Social distancing Socials are LIMITED to 10 Puppies and 10 people.

 One hour social, One hour of fun, One tired pup—25 dollars.
 A good night's sleep—Priceless.

Social Skills Are Learned.

Puppies are not born with social skills—they must be developed. SmartyPup! Socials are a place where you and your pup can safely socialize with other puppies and people of all shapes and sizes. If you are waiting for your puppy class to start, waiting for your veterinarian's great outdoor release, or can't seem to get enough puppy play, then puppy socials are the perfect way to give your pup the life experience he needs to become a well-rounded, socially acceptable adult dog.

We keep our SmartyPup! socials under our watchful eyes.

Our socials are held in a the cleanest space you could imagine! it is divided into two parts. The younger or more cautious pups get their space we call it the 80’s dance room. Or for the Tarzon pups, the mosh pit. When the more cautious pups are ready they can move to the more confident group - in the mosh pit.

Never more than 20 puppies (depending on the size of the location), with professional dog trainers monitoring at all times. You pup will learn to enjoy the company of lots of people—especially children, men, strangers—and other dogs of all shapes and sizes. It is called socialization and is something you must proactively guide. A dog with a good temperament is a dream to live with.

Social Schedule:

You MUST register to attend. Please click here for specific dates and times listed on the registration form and holidays.

Requirements:

  • Prior to the first Social, your pup must have at least

  • one distemper and

  • one parvovirus vaccination and

  • Due to the 2018 Outbreak of Canine Influenza in the Bay Area, We are recommending dogs receive the Canine Flu vaccine. Please talk to your Vet. It is not required.

  • You must REGISTER to attend

  • Puppy under 16 weeks for its first social. After that you may attend socials until it is no longer beneficial for your pup.

  • Your puppy must be under your care for at least 7 days prior to first social / class.

  • Your pup is in the care of a local veterinarian and/or had its first health check at least 7 days within class/social.
    Vaccinations:

Social Skills Are Learned.

Puppies are not born with social skills—they must be developed. SmartyPup! Socials are a place where you and your pup can safely socialize with other puppies and people of all shapes and sizes. If you are waiting for your puppy class to start, waiting for your veterinarian's great outdoor release, or can't seem to get enough puppy play, then puppy socials are the perfect way to give your pup the life experience he needs to become a well-rounded, socially acceptable adult dog.

We Are Here For You!

The first day of a Puppy Social for your pup is like the first day of kindergarten for a child—exciting and somewhat intimidating at the same time. Do you remember that day? Some kids cried and didn't want to be there, while others had a blast right away. Some parents relaxed knowing their children would be okay, while others stuck nervously close just in case. You are going to see the same thing happen at a Puppy Social. Your puppy may be a wallflower at first—hiding under a chair, or preferring to stay on your lap and just watch. That’s fine—when he is ready, he will come out to play. Other puppies will go Tarzan—pouncing around the room with excessive enthusiasm! The Tarzan puppies need to learn to be more smooth, and the wallflowers need confidence building, and both need to respect each others "style" and modify their interactions. At ANYTIME you are uncomfortable or hesitant during one of our Socials, we encourage you to speak up and let us know. We respect puppies; we respect people

What To Expect At A Puppy Social (Besides All The Fun).


During play, you'll see growls of joy and warning, barking, whining, snarling, yips of fear and excitement, snapping, biting, wrestling, running, hiding, and pawing—just to name a few behaviors. If a pup gets nipped too hard or approached too quickly. . . A loud yelp or a heading for the hills may ensue! It’s ok. They'll be okay and eventually be right back out there. They’re just surprised and need to learn how to communicate to their playmate, "Hey, stop that! I don’t like that!” or “I don't want to play with you right now. Go away.” Puppies will also naturally roll onto their back—an appeasement gesture to ward off further interactions. One puppy will pounce near another pup trying to initiate play—the pounced pup may screech with terror, but when he realizes that, in fact, there was nothing to fear and that all is well in puppydom—he will bounce back and try again. The “pouncer” will learn that he needs to be a bit "smoother" in his effort to get other pups to play with him. These behaviors all occurred within your puppy's litter and now needs repeating as puppies meet their new friends. It is a learning experience for all, full of trial and error. Puppies need to learn to how to be a dog, and they do this by interacting with their peers.
SmartyPup! Socials give you (with our help if you want it) the opportunity to assess your pup's personality and watch out for problems that could develop. Most problems seen in adult dogs can be easily spotted in young pups and dealt with before they become dangerous. By providing positive and safe socialization during your puppy's sensitive developmental period and beyond, most problems can be avoided altogether. After 12 weeks, puppies become molded behaviorally—whatever he does not accept is harder to change in the future.