I love talking about my dog, Lucy. I could keep up an ongoing conversa\u00adtion about the way she tilts her head to the side, ears sticking up and out, when she wants to go for a walk. Or how she does a little twirl when she wants a treat. Sometimes, I question my level of obsession with my little Chiweenie. Until \u2026 I meet another dog owner.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s be honest, we are all obsessed with our dogs and could talk about them for hours. Here\u2019s the good news for us: There are different groups \u2014 hiking and walking, happy hours, singles meetups, beach days and park playdates \u2014 designated to connect people who want to talk about their dogs just as much as we do!<\/p>\n
Of course, it\u2019s not all about us; there are benefits for the dogs, too.<\/p>\n
Dog playgroups can help with socialization skills and provide exer\u00adcise with other furry friends in a safe environment. There are hundreds of no-cost groups around the country and most likely one right in your city. But, before joining your fellow dog-loving neighbors, think about the following tips to help your meetups remain safe, well-maintained and fun.<\/p>\n
For High-Energy Dogs<\/h3>\n
Find a group that meets regularly at dog parks, hikes or walks around your city: activities that will send your pup home for a nap.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why Chrissy Longcore, who started the Doberman Gang of NYC in 2013, began sharing her weekly dog park schedule online. Her Doberman puppy, Lucy, had so much energy, Chrissy wanted other dogs for playing and other dog parents for talking.<\/p>\n
The group began to grow so large that Chrissy had to limit the number to about 150 active members in order to maintain the safety of the large dogs in a group setting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a family atmosphere,\u201d she says of the weekend park dates around the five boroughs, the hikes and the field trips to upstate New York.<\/p>\n
For Small Breeds<\/h3>\n
Find groups that require dogs to be under a certain weight or low energy.<\/p>\n
Arielle Kaplan took over the Denver Small Dog Group<\/em> at the end of last year. She organizes weekly park playdates through meetup.com<\/a> at designated small-dog or low-energy dog parks around Denver. Because of COVID, she\u2019s had to halt use of an indoor training facility where the dogs played and worked on agility.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw a big improvement with my rescue dogs socially and emotionally,\u201d Arielle says, adding, \u201cit\u2019s wonderful to meet up and talk about little-dog issues.\u201d<\/p>\n Search for breed-specific groups or groups based on dog size, rather than activity.<\/p>\n Chrissy often gets messages from Doberman parents who feel discrim\u00adinated against because of the breed\u2019s stranger-aggressive reputation. The group has a Google doc available for members that lists breed-friendly apart\u00adments, pet sitters and dog walkers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a huge network,\u201d she says. Dobermans commonly have heart issues, and it\u2019s comforting to have a support group when these issues arise \u2014 and a list of veterinarians who spe\u00adcialize in handling them. \u201c(Members) realize we\u2019ve all been through it; they can lean on us,\u201d Chrissy says.<\/p>\n In the Denver Small Dog Group, Arielle welcomes people new to the area who feel isolated because of the ongoing pandemic.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s as much for me as my dog,\u201d she says. \u201cEspecially, during COVID, it\u2019s been a lifesaver.\u201d<\/p>\n Seek groups that meet for happy hour or coffee plus leisurely walking or beach meetups.<\/p>\n John Gonzales, founder of @igbulldogs_SoCal<\/em>, uses his Instagram account with 15,500 followers to connect French and English Bulldog owners in Southern California.<\/p>\n Bulldogs aren\u2019t particularly active unless they are young, John explains. Much of the meetups are held at photo-friendly spots, like in front of the Hollywood sign, the San Diego racetrack or dog-friendly beaches, to get a shot for Instagram and give the humans time to chat and the dogs time to relax.<\/p>\n He encourages people in the sister bulldogs groups nationwide to post pictures from their outings. \u201cI don\u2019t care if I\u2019m in NYC or in the cornfield of Iowa,\u201d John says. \u201cI love seeing dogs everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Chrissy Longcore, who started the Doberman Gang of NYC says the group has a family atmosphere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The post The Ins & Outs of Joining a Dog Group<\/a> by Lauren Katims<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post The Ins & Outs of Joining a Dog Group<\/a> by Lauren Katims<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n I love talking about my dog, Lucy. I could keep up an ongoing conversa\u00adtion about the way she tilts her head to the side, ears sticking up and out, when she wants to go for a walk. Or how she does a little twirl when she wants a treat. Sometimes, I question my level of obsession with my little Chiweenie. Until \u2026 I meet another dog owner.