The BEST WAY TO KEEP YOUR DOG BEHAVED at a Paint Your Pet Party.
Bringing a dog into a crowded place like Paint Your pet Party can sometimes be an intimidating situation. A lot of my customers ask me “Can I bring my dog to Paint and Sip with your pet?” There are a lot of situations within the crowded place itself — people stepping on your dog, tripping on them, other dogs that may or may not be friendly, children running up and grabbing your dog— not to mention your dog’s reactions to all of the sights, smells and other stimuli going on around him. The following simple solutions can relieve the stress and help you maintain a well behaved dog in a crowd or at a one of Pet Portrait Fun’s Paint Your Pet Parties.
- Start early.Exposing your young pup to as many sights, smells, sounds, dogs, and people as you can especially when they are young is a great start. The more you desensitize them when they are young, the easier it will be to control them in a crowd when they get older. If your puppy has a ton of energy, you might want to leave them at home while you paint their portrait, so you can relax while you paint.
- Know your dog’s limits.Whether your dog is old or young, chances are there is something they are fearful of or doesn’t like. At home, with the help of friends and their kids and dogs, see what situations make your dog uncomfortable. It’s better to find out at home if your dog has a snapping tendency, and what their threshold might be than find out in a public place. Know what your dogs hot buttons are, and work with a trainer on overcoming those. In the meantime, know what to avoid when you are in a crowd. If your dog has snapping tendencies, I would not recommend them attending a paint your pet party. You will not be able to watch for these hot buttons and it will take away from the enjoyment of painting a portrait.
- Avoid overstimulation.If your dog is not used to crowds, start out by going to smaller events with less excitement and fewer distractions, so that each experience is a positive one. At Paint Your pet parties I recommend not to bring a bone or chew treat with an aroma that other dogs love. This could create animosity toward your pet from the other dogs at the party. You want to avoid a bad experience, which could make your dog develop a fear of crowds.
- Keep your dog close.If your dog is not comfortable in crowds, the worst thing you can possibly do is let your dog roam the café or bar and not know where they are. Having your dog on a lead is a good way to make sure they are in your sight during the party. The closer your dog is to you, the more control you have over him and whatever is around him. It’s also good to check out your live doggie model for some color inspiration of his fur while you paint his or her pet portrait.
- Be aware. One of the most important things about controlling your dog in a crowded place is not about the dog at all. It’s about you being calm and watching your dog. Be aware of what is going on around them. We don’t want our dog pestering other people, getting into a fight with other dogs, or eating something that he shouldn’t. This situation is easily avoided by being aware of how your dog is feeling. Maybe they need to go out for a pee or they need a little bit of attention. I am an art instructor for pet portraits and I am a certified dog trainer. I can help distract your pup for a little bit if they are getting antsy.
This way you can relax and enjoy painting your pet’s portrait with success.
Pet Portrait Fun Paint and Sip parties in New York City as Featured in The New York Times (nytimes)
AS SEEN IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
Pet Portrait Fun
Phone: 646-418-5718 Website: http://www.petportraitfun.com/
1.Painting my Pet’s Nose: 
