Camp Bow Wow

[Camilla and Darwin]

This is a chain, and I'm reviewing the one where I live, in SLC, UT. I think the policies are the same company wide though. We love Camp Bow Wow. We looked for a very long time for a good daycare and it provides basically everything we wanted. A big indoor area that connects to outdoor areas, lots of room to run. They have kiddie pools out in the summer which Darwin loves. They separate the big dogs and the small dogs, and have numerous play rooms so there aren't tons of dogs in one space. The employees are very attentive and play with the dogs, which I also like. Also, when you pay for boarding daycare is included, which is awesome! The daycares we had used before would charge you extra for daycare when you boarded. 

Camp Bow Wow also includes other little extras, like giving your dog a frozen peanut butter Kong and spending some one on one time with them before bed. They are more than happy to give you a tour of the entire place, which is great. Some other companies that I went to wouldn't allow me to look in the back kennel area, which was a huge red flag! My favorite feature, though, are the camper cams. You can go onto their website and watch the dogs playing. We have had so much fun watching Darwin romp around with his friends! They even gave us a card on his birthday with an adorable photo of him playing... 

http://www.campbowwowusa.com/

[Jennifer and Jack]

When I worked full time I brought my dog to daycare. He was never left alone, and to this day. He is not left alone often. I used a different day care then Camp Bow Wow. I loved it where he was going and it was half the price of Camp BW,but they had so many dogs, and they kept accepting new dogs into the program, and after 1 1/2 years I had to pull him out because the place was over run with fleas and tape worm

We went to Camp Bow Wow, my dog did not like it there. In his old daycare he would cry to get out of the car when I pulled in the parking lot. I don't know if it is because he had been going there since he was 11 weeks old and he was just more comfortable or what. When I brought him to Camp BW, he didn't want to go, he cried and jumped to get back to me.

 

I watched him on the webcam the whole day. I do like the open space that it has as well as the attention the staff gives to the dog. For Jack though, he has no place to escape, He had no soft spot to lay down on and basically if he did sit down to rest, another dog would jump on him to play. I think they need to incorporate some rest time into the day. Not a lot but enough where dogs can get away from other dogs if they want etc. Nothing bad happen there, but when I picked him up he was stressed and exhausted beyond his normal exhaustion from playing all day. As a reminder my dog is used to day care, playing, and is well socialized.

[Camilla and Darwin]

They do have 2 hour nap time in the middle of the day, each in their own individual crates.

[Jennifer and Jack]

They didn't do that in my dogs Camp Bow Wow in Columbia, SC. I wish they would have because that is exactly what he needed, a quiet rest time. I am glad that they do that in other daycare centers. I know his old one they would put him in a little room with one other dog and soft beds and they could rest in between outside play.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Yeah, I was looking on their website and it looks like it's not a company policy to do it regularly? Maybe it varies by the location. Although the corporate site says you can request to have your dog take a nap, so that is nice. I agree that they really need a little break and some time alone to break up the day of play!

[Jennifer and Jack]

In his old daycare, I was very torn especially once he started going there only once or twice a week, I didn't want to pay for him to sit in a crate, however, they have mandatory rest times, and when they played inside together it was always with only one or two other dogs in smaller rooms.

 

I soon realized once he  left the puppy room, he still needed rest periods or daycare becomes a stressful time for him. I want him tired when I pick him up, but not exhausted.

Now that I am home, I borrow my neighbors dogs and have play time in my back yard for him. I also take him out to all the local pet stores and let him explore and meet other people and dogs, He loves it.

How old is your dog

[Camilla and Darwin]

Darwin is almost 2 years old. I would absolutely LOVE to set up a play group but there are just no other owners around me to set them up with. :-( Most of the dogs who live in my apartment complex are very dog aggressive, trained to be guard dogs. So I wouldn't want them playing with Darwin. It must be so nice to have neighbors dogs around you that he can play with!

 

I agree that it is better for them to come home not exhausted but tired. Sometimes I worry that the amount of dogs at daycare could be a little overwhelming for Darwin. Luckily they limit the amounts, but still there are quite a few. 

[Ali]

So my dog goes to camp bow wow, and she absolutely loves it there.  Like all doggy day cares, each camp bow wow is unique in there own way.  I tried out 3 different camp bow wows in Denver to find the exact one I liked the best.  You can request to them that your dog take a nap during the middle of the day, and they will be happy to arrange it.  They usually do not have nap time for the dogs that are just there for the day.  However, if you are boarding your dog, they do have the dog take a nap because it is soooo much stimulation for the dog.  When I boarded my dog for 10 days, she had two nap times during the day.  That is because if it is a normal day, she is pretty much up and playing for about 10 hours.  So tired.

[Ali]

Oh also, once your dog is at one camp bow wow, s/he is able to go to any other camp bow wow in the country without having to go through their testing.  The previous camp bow wow just faxes the records to the camp bow wow you want to go to.  This is convenient for me when I am between Texas and Colorado.