Where can I go to meet/socialise with other Puggies and Hoomans?

Haylo Hooman’s and Puggies,

I don’t know about you, but one of my Puggies favourite pass times is playgroup on Sunday morning where they get an hour (or more) roaming free with their Puggie friends sniffing at everything our local leash free park has to offer; with a side of cuddles, pats and scratches from the other Pug-parents.

I’ve always been a fan of playgroups for my Pug’s (past and present) because it adds so much to all of our lives. Winston and Charles learn to play nice with other Puggies, they have other Hooman’s to get attention from, and they get to go outside in the fresh air to explore a different part of the world that is safe from cars and people who don’t like dogs … because why would someone go to a leash-free park to walk otherwise.

Plus, I get to talk to other like-minded individuals about my favourite topic, learn new things about their Puggies that may come in handy in the future and help out where I can with Puggie sitting or recommendations on what has worked for me or the boys in the past. Although I am still learning new things about my boys as they grow, I especially found Pug-specific playgroups helpful when I adopted my first Pug, Louis. No amount of reading can assuage your fears more than a fellow Pug-parent telling you that they’ve had a similar experience and it is completely normal or you should go and see your Vet because it’s not typical and you can never be too safe.

So, if you’ve been considering the possibility of joining a playgroup (Pug-specific or not) I can’t recommend it enough; but I also recommend considering the following first:

• Does your Puggie get scared /overwhelmed around a lot of people or dogs? Consider contacting the playgroup Administrator first and ask them what the group is like and how you can slowly introduce your Puggie to the group, so they become accustomed to everyone. You may consider attending for short periods to start with and then gradually increase the time as your Puggie gets more comfortable.
• Does your Puggie fight with other dogs when you pass them on the street whilst out walking? Is it because the dog is aggressive to your Puggie first or does your Puggie initiate the interaction? It’s important to know the difference and talk about it with the Playgroup Administrator prior to attending; you don’t want your Puggie to get into a fight as much as other Pug-parents do, and you might need to have a plan in place if anything happens to ensure you can enjoy the day
• Are you OK with other people scratching, patting, massaging or picking up your Pug? There is nothing wrong with asking other Pug-parents to not do something that you know your Puggie does not like; they will understand and respect your wishes as much as you would for their Puggies.
• Are you OK with other people giving your Puggie treats? Some Pug-parents bring Pug-friendly food and treats to share with all of the Puggies at playgroup. If your Puggie has allergies or you just don’t want them eating anything outside of the diet you have set for them, then let the group know; they will understand and respect your wishes.
• Are you OK with people taking photos of your Puggie? Most groups have a Facebook and/or Instagram page and share photos taken at playgroup so others can see what everyone got up to that day. Once again, if you’re not comfortable with photos of your Puggie being placed on a Public Wall, then let everyone know and they’ll do their best to keep your Puggie out of the shots.

The best part about playgroups these days is that if you don’t think that your Puggie is comfortable with one group, there are no hard feelings, and there are plenty of other groups in your local area that you can try out until you find the one that is a fit for you and your Puggie. Moreover, don’t be afraid to ask to join a playgroup's Facebook or Instagram page as most people are still happy for you to ask questions and comment on photos that are shared; the Pug community is all about Pug love and shared knowledge for the betterment of all Puggies.

So, I can tell your spinning around and around with anticipation and what you really want to know is where are all the Puggie playgroups! Well, thanks to our friends at Pug SOS, they have a pretty comprehensive list of groups that have a Facebook and/or Instagram page, and meet up regularly; so all you need to do is request to join and start to get to know everyone:

VIC:
Pugwell, Camberwell
Pugwood, Elwood
Pugsea, Seaford
Pugwick, Berwick
Pugmore, Strathmore
Pugratta Group, Wangaratta
Pugninsula, Mornington Peninsula
Pugdinia, Cardinia Area
PugValley, Latrobe Valley area 
Whittle Pug, Doreen Area 
Valley Pugs, Latrobe Valley area 
Pugville, Yarraville area
Pug City, Ferntree Gully area 
Geelong Pugs, Geelong Area 
Westside Pugs, Wyndham Vale
Pugbourne, South Melbourne 
Sunraysia Pugs, Mildura

NSW:
Newcastle Pugs, Newcastle 
Wollongong and South Coast Pugs, Wollongong Sth Coast area
Pugs Central Coast
Sydney Park Pugs Sydney area,
Cambelltown Pugs and South West Pugs Cambelltown area
Pugs in the Shoalhaven, Shoalhaven area
Northern Beaches Pugs, Northern NSW Area 
Central West Pugs Group 
Pug Life Newcastle, Newcastle Area 
Sutherland Shire Pugs, Sutherland Area

QLD:
Queensland Pugs 
Brisbane Pugs
Gold Coast Pugs, Gold Coast area
Brisbane Pug Society
Fraser Coast Pugs unite, Hervey Bay Area 
Townsville Hug a Pug, Townsville 

Pug Owners Gladstone, Gladstone

SA:
Pugelaide, Adeleide area

Pugs of Adelaide, Adelaide area

WA:
Pugs in Perth 
Perth Pugs

Kalgoorlie Pugs and Pug lovers

TAS:
Pug Club Tasmania

Now, if you happen to know of a Puggie Playgroup that is not on the list but happy to make new friends and go on mini-adventures every weekend, then please let us know via our blog comments, our email address (admin@pugparties.com.au) or our socials so we can keep the list up to date for other Hooman’s and Puggies we meet.

Even better, please share with us what your Puggie playgroup is like and what you and your Puggie love about it the most. Your experiences make the best recommendations in our opinion and we’ll be more than happy to share the info with the Pug Parties Grumble.

So, until next week Puggies have a wonderful week and look forward to seeing your Pug Playgroup photos online.

 

Cheers Donna

Proud Pug-mum to Winston and Charles
Founder of Pug Parties 

 

#pugplay #playgroup #pugadventures #newfriends #meetup

* 
If you love all things Pug, then come snuffle with us by becoming a Grumble Friend and subscribe to our newsletter in the footer of this page. 
* 
Grumble membership gets you access to one-time offers, advanced notice of new collections and sales, as well as shopping and dressing guides to name a few treats reserved exclusively for our friends.