Alvin would have liked the playgroup better if his pal Oscar had shown up. But Oscar wasn't there, so Alvin stood on the sidelines looking forlorn as Clyde, Clifford and the others all wrestled around on the floor.
"Come on, Alvin," called Roberta Solomon. "You're going to wait for Oscar, and he's not going to come," she said. "You're supposed to be playing."
Solomon is not Alvin's mom, but his owner. Alvin is a white fluffy-haired Maltese, and his absent friend, Oscar, a tan Chihuahua. He and some eight other canines that evening were participating in the latest rage for pets: the doggie playgroup.
From New York City, where Alvin lives, to Wisconsin and down to Texas, dog playdates are popping up as more owners take their dogs out for exercise and a social life, instead of leaving them home alone to chew on shoes or gnaw on a bone.
"As moms are driving their kids to every possible thing these days -- soccer, ballet, karate -- they're doing the same with their dogs," said Steve Diller, who runs the Center for Animal Behavior and Canine Training in Elmsford, N.Y. "This dog thing is getting crazier every minute."
For owners particular about just whom their dogs are playing with, there is also a national Web site, Meetup.com, where French bulldogs, Italian greyhounds, pugs, weimaraners and Welsh sheepdogs can meet up with others of their breed.
The popularity of playdates seems to coincide with the increased interest Americans have been taking in their pets. According to a survey of more than 1,000 pet owners by the American Animal Hospital Association, 84 percent thought of their pets as a child or another member of the family. And half said they would sooner choose a dog or cat for companionship on a deserted island than another human.
"More and more people are choosing to either have children much later or to forego children," said Amy Madsen, who organizes match-ups in the Chicago area for the National Italian Greyhound Rescue. "So you have more and more people that are not looking at their pet as just Fido," she said. "They want to do social things with them and share that with likeminded people."
Beyond a social hour, playgroups help puppies get used to being around other dogs at an early age. More importantly, adds dog trainer Andrea Arden, who charges $7 for hourlong dog dates in Manhattan, it's a way of getting puppies comfortable with human beings of every size and temperament. This is especially important in the city, where a walk down the block can bring pups into contact with all kinds of dogs and people.
"Puppies are naturally social, playful," Diller said. "If you get them involved in a social setting, they will maintain social behavior." This training should start when puppies are under 12 weeks old, he said. If owners fail to keep their dogs interacting with others, the animals can lose their ability to get along with others as they grow older.
On a recent Saturday, owners of 15 Yorkshire terriers in New York met in the small dog run in Washington Square Park.
"A first person's impression would be that they're some weird dog zealot, people that are obsessed with their dogs," said Laura Lachman, who organizes the group. "But that's not the case at all." Small dog owners say they feel more comfortable unleashing their dogs among others their size, as opposed to risking close encounters with bigger dogs that dwarf and intimidate their smaller counterparts.
The Meetup Web site also allows owners to compare their dogs' development and exchange tips, much like parents do with their children. Vijay Sinh, for instance, has discussed neutering her 9-month-old, Mocha, with fellow Yorkie owners and also collects tips on where to find doggie sweaters and other items. During Italian greyhound playdates in Arkansaw, Wis., organized by Jenny Hatten, owners have learned to use the less harsh martingale collars instead of choke chains.
Since she began taking Alvin to his Manhattan playdates three months ago, Solomon has noticed he's stopped being so nervous around other dogs.
He used to hide behind her whenever they ran into dogs on the street, Solomon said. Now, "he absolutely loves other dogs," she said, though he's still selective when it comes to choosing his friends. But since Oscar's absence, he's found a new playmate: a 7-month-old Yorkie named Spike.
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