| Is Your Dog Going to Camp?
If you are looking for something new to share with your dog, consider one of the many dog camps that exist. Dog camps vary widely in theme, design, purpose, and cost. Most dog camps can be broken down into those that are intended for vacation, basic training, or competitive training.
Some dog camps are designed simply for weekend use, while others are intended for longer stays. However, at many of the camps, the adults must be unattended or accompanied by their dog.
Competitive training dog camps are one of the ways that you can increase your pet’s chances of winning at a dog show. At the camp, emphasis is placed on improving your dog’s skills. He will attend training classes that target the skills he needs to perform well in whatever dog sport that he is competing in.
Some dog camps have introductory programs in dog sports and training methods for them. Seminars may explore flyball, freestyle, agility, obedience, rally, lure coursing, carting, field events, canine water sports, tracking, and more.
Other camps have programs that explore search and rescue, animal communication, holistic care, herding, canine nutrition, pet tricks, and more. Several dog camps have been designed to train dogs for pet assisted therapy care. Programs that provide dogs for such care have strong affiliations to specific pet assisted therapy care training camps.
Dogs and their owners can learn new things together at dog camps. They can discover new activities that they would not have considered on their own. In fact, a whole new world can open up for a dog and his owner at one of these dog camps.
The camps provide a relaxing atmosphere for both dogs and owners. There is time for both scheduled, structured activities, as well as laid back, unstructured activities. Even if the camp stay is intended to improve the performance of your dog in one or more areas, increased bonding between the dog and owner should occur. This can only lead to a happier, healthier relationship between the two.
Camps for children and their dogs are also available in some towns. In most cases, these camps involve a limited time at the camp, for example, four hours, five days a week. The sessions at these camps are usually scheduled according to the age of the child taking the seminars. Group sizes for each seminar are limited and are generally smaller than the groups scheduled for participation in adult seminars.
Many dog camps are designed to increase the skills and knowledge of the owners as well as of the dogs. The intention is to prepare owners with the skills they need to continue the training once they leave the camp. In fact, some camps have introductory programs in dog training methods.
Dog trainers can range from the nationally and internationally known and recognized to well-trained but otherwise unknown trainers. However, trainers and behaviorists at the dog camps are educated and skilled in innovative, humane, and creative methods of dog training. On-site professionals may include behaviorists, trainers, breeders, and veterinarians.
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