In This Edition:

— Latest Events at Kamp K9
—Info Feature: Training Services While at Kamp
— Photo of the Month
— Links

WHAT'S HAPPENING

OPEN HOUSE A SUCCESS!!

Our Open House on the 22nd proved to be quite successful, especially for a first effort at such a thing. Visitors were welcomed with hand-monogrammed tennis balls and refreshments (including a yummy cake baked by loyal customers … thank you again!), followed by a tour of the facility. Justin was a fine host that day. Trainer Rick Foss-Lacey was also on hand to greet folks and answer questions. We estimate that about 25 people came by for the event, which was cut short by an hour and a half due to thunderstorms, and we ended up with 4 new customers. (Some new customers also called during the week after to say that they knew about the event and weren’t able to attend, but they’re with us now anyway.) It was a lot of work but we had a really good time and enjoyed ourselves. Look for it to happen again next year!

DOWNEAST DOG NEWS' "ULTIMATE GUIDE" ON SALE AT KAMP K9

You may be familiar with the dog newspaper “Downeast Dog News” which is available in all the area’s pet stores as well as here at Kamp K9. They have just published their newest effort, titled “The Ultimate Guide to Dog Parks, beaches & Trails in Maine.” This guide, like the title suggests, lists dog-friendly parks, trails, and beaches, broken down by region. If you do any traveling in the state of Maine, and need to know where you can take your dog while you’re out, or if you just want to know about dog-friendly places near you, this guide will be a tremendous help! It sells for $4.95.

THE POOL HOUSE IS UP!!

I set out with a lot of scrap wood from the ramp that used to come out of the back end of our house (a deck is there now) thinking that I wanted a nice shady spot in the middle of a portion of the play yard that doesn’t get the most shade over the course of a day. A gazebo was my first thought. My next thought was that I’m incompetent at round/angular structures, so I built a square base to start. It was another couple of weeks before I was able to have the time to visualize how I was going to build a roof and what materials I’d need, but once I finally got those things, the upper half came together pretty quickly (with Jennifer’s help), and voila, we have a shady spot and a nice place to put one of the kiddie pools. Plans are to shingle the roof.Look to the Photo of the Month below to see it.

A side note…If anyone is interested in seeing the Bob Charest Band (with Yours Truly on drums), we’re going to be playing some outdoor shows for the public, which doesn’t happen a lot, as we play mostly weddings and such. We’ll be at Westbrook’s Riverbank Park on Wednesday the 23rd playing from 6:00-8:00pm, and at the Mill Creek Park in South Portland on August 13th from 6:30-8:00pm. (No rain dates are scheduled for these events.)

INFO FEATURE: TRAINING WHILE AT KAMP

By this time, most of you know about trainer Rick Foss-lacey and the fact that he uses Kamp K9’s space on occasion for training sessions. We were thinking recently about what kind of an opportunity exists for people whose dogs attend camp here.

Rick offers his training services in the home, but he also has the flexibility to work with dogs while they’re here during the day. This means that your dog could be getting some training without you having to set aside special time in the evening or on the weekend to get it done. That can be a HUGE advantage for those of you with a busy household.

Another advantage: Dogs are far more receptive to learning when they’ve had a chance to work out their energy. Having them trained here presents a “best of both worlds” scenario. They get their energy out, and while they’re still in a receptive frame of mind they get trained, which increases the efficiency of the learning process. This kind of approach (day care and training rolled into one) has been proven quite successful at other places around the country.

Part of that process includes the OWNER getting trained. To that end, Rick can either work with you at the end of the day at Kamp K9, or at your home at a time that’s convenient for you. This way you can talk with Rick about the specific issues that were worked on, and you can learn the commands/gestures/body language that either reinforce the behaviors you want, or correct the behaviors you don’t want.

Rates will vary depending on how much work you’d like done, but typical sessions here would last a total of a half hour; Rick would spend 15 minutes with your dog one-to-one, and then another 15 working with you. Of course more time is available if you prefer; they key is that there will be flexibility to handle your needs, time constraints, and budget. In general, however, you can roughly figure $20 per session (combined time with your dog and yourself)

 

PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

This picture was taken during the pool house’s first use, approximately 90 seconds after I put the pool under the roof and filled it. (The roof has since been shingled.)

Got a funny photo you'd like to share? By all means email it, and we'll include it in a future issue!