well-behaved and socialized. You never know when you’ll need to break up a rough play session or provide first-aid for pups who roughhouse too much.
The Guest List
If you’re inviting other dogs, specify that only healthy dogs who are up-to-date on their shots can attend, since your young pup is still vulnerable to catching diseases until about four months of age. Adult dogs should be the calm, well-behaved sort, as well, so your pup doesn’t get too intimidated by the big boys and girls.
This is a great opportunity for your puppy to socialize with new humans and dogs, so you’ll want to make it a positive experience. Human guests should know that their dogs need to be in control and be gentle with the new pupper.
Of course, invite the people and pets that your dog will see on a regular basis. It will help them become familiar and comfortable with each other in the future.
The Timing
Puppies have short attention spans and collapse frequently for naps. Keep the organized part of the party to an hour or so. If the guests want to hang out and chat afterward while the puppy sleeps, all the better.
Make sure your pup has a safe space where they can retreat if they feel overwhelmed. Their crate or a separate room will make for a good, quiet nap area where guests won’t bother them.
Meeting new people and dogs, getting passed around, and having a vigorous play session would leave any dog feeling sleepy. Keep that in mind and don’t push your pup too hard.
Have you ever thrown a puppy shower before? What tips do you have for first time party throwers? Let us know in the comments below!
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