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s be honest, we are all obsessed with our dogs and could talk about them for hours. Here\u2019s the good news for us: There are different groups \u2014 hiking and walking, happy hours, singles meetups, beach days and park playdates \u2014 designated to connect people who want to talk about their dogs just as much as we do!<\/p>\n Of course, it\u2019s not all about us; there are benefits for the dogs, too.<\/p>\n Dog playgroups can help with socialization skills and provide exer\u00adcise with other furry friends in a safe environment. There are hundreds of no-cost groups around the country and most likely one right in your city. But, before joining your fellow dog-loving neighbors, think about the following tips to help your meetups remain safe, well-maintained and fun.<\/p>\n Find a group that meets regularly at dog parks, hikes or walks around your city: activities that will send your pup home for a nap.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why Chrissy Longcore, who started the Doberman Gang of NYC in 2013, began sharing her weekly dog park schedule online. Her Doberman puppy, Lucy, had so much energy, Chrissy wanted other dogs for playing and other dog parents for talking.<\/p>\n The group began to grow so large that Chrissy had to limit the number to about 150 active members in order to maintain the safety of the large dogs in a group setting.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a family atmosphere,\u201d she says of the weekend park dates around the five boroughs, the hikes and the field trips to upstate New York.<\/p>\n Find groups that require dogs to be under a certain weight or low energy.<\/p>\n Arielle Kaplan took over the Denver Small Dog Group<\/em> at the end of last year. She organizes weekly park playdates through meetup.com<\/a> at designated small-dog or low-energy dog parks around Denver. Because of COVID, she\u2019s had to halt use of an indoor training facility where the dogs played and worked on agility.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw a big improvement with my rescue dogs socially and emotionally,\u201d Arielle says, adding, \u201cit\u2019s wonderful to meet up and talk about little-dog issues.\u201d<\/p>\n Search for breed-specific groups or groups based on dog size, rather than activity.<\/p>\n Chrissy often gets messages from Doberman parents who feel discrim\u00adinated against because of the breed\u2019s stranger-aggressive reputation. The group has a Google doc available for members that lists breed-friendly apart\u00adments, pet sitters and dog walkers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a huge network,\u201d she says. Dobermans commonly have heart issues, and it\u2019s comforting to have a support group when these issues arise \u2014 and a list of veterinarians who spe\u00adcialize in handling them. \u201c(Members) realize we\u2019ve all been through it; they can lean on us,\u201d Chrissy says.<\/p>\n In the Denver Small Dog Group, Arielle welcomes people new to the area who feel isolated because of the ongoing pandemic.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s as much for me as my dog,\u201d she says. \u201cEspecially, during COVID, it\u2019s been a lifesaver.\u201d<\/p>\n Seek groups that meet for happy hour or coffee plus leisurely walking or beach meetups.<\/p>\n John Gonzales, founder of @igbulldogs_SoCal<\/em>, uses his Instagram account with 15,500 followers to connect French and English Bulldog owners in Southern California.<\/p>\n Bulldogs aren\u2019t particularly active unless they are young, John explains. Much of the meetups are held at photo-friendly spots, like in front of the Hollywood sign, the San Diego racetrack or dog-friendly beaches, to get a shot for Instagram and give the humans time to chat and the dogs time to relax.<\/p>\n He encourages people in the sister bulldogs groups nationwide to post pictures from their outings. \u201cI don\u2019t care if I\u2019m in NYC or in the cornfield of Iowa,\u201d John says. \u201cI love seeing dogs everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Chrissy Longcore, who started the Doberman Gang of NYC says the group has a family atmosphere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The post The Ins & Outs of Joining a Dog Group<\/a> by Lauren Katims<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nFor Community Support<\/h3>\n
For Low-Energy or Senior Dogs<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/chrissy.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFor High-Energy Dogs<\/h3>\n
For Small Breeds<\/h3>\n
For Community Support<\/h3>\n
For Low-Energy or Senior Dogs<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n