Earlier this year, Dr. Sue Nielsen and her 4lb Chihuahua Rico formed a group to meet with and socialize extremely small dogs as part of the SarasotaDog.com Meetup. “With Rico’s tiny stature, I have to be really careful about everything” Nielsen explained. “Yet, I understand that he is still a dog, with all of the same needs to socialize, play and just be a dog. I knew that there were other dog lovers in town who could also benefit from a social group that could meet on a regular basis and offer a safe, fun environment to get-together.” Here’s a recap of some of the Petite Pups Playgroup activities over the last few months.
In September, Petite Pups Playgroup got together for our fourth meet up, and we had a record turnout of people and pups! Nearly 20 members and 30 dogs gathered inside at Woof Gang Bakery. 
We welcomed back our dedicated regulars, Seamus, Kiwi, and Buster, as well as many first timers with great names like Bippy, Jasmine, Cosmo, and Cooper.
A “Tricks for Treats” contest was held, and the competition was tough with so many talented pups. A tiny Papillion puppy named Strumpet won the contest as she was just too cute doing her ‘sit, lie down, and roll over’ at such a young age!!! No stage fright at all. A close second place went to Figaro with a laundry list of perfect tricks, and third place went to the dancing dogs, Jaci and Shyla. Prizes for all the winners included dog themed necklaces and bracelets. A raffle raised money for Vintage Paws, whose mission is “to provide a sanctuary for displaced senior dogs to live out their lives with dignity surrounded by the loving care they deserve.”
Our most recent meetup was held at Ophelia’s Pasta House in Nokomis. We had a private Sunday brunch on the completely fenced indoor/outdoor patio where our pups were allowed off leash. Ophelia’s owners are always extremely dog friendly with free chicken and treats for our friends
. The staff was helpful and kept our pups happy, hydrated, and safe. We had many first timers, including Lucy, a 5 month of Yorkie, who gained a great deal of social confidence in just two hours. She stayed very close to Mom in the beginning, but by the end she was walking all over the patio with head and tail held high.
The little pups really love being off leash and interacting safely with other dogs their own size. We have an upcoming Halloween costume contest at the end of the month – start planning now as I’m sure the competition will be steep with with so many CUTE PUPS!!
Keep an eye on the SarasotaDog Meetup website for details on date, time, and location.