Dog camp is an off-leash dog hiking service for friendly and well-behaved dogs who are at least one year of age. Each dog is picked up at home and transported with his/her buddies to off-leash-friendly areas to hike, swim, play, socialize, sniff, and learn. Dog camp is great for adventurous dogs who love to run hard and play outside and then spend the remainder of the day resting. Dog camp is also good for dogs who find the traditional dog daycare setting to be too overwhelming. In order to safely join dog camp, your dog should have reliable recall skills (be able to come when called).
ABOUT Dog Camp
Welcome to the wonderful world of dog camp! I am 100% dedicated to your dog’s happiness and well-being.
What makes dog camp so
special and different?
Dog camp can be described as an off-road doggy daycare alternative, because it offers dogs so much more than a kennel setting. While out on the trail, your dog will learn important basic obedience, practice his/her recall, have opportunities to play safely with other dogs, walk as a pack, swim, and explore the outdoors.
I have a limited number of dogs in my pack, making the experience for your dog intimate and comfortable. Maintaining a smaller group creates stronger bonds between the dogs, making interactions more predictable, comfortable and safe. I have an extensive interview process in order to ensure that each dog has good basic obedience and a friendly demeanor toward people and dogs. My screening process allows me to be selective about adding dogs that are suitable for the off-leash, social dog camp environment. I want your dog to be playing with other friendly and obedient dogs so that they don’t get injured or develop/bring home bad manners.
emotional regulation on the trail
Training Style
I have a compassionate positive-reinforcement training style. The following are some of my mentors:
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Karen Pryor (author of Don’t Shoot The Dog, founder of the Karen Pryor Animal Training Academy)
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Mark McCabe (Training Between the Ears founder)
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Rhonda Bilodeau (owner of VT Dog Pack)
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Jamie Shaw (my former college professor, author of Dog to Dog Communication, owner of The Dog School)
Teaching your dog how to regulate his/her emotions is the foundation for good behavior out on the trail.
When dogs get ramped up, overly stimulated, and excited, they are unable to learn and listen. This adrenalized state can be unintentionally reinforced through allowing rough play and letting dogs out of the car/house before they are relaxed.
By enforcing rules that reinforce calmness and relaxation, camp dogs are overall much more responsive, which makes the environment out on the trail more predictable and safe. These rules at dog camp can at first be extremely difficult for new pack members to follow. After all, many dogs—especially young dogs—spend most of their day in an anxious, adrenalized state and it's all they know!
While emotional regulation and impulse control may at first be difficult or seem impossible for some dogs, I provide a friendly, patient environment in which your dog can play and release energy while still being supported. Your dog will develop these skills through practices such as: pack walks, sit-stays, down-stays, recalls, and calm play with other dogs.
The biggest difference between a traditional dog daycare and dog camp is that camp is an adventure with REAL WORLD distractions. Distractions can be unpredictable, and I have the duty of ensuring that your dog is as predictable as possible through my screening process. This helps to ensure that everyone’s experience at dog camp is positive and safe for both your dog and the other pack members.
The Benefits of dog camp:
for dogs and their owners
Exercise
Each camp session consists of 2 hours of adventure time on the trails. No need for you to feel guilty about going back to work; your dog will return home happy and ready for a snooze!
Training
Your dog will practice recall, sit/stays, down/stays, and other useful skills in a positive-reinforcement-style learning environment.
Socialization & Safety
Your dog will get to play and hike with his/her new dog friends in a supervised, safe environment. Olivia is a veterinary technician with over five years of experience working with dogs in a professional environment. Your dog is in good hands!
Convenience
Save time and money with pick up and drop off right at your front door! This means more time for you to get things done while your dog is getting exercise.
a day at Dog Camp looks like...
About olivia
Olivia is an animal lover by nature,
has a B.S. in Animal and Veterinary Sciences from the University of Vermont and has years of experience in dog training and pet health.
Having worked as a veterinary technician for over five years, she is excited to offer dog owners of the Hartland area an opportunity to give their furry family members a structured and supported weekly adventure.
Services and Rates
Camp sessions are on Thursdays and Fridays
Each session includes:
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Pick up from client's home between 8:30 - 9:30am
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2 hour long outdoor adventure on the trails at Olivia's flower farm
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Socialization with other dogs
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Positive-reinforcement training
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Off-leash recall practice
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A safe, supported, supervised environment for off-leash freedom
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Exercise and mental stimulation
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Drop off at client's home at the end of the camp session
Rates for Fall/Winter 2023
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$45 per camp session
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10% discount for 2 - 4 month packages of at least one
session per week