Does your dog ever give you this face?
I call this “The Stare.” Hunter will do this when I’m home for a little bit and he decides it’s time for me to entertain him. Once he turns this on, I know I have to find something fun for him to do (yes, he has trained me).
In my continuous search for things to entertain him, I recently came across a couple of indoor playgroups (one thanks to a tip from a Facebook follower). Playgroups are the perfect activity if you have a dog like Hunter who craves social interactions. Since the groups I’ve come across are organized by size, this is also a great activity if you have a small dog you’re not comfortable taking to a dog park.
Mr. Social and I recently went to check out the two indoor playgroups that I know of, one at Grateful Dog Bakery and one at PetPeople. Here’s the low down on these groups:
Grateful Dog Bakery, North Ridgeville
This playgroup is for small dogs under 25 lbs only. Dogs play in the bakery’s back room, which isn’t a large space, but good enough for a group of small dogs to play with toys and sniff each other. On the day Hunter and I went he was the biggest dog (he’s 16 lbs), but it was a fun group and he made a friend in a Maltese-Pom-mix named Sandy. Sandy has the exact same play style as Hunter so they really hit it off.
There is a $5 fee for the playgroup and vaccination records are required on the first visit. The group is held most Sundays from 1-2, but check the calendar to confirm since they sometimes have other events: http://gratefuldogbakery.com/pages/calendar You will also need to call ahead to make a reservation for your dog.
PetPeople, Strongsville
Hunter and I just went to the PetPeople playgroup this past Sunday. The Strongsville Pet People hosts this free playgroup Sundays from 1-3 for small dogs (under 30 lbs) and large dogs from 3-5. There was only one other dog there on our visit, a super cute Maltese puppy named Lexy. Since it’s a larger space, it would be great for a few small dogs to run around in.
Camp Bow Wow also hosts Puppy Socialization groups at PetPeople in Strongsville every other Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. Find out more here: http://www.campbowwow.com/us/oh/strongsville/about-us/news-and-events/204-free-puppy-socialization-dates-2015
Have a bigger dog? See the comment below from Kelley. Double Dog Daycare in Stow offers an hour of playtime for $5. This is a popular playgroup for medium-to-large sized dogs.
According to their site, it looks like they also offer a 2 hour session where you can drop the dog off, which is great since I don’t usually see that option at a lot of daycares. Usually it’s just a full or half day for daycare. http://www.doubledogdaycare.com/services.html
Have you taken your dog to any other playgroups? Let me know! Hunter will want to check it out.
Dogs in the CLE 
There is a dog daycare place in Stow OH called Double Dog Daycare. They offer an option where for $5 per dog, owner and dog stay and play for an hour. We do this every now and then when my whippet needs some good socialization or exercise. The dogs are not divided by size. A tired dog or one who is acting out can go in the office for a break from the others.
We love this place and the nice thing about it is that these dogs are tested and watched for aggression. Plus we know they are all up to date on shots. And it’s clean and staffed by helpful, friendly folks.
Most of the dogs are medium to large in size, though. So little dogs who get intimidated might not be comfortable surrounded by so many goldens, labs, danes, and doodles.
I have enjoyed getting to know more about different dog breeds too.
Fun for all!
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Good to know! Thanks for sharing. I’m going to add this in, since these other groups are better for smaller dogs. I’m sure people would like to know about good ones for big dogs. I am surprised more dog daycares don’t do this, it’s a great idea!
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