One Dog Camper’s Story
A dog-camp veteran shares her and Beagle Toby’s experiences at Camp Gone to the Dogs.
By Laura Place
 I'm always on the lookout for places I can travel to with my Beagle Toby, whom I adopted in 2004. Unfortunately, for my summer vacation in 2005, I wasn’t able to find enough dog-friendly locations to take him with me. Needless to say, I was miserable without him and couldn’t wait to return home. So I was very excited when I found out about the ultimate summer vacation with your dog — Camp Gone to the Dogs.
Camp Gone to the Dogs is a wonderful week-long camp in Vermont where dogs and their owners can participate in a variety of activities. Camps are offered in the fall (in Stowe) and summer (in Marlboro). Toby and I have attended summer camp for the past four years; we keep going back because each year there is always something new to try.
Over the years, I’ve found that Toby isn’t really interested in agility or flyball, but he loves tracking. I’m really glad that I didn’t pay for a multi-week agility course only to find out he could care less about going up and down the A-frame!
We’ve attended sessions on Tellington TTouch to learn how I can enhance the animal-human bond by using different touch techniques with my hands. Evening lectures on various dog-related topics are another favorite; each year there are different subjects. We work on some training during obedience classes such as loose leash walking and have prepared for (and passed!) the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test.
There are guided walks that you can take with your dog, but Toby and I really enjoy our early morning solo walks. After all, he is a Beagle, so he likes to take his time and smell that wonderful Vermont air.
We are always sad to leave on Saturday morning, but we return home happy and tired, yet eager to count down the days until the next camp!
Photographs courtesy Laura Place
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One Dog Camper’s Story
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