Sent my 3 dogs to an exclusive dog camp! In bangalore, India

Discussion in 'Pets and Animal Lovers' started by drradha7, May 4, 2015.

  1. drradha7

    drradha7 Bronze IL'ite

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    I recd. an e-mail about a canine camp at the outskirts of the city. A full week of water and games and other dogs to gambol with! It immediately piqued my interest and I volunteered to send my 3 babies.
    I knew Rufus would mesh well and enjoy himself. After a while, Sandy would too, although she would miss me. My only worry was Tyson. It was just 8-9 months since he had come to us and I was a trifle worried he might think he was being cast away again.
    I in fact, spoke to some pet care experts and most assured me that socializing will be good for the dogs. Besides Tyson’s siblings were with him, in case he started to fret!
    On 12th afternoon, a Sunday, the petcab service came to pick up the 3 of them.

    As expected, Rufus got in right away and started exploring the cab! Sandy jumped in thinking she’s going for a ride with me! She loves car rides! Tyson had to be helped in coz of his arthritis, but he was curious enough to want to go in.


    Crushed between 2 giants, Rufus promptly jumped onto the front seat and remained there, apparently, for the rest of the 2 hr drive! Tyson is prone to motion sickness, so I had already medicated him an hour earlier. Fortunately, he did not have any episodes!
    The house felt so empty with the 3 of them out! The silence was deafening! I especially missed them when I returned from work, not having anybody greet me so effusively!
    It really is a different household, one without pets! I don’t know how one can be without furry living beings scampering around your feet (Rufus), getting in the way (Sandy), slobbering all over the place (Tyson) and barking the place down. There was nobody to tell me when somebody was at the door, until the doorbell rang. Nobody to beg for food, drooling all over my nice living room floor! Nobody to insist on playing with the ball, even though the ball was in tatters! Nobody to follow me around faithfully, every step of the way. Nobody waiting outside my bathroom door when I stepped out of my bath.
    I couldn’t wait to contact the camp people by evening! Apparently, all were fine and busy exploring the area!
    The next day, I recd some snaps of them enjoying.


    Sandy proved to be quite the lady! She was not aggressive at all they said, since I had warned them that Sandy does not like humans and enjoys taking chunks out of them. As long as they let her do her stuff and let her come to them, she was quite well-behaved.
    Of course, there were other dogs as well, labs, St. Bernard, even a GSD.
    They were eating well, although, as expected, Tyson never finished his food. I let it pass. After all it was only one week. I would fatten him up after he returned, I told myself consolingly! The important thing was, I wanted to enjoy themselves in all the activities, swimming, games, photo-shoot no less!






    Evidently, there was also a professional trainer, who taught them the basic skills. I was asked if I wanted anything specific to be taught, but I requested the camp people that i was not interested in any training, since these were family dogs, and what i wanted out of my babies, was just a simple response to my tone when we go for walks………….which they were already used to.


    Rufus refused to get trained! As expected! After my having said so, the trainer decided only to teach them some basics, like ‘SIT’, ‘STOP’, etc. Tyson and Sandy did good, coz they already knew a few. But Rufus, being Rufus, just flopped on to the ground, wagging his tail!

    Tyson got along well with the other dogs and after a while so did Sandy. He is such a baby still even at 2 yrs. of age. He enjoys drinking out of a tap here at home and he’s teaching the others how to do it!
    Tyson waiting his turn at the Tap!
    [​IMG]
    Teaching a few tricks to the others!
    Tyson in his element!
    Since we experienced rains at least once a day, the pre-monsoon showers, evenings were a relaxed time for all the pooches!



    I dont know if the 3 of them had a great time swimming, but boy, it sure is fun to look at their pics and video, trying hard not to swallow water!

    [​IMG]

    Apparently, initially Tyson refused to get into water (which was obvious in the video showing his discomfort and fear) but once in, he enjoyed it, it seems!
    Rufus though, did not like it one bit and kept splashing the water!

    [​IMG]


    All the games that they had over there for the pooches, look like fun………..but my 3 pooches dont seem to agree with me!

    [​IMG]






    They all got back on 19th, a sunday. When they returned at 7 pm, they looked exhausted and bewildered after the 2 1/2 hr journey from the camp site. Tyson especially looked very forlorn. He puked all his lunch, so i had to delay his dinner.
    I am still picking up the pieces of their fragile health! Tyson had a miserable bout of amoebic dysentery, which I managed to nurse him through, with periodic re-hydration solutions and medicines. Sandy developed high fever 4 days after arrival. She’s just gotten better since yesterday, after heavy dose antibiotics. It broke my heart to see her rapid breathing! Her body was so hot that i could boil an egg on her! Inspite of that, she kept following me all around the house, not letting me out of her site
    Only Rufus remained unscathed! Goes to show native breeds are very resilient, for Rufus is a terrier – indie cross.
     
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  2. Paulina

    Paulina Moderator Staff Member Platinum IL'ite

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    HI drradha,
    That was a heartwarming account of an ardent dog lover missing her 3 loyal devoted doggies.True it was a classy camp they attended and all the pics show them enjoying but I doubt given a choice whether the 3 of them would vote for staying on there instead of coming back to their loving home with a mother full of love always taking care of all their needs.
    Loved this part..."
    the house felt so empty with the 3 of them out! The silence was deafening! I especially missed them when I returned from work, not having anybody greet me so effusively!
    It really is a different household, one without pets! I don’t know how one can be without furry living beings scampering around your feet (Rufus), getting in the way (Sandy), slobbering all over the place (Tyson) and barking the place down. There was nobody to tell me when somebody was at the door, until the doorbell rang. Nobody to beg for food, drooling all over my nice living room floor! Nobody to insist on playing with the ball, even though the ball was in tatters! Nobody to [COLOR=#009900 !important]follow me around faithfully, every step of the way. Nobody waiting outside my bathroom door when I stepped out of my bath.[/COLOR]
    I couldn’t wait to contact the camp people by evening! "
    Really sorry to hear that 2 of them fell badly ill and you had to nurse them back to normalcy.
    Anyway they are well and back to their familiar routine.
    Hope you will not send them away for so long .Maybe a full day outing or at the most 2 days will do so that they will not fall ill,Hope they did not get ear infection with water going in after swimming.....look out for that too.
     
  3. drradha7

    drradha7 Bronze IL'ite

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    Hi Paulina,
    Thanks. I too have decided no more long camps for my pooches! Not coz they fell ill, but because, the house is too darn lonely without them! And yes, i did have plenny of misgivings, but since i had spoken to some pet experts and they all assured me that socialization is good, I went ahead. Anyway, its all done and dusted now! Sandy did get an ear infection, hence the fever.
     
  4. Paulina

    Paulina Moderator Staff Member Platinum IL'ite

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    Good to hear that your 3 darlings are well now after the camp adventure!
    Actually you really need not bother about sociaising I feel as there are 3 of them enjoying a loving home with you as MOM! This idea is OK for single dogs .We always have two dogs at any given time .Single ones are bound to feel lonely and they need to go out .
     
  5. drradha7

    drradha7 Bronze IL'ite

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    yea I agree. Just thot they'd be eager to experience new adventures. But Sandy, my dalmatian, seems to have had a total personality change after this! So yea, no more camps! She's become very quiet.
     
  6. umaakumar

    umaakumar Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Radha,

    You should already know this, but dalmatians are over sensitive. They do not like to go anywhere leaving their owner or house. They get mentally traumatised if we leave them in a boarding even for a day. So it is best you dont send her anywhere and keep her always with you.

    Regards
    Uma
     
  7. drradha7

    drradha7 Bronze IL'ite

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    good to know
     

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