For me, summer
evokes memories of the carefree days of camp: paddling canoes, diving off a
dock into invigorating lake water, telling scary stories around a campfire
while enjoying the gooey sweetness of s’mores, hiking, and pillow fights. Too
bad those aren’t my fond memories,
but rather those of my two sisters! I had separation anxiety and chose to stay
home. My parents (wisely, I think) didn’t force me to go, but I imagine that if
I’d had the grit to stick out the first couple of days, my homesickness would
have transformed into bliss.
Who knew that
your four-legged friend can experience the same delights of camp that you did?
I didn’t, until Janet Foreman, a longtime client and ardent dog lover,
enlightened me. She and her 7-year-old blue heeler, Bella, are regular fixtures
at Camp
Dogwood in Lake Dellon,
Wisconsin. It’s located in the Wisconsin
Dells at the Perlstein Resort and Conference Center at Camp Chi, about 175 miles north of our area.
Accommodations
for a dog-centric three-day weekend range from tent and RV camping to staying
in a lodge or a cabin. Campers can also make their own arrangements to stay offsite.
Your dog shares your sleeping quarters, of course.
There are camp
sessions in the spring, fall, and winter, and activities vary from session to
session. Sporting events are numerous. Some are just what you’d expect at a
canine camp: beach games, dock diving, hiking, and Frisbee. But there are also fun
activities that your dog may have never experienced:
Treiiball: Sometimes called “urban herding.” Dogs
use their nose and shoulders to drive an exercise ball into a pen.
Flyball: If your dog pesters you to throw balls
for her to chase, she’ll love this activity.
She’ll learn to jump over hurdles leading to a spring-loaded box, release the
ball, and race back to you, ball in mouth.
No need to worry if you and your dog have never participated in
activities such as freestyle dancing, agility, lure coursing, or tracking; the
camp has sessions geared toward first-timers.
Janet
explained that veteran campers give their dogs some downtime between
activities, especially if it’s hot. That’s why the camp offers presentations and
non-sport activities geared to the dog owner, such as classes on grooming,
training, and treat-making. Want to do something useful with those brushes full
of hair you get when you groom your dog? You can learn to spin yarn out of it!
Camping with
your buddy doesn’t come cheap, but the cost seems reasonable for all you get. A
cabin for one person and his dog is $635, which includes three nights of
lodging, meals, and most activities. Rooms in the lodge cost a bit more. There
are also day passes available for those who just want to try a day or two of
camp.
Photos courtesy of Janet Foreman and Renny Mills Photography.
