How does Camp Canine work?

Your trainer will come to your house for 1 hour each day, Monday to Friday, for four weeks. During this hour, your trainer will teach your dog foundational skills like obedience (sit, down, stay etc.), loose-leash walking, confidence building, and tackling any behavioural challenges. Every week your trainer will take your dog out for exposure training to dog-friendly places where your dog will learn the “art of doing nothing,” they will generalize the skills learned in the home, and see the world reducing fearfulness and foster neutrality.

What issues can private lessons help with?

Private lessons are great for tackling specific challenges and for owners who want to be involved with a more hands-on approach. We will listen closely, and guide you every step of the way to working on issues like leash pulling, reactivity, barking, aggression, or fearfulness.

How many lessons will I need?

This depends on your goals, but progress can often be seen quickly. Depending on what behaviours we are working through, one or two lessons may suffice. For more complex issues, we may need a consistent schedule to ensure progress is made. Remember, we only spend 1 hour with you and your dog, and the other 23 hours is up to you, so the success of training is in your hands—but don’t worry, we‘ll teach you everything you need to know to keep up with the training while I’m away.

What happens on Adventure Pack Hikes?

We will pick up your dog, and once we get to the trail head we will spend approximately 30 minutes gearing up and training, getting everyone in the right headspace to safely and calmly begin the adventure. We spend the next 1.5-2 hours exploring, socializing, and enjoying the great outdoors. During this time, we stop for multiple water & snack breaks. We also incorporate training to safely pass other hikers, overcome obstacles, reinforce recall and obedience, and nurture those natural instincts to chase, forage, and sniff (dogs see the world with their nose). At the end, we drop off your tired, happy, and fulfilled dog!

How many dogs are in each pack?

A maximum of 4 client dogs, plus my own personal dog. There can be a total of 5 dogs per hike.

What if my dog isn’t good with other dogs?

Pack hikes are not suitable for every dog, so to ensure everyone’s safety, we book a Free In-person Consultation with each new pack member and do a full assessment to make sure they’re a right fit. If a dog is not quite ready to join the pack, we will offer training to help get them there, because every dog deserves adventure! Fearfulness, reactivity, and aggression should not hold a dog back from experiencing the world. In fact, behavioural challenges often arise from a lack of mental and physical fulfillment, which is why with some training, pack hikes are an amazing resource to help dogs be their best self and live their best life.

What safety measures do you take on hikes?

All client dogs are leashed and wearing a Tractive GPS tracker. Off-leash freedoms are only available to dogs who have had extensive training and are wearing an ecollar for guaranteed recall. We always carry a first-aid kit, bear spray, utility tool, and hike known trails. We also have Pet First Aid and Wildlife Awareness certification.