Give your dog the gift of fulfilling enrichment!
Paws Abilities Enrichment Camp is a unique training and enrichment program run by certified professional trainers. We love teaching dogs and people, and are proud to offer humane, science-based, positive Camp programs! We provide species- and individual-appropriate enrichment, customized for each dog’s special needs.
This is not a daycare program! Enrichment Camp is set up to be all about providing for your dog’s needs in an intimate group setting. We care deeply about making sure that the dogs who attend our program go home happy, tired, and fulfilled.
What is enrichment? Enrichment is anything that allows your dog to experience species-appropriate behavior in a low-stress, fun setting. Your dog may not have a job, but her ancestors did, and her genetic lineage still provides her with the inner drive to perform many of those “job duties.” If your herding breed likes to bark and lunge at fast-moving objects, if your bully breed can’t get enough of tug games, if your terrier loves to dig, if your retriever likes to steal socks out of the laundry basket, or if your northern breed wants to run laps around your apartment, this isn’t the sign of a “bad” dog. Instead, it’s a sign that your dog’s base needs could use more fulfillment – and that’s where we come in! Hyperactivity, barking, stealing, pulling, and other “naughty” behaviors can often be lessened by providing additional enrichment, and we want to make it easy for you to do just that.
Unlike traditional dog daycares, we offer a structured enrichment and training experience. The activities that your dog will experience in Camp will vary based on her individual preferences, her breed-specific needs, and your overall goals. These include (but aren’t limited