Doggone Etiquette —

Stag Parties

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:                           

These for-dogs-only parties may be called “stag” parties by some people, but are more commonly referred to as “stud” parties. Beware of either one. They used to be very popular among a certain class of dogs, but for you pets they are now definitely OUT! So are “in season” parties for the girls. Either one is strictly by invitation only, and very carefully chaperoned. However, there’s no reason why your VIPeople could not give you a Pet Party instead and invite some of your friends. You might have to work on it, for example by being especially interested (and well-behaved) when your people are planning any kind of party or a picnic. It’s worth a try.

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:                            

Due in part to a dog owner’s acceptance of the responsibility of pet ownership, and to the advice from veterinarians, almost all dogs kept as pets today are spayed or neutered. There are numerous reasons for doing this: some are practical such as certain health benefits, and the prevention of unwanted puppies and some are purely theoretical. Counting on an overnight change after neutering a male dog with overly aggressive behavior to a sweet calm pooch is wishful thinking. It may help in the long run, but training is still essential.             

Unlike posing the question on a personal level, it is perfectly polite and therefore okay to ask a dog’s owner if their dog has been altered. In fact, it is usually only considered to be a question of safety for all concerned – the dogs and their owners. It’s not always easy to pinpoint whether a behavior is connected to this bit of surgery, or to the lack of it. One odd behavior that many pet owners are not aware of is the fact that a spayed bitch can tend to become – well, “bitchy” – at that time of year when she would normally have been in season, or ready to be bred. Blame it on Mother Nature for keeping the upper hand over modern medicine! The mood swing normally only lasts a few days and then Fluffy comes back to her normal sweet self. As long as you know the cause, there’s no need for punishment. Mild correction or disapproval is enough.            

While we’re at it, some dogs (neutered or spayed) show signs of aggression toward other dogs, either barking their heads off while standing near or behind their owner, or pulling and straining at the leash while growling with lowered head. These behaviors are unpleasant in a pet and need corrective training, preferably with professional help. Either one could be simply a learned behavior that was not properly corrected the first time it happened and subsequently has been covered up with lame excuses. Until the problem is solved, you can put that pet party on hold.

It can be lots of fun to give Rufus a birthday party, with family or with his own pals. I recently heard of a German Shepherd dog that celebrated his 12th birthday with, of all things, a pizza party. They knew that’s what the dog liked, so while the rest of the family had whatever toppings they preferred, the dog was given a special cheese-only pizza of his very own.                

There’s nothing wrong with dreaming up a party for your dog, no matter what you might come up with in the way of a celebration. However, with decent weather and depending on your dog’s table manners, you might want to consider having it outdoors.     

Until next time – BE GOOD!

- Bardi