Dog Camp Comparison

So many dog camps and so little time.

How do you and your dog just pick one?

Sometimes picking just one isn't possible. My Westie dogs and I have been to two dog camps and loved them both.

Both Camp Unleashed and Glen Highland Farm's Canine Country Camp offer wonderful off-leash experiences. Campers can spend as much or as little time socializing with other dogs and dog lovers as they like. Each camp offers numerous optional inclusive activities both outdoors and in. Dog Camp is dog heaven!

What are my favorite camp activities?

I love sitting waterside alone with my dogs. Or hanging out in a barn or on a porch after dinner sipping a glass of wine with other campers. Basically, I like to do a lot of nothing at dog camp. And a lot of nothing is exactly what my dogs and I happily did alongside some more activity-inclined campers who could not get enough of agility, hiking or indoor classes.

So what exactly are the differences between the camps?

	Camp Unleashed	Glen Highland Farm
Location; distance from NYC	Berkshire Mts., MA 150 miles from NYC	Upstate NY 200 miles from NYC
Length of camp	3 nights; 4 days	5 nights; 6 days
Price (activities and dining)	$799 - $899 per adult	$1,300 per adult
Price (accommodation)	Included in price.	Depends upon accommodation (tents: $55-$75 /night; cabins: $110-$125 /night; RVs:$700 or $750 /5 nights).
Dates for 2009	June 4 – 7 September 4- 7 (Labor Day weekend)	July 18 - 23
Site description	YMCA camp on 1,300 acres that includes woods, fields and lakes.	Former Forbes farm on 175 acres that includes woods, fields, creeks and a pond.
Type of dogs catered to	Friendly dogs of all sizes although, because activities are for all dogs, very small dog owners should take care during hikes and athletic activities.	Medium and large friendly dogs. Because the owners run a border collie rescue and own border collies themselves, there tend to be a lot of this wonderful breed present.
Accommodations	Large multi-room cabins (without electricity or running water) that sleep from 1 to 10.	Luxury tents (on platforms with futons), cabins (without electricity or running water) or RVs (heat, hot water, electricity)
Dining	Kid camp quality food—hey it isn't about the food. Or is it?	Excellent quality catered food; complimentary beer and wine may be served in the evening.
Dog safety	The site is not fenced in (although it is fairly remote) so it is imperative that your dog not roam. Cars are left in a lot except for loading and unloading on arrival and departure. Garbage trucks do an on site pickup.	The entire 175 acre farm is fenced in with a series of paddock-style fences. Cars must be left in a lot at all times. Driving on the grounds is not permitted. The owners deliver camper's belongings via golf cart.
Extra special features	--An absolutely beautiful lake with a beach and a wrap-a-round dock. --Cabins with very large porches that are perfect for socializing on during rainstorms. --A self-service dog wash on the last day.	--A fantastic big beautiful barn to hang out in complete with overstuffed dog-friendly couches. --Waterside massages for humans. --Tours of the on-site border collie rescue and knowing that camp fees support the rescue. --A totally awesome world class party on the last night!

Still undecided? Attend both camps.

That's exactly what I did.

Dog Days of Summer at the Adirondack Museum (Blue Mt. Lake, NY)

In August for two years now, the Adirondack Museum, in Blue Mountain Lake, New York, has held a special one-day Dog Days of Summer exhibit using special activities and demonstrations to illustrate the history of the working dog in the Adirondacks. This is the only day of the year that dogs are permitted on the museum's pristine grounds.

A friend (and her two Westies) and I (and my two Westies) went together the first year, while my Westies and I went by ourselves the second year. We hope to go again in August 2009.



About the Adirondack Museum
The museum's setting is picture perfect situated on 32 acres overlooking Blue Mountain Lake. There is a picnic area as well as a cafe that serves beer and wine. The museum itself consists of a main building and several separate smaller structures that house exhibits. Some of the smaller structures are authentic historical buildings such as a 1907 Schoolhouse, an Adirondack Artist's Cottage (of landscape painter Gustave Wiegand) and an 1876 Log Hotel.


The dogs had a wonderful time. Later in the day, after the crowds had thinned, we let them run off leash. There was a great fountain--just perfect for Westie wading. And there was a small lake--some of our dogs fell in because they thought the algae growing near the shore was solid ground!

The Adirondack Museum's staff were lovely and genuinely seemed to enjoy being over run by dogs for a day! We met Hallie Bond, Museum Curator, who had conceived of this fantastic dog-friendly special event. Thank you Hallie Bond! See you next August.

Getting There
The museum is 270 miles north of NYC, about a 5-hour drive.