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Summer Camps for Dogs Let Four-Legged Friends Run Free

By Janet Upadhye | March 26, 2014 8:15am
 DNAinfo.com rounded up the best summer camps for man's best friend near New York City.
Summer Camps for Dogs
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NEW YORK CITY — These camps give new meaning to the phrase "dog days of summer."

Pooches weary of city living now have warm-weather getaway options — with or without their two-legged companions.

DNAinfo New York found several camps within an easy romp of New York City where pups can escape the heat and roam free on acres of land while sleeping in former horse stables. Many of the camps offer obedience classes, pool hours where campers can swim with their pups and dog-friendly activities like "Yappy Hour," when dogs are welcome in bars.

Check out DNAinfo New York's full Summer Camp Guide here.

These canine camps are designed specifically for doggie R&R, with activities such as Frisbee, hiking, swimming and opportunities for dogs to socialize.

Pet owners who join in the fun come from all walks of life.

"You'll find yourself sitting around a campfire or having a beer or glass of wine in the dining pavilion, chatting with retired military, artists, writers, doctors, grad students, lawyers, scientists, pet bloggers, CEOs — you name it," said Joycelene Padilla, coordinator of Canine Outdoor Adventures, which hosted 350 guests last year.

"They have one thing in common: they love their dogs."

Canine Outdoor Adventures

Location: 217 Pegg Road, Morris, N.Y.

Cost: Prices range from $110 to $350 a night, including meals. Tent, RV and cabin options available.

Contact: Email sweetbcrescue@citlink.net or call (607) 263-5415

This 175-acre camp in upstate New York offers four camps that focus on giving people time to build trust with their pets.

"Canine Country Camp" is a six-day vacation filled with flyball, tracking, water sports and classes on animal communication. "Canine Country Getaway" is a three-night stay in a more secluded area of the camp for people who want to delve into nature with their pups.

"The Inner Dog" and "Translating the Dog Experience" are four-night camps designed to enhance understanding between people and dogs.

Campers can stay in an RV, cottage, cabin or tent outfitted with comfy Swedish cots. Meals are included.

Country Dogs

Location: Bethel, Pa.

Cost: Prices start at $42/night per animal.

Contact: Email mark@country-dogs.net or call 1-888-711-7833

Located on a 69-acre farm in Bethel, Pa., Country Dogs is an overnight camp for dogs only. Four-legged campers are guaranteed to be off-leash for more than four hours a day and get to swim in a pond, play and socialize.

Dogs get to run on a 1-acre property organizers say “winds through the woods and then opens up into a large grassy field formerly for horses." There is also a shaded run for hot summer days.

Dogs stay in an old 24-stall horse barn that stays cool in the summer.

The Pet Camp

Location: Middletown, N.Y.

Cost: $30/night for one dog, $45/night for two and $75/night for three. Transportation to and from New York City available for an extra charge.

Contact: (845) 692-2922

Dogs can stay at The Pet Camp for a weekend, a week or longer. The 400-acre camp in Middletown, N.Y. bills itself as a place that offers dogs ample room to run, swim and socialize with other campers. Dogs sleep in a former horse stall with cement floors, wooden walls, a window and a wooden bed.

Canine Camp Getaway

Location: Lake George, N.Y.

Cost: $1,275 for dog and owner for four nights. $3,250 for a couple and one dog for four nights. Check the website for more prices.

Contact: 1-877-592-2674

Situated in Lake George, N.Y., in the heart of the Adirondacks, this camp is a treat for dogs and their humans. Activities include agility exercises, Frisbee, hiking and swimming in the dog-friendly pool. There's also “Barks & Crafts” and classes in Canine CPR and dog nutrition. Campers can also enjoy "Yappy Hour” in a dog-friendly lounge.

Other activities include dog bingo, loose-leash walking, movie night, scent detection, obedience classes and water games. People stay with their dogs in rooms with private baths, air conditioning, cable TV and Wi-Fi.

Camp Gone to the Dogs

Location: Marlboro, Vt.

Cost: $1,375 to $1,550 for a single room for one week, depending on registration date

Contact: info@campgonetothedogs.com

Camp Gone to the Dogs is located in the lush mountains of Vermont. This getaway camp for people and their pups provides classes like "Reading a Dog's Body Language" and "Heelwork — Staying Connected,"  as well as workshops that cover grooming and communication, lectures about the biology and evolution of dogs and fun activities such as leash-making and a doggie costume party.

Campers stay on the 250-acre campus of Marlboro College in dorm rooms or woodsy cabins. Home-cooked meals are provided.

Check out DNAinfo New York's full Summer Camp Guide here.