Dogs are known as man’s best friend. People adopt dogs because they want a buddy, or a cute furry friend to hang out with and just have around. Often times, dogs can be a great way for humans to meet other people by taking their fluffy companions to the dog parks or the pet store.
Socialization is an extremely important part of human lives, so it’s important for pet owners to realize socialization is an important part of their pets lives as well. Petland, 977 E. State St., knows of the importance of dog bonding, so the pet store is creating a space for it.
Petland is hosting its first ever Bulldog Reunion party on Saturday as a way for the dogs to make friends, and for the owners to connect with each other.
Sally Jo Kuntz, the general manager of Petland, is proud of the event, and hopes it will create a community of bulldog owners.
“It’s a great way for other bulldog owners to get together and talk,” Kuntz said. “It’s cool to know that within the community, there are bulldog owners that can meet each other through the event, and then have playdates at the park, and just get to know other people that have the same breed as them.”
The Petland employees wanted to find a way to connect dogs and dog owners of the same breed. They wanted to create a community where people could talk to other owners about questions, create playdates for the dogs and just find a way to connect people in general.
Petland is planning to host reunion parties for different dog breeds throughout the year, starting with bulldogs. Bulldogs were one of the most popular breeds people were interested in at Petland, so the pet store decided they would be the first breed to have reunion parties. Petland plans on hosting parties for siberian huskies and yorkshire terriers, as well as other breeds.
“Other Petland stores have held events like these before,” Kuntz said. “We decided to follow suit and do a community service event that creates connections.”
The party encourages bulldog owners to dress up their bulldogs, play games, eat bulldog cake and have a chance to get prizes and treats. There’s also a place to donate cans of dog food for dog shelters. In addition to all the fun, there will be awards for the best dressed bulldog, the most wrinkly bulldog and more superlatives.
Students are excited for the bulldogs to make new friends and have a day of appreciation for the breed.
Emma Kisner, a sophomore studying strategic communication, has dogs of her own, so she knows firsthand how important it is for dogs to socialize and make friends.
“I have two dogs that I love a lot, so I understand that events like these are a good way to build a community based around bulldogs, so they can hangout and find other bulldog friends,” Kisner said. “It can also be a great way for the owners to share tips about how to deal with issues specific to bulldogs.”
Hannah Ellinger, a junior studying strategic communication, agrees with Kisner that it’s important for dogs to socialize, and is happy that Petland is hosting the event.
“The event is so cute,” Ellinger said. “I think it’s important for bulldogs to get to socialize just like humans and make bulldog friends, and it’s so cool that they can win prizes and get toys and treats at the event.”
Not only is it a reunion for the bulldogs and their owners, it’s a reunion for Kuntz and the other Petland employees. Kuntz is excited to see the bulldogs people have adopted after not seeing them in a while.
“It’s so fun to see how much our fur babies have grown,” Kuntz said. “A lot of customers still come in and buy food, but we want them to gather together so they can talk to each other, and so we can see the bulldogs we used to take care of.”
