Just like humans, dogs do well having a social network of different friends.They are healthier and happier and live longer. (Here there are a bunch of studies linked in this article.) So planning a dog play date is not the nutty thing it might sound like at first to some.
If you work at home, maybe you send your dog to daycare a couple of times a week, but they could still use more interaction. And maybe you don’t feel like the positives outweigh the negatives of dog parks (which we’ve outlined in that article).
So you’ve come to the conclusion that planning a dog play date is the thing to do for your dog. We’ve got you.
There’s a bit to consider.
Who to invite
Your dog might already have an established friendship with another dog in the neighborhood or a dog that you run into often on your walks. Going with a familiar dog is a great idea but you’re not limited to that.
Perhaps a friend has a dog, and after discussing each of the dog’s personalities, you both decide these two might make great friends. Awesome.
But if your dog is meeting a new dog for the first time on this play date, you’ll want to make sure they’re both on leash and that you limit the time more than you might like so that they don’t get overstimulated. Future play dates can then be longer.
And at first, you might want to limit the number of dogs involved.
Just keep in mind temperaments and how your dog reacts to other unknown dogs on walks.
Where to have your dog play date
A dog play date really should be on neutral territory so that neither dog feels like they have to protect their space. No one should feel “in charge.”
A neighbor’s yard (if they have no dogs of their own) could be a great first meeting space.
And of course, meet on leash to begin. Once you feel comfortable letting them off leash, do not leave the space yourself. Stay and supervise.
Supplies
Make sure you have waste bags, of course, but also have clean water and a bowl. And have some treats on hand for positive reinforcement.
Bring any toys that can be shared.
Games
If your dogs are already friends, you might just let them loose in a backyard and they run and bark and chase and jump and do all the happy dog things. And if this isn’t the case right away, know that you can work toward it. Over time you will find the right dogs and the friendships will form.
But at first, you might want to encourage safe and happy interactions through toys and games.
You can always do the standards: play fetch; toss a frisbee; create an agility course or a scavenger hunt.
If it’s hot and you know both dogs love the water, you could meet at a beach if you have access, or you could create your own water park adventure. All you need is a kiddie pool and/or a sprinkler and you should have pretty endless fun and some very happy dogs.
Overall
Be patient with this process. It can take time. And if one dog doesn’t work out, don’t give up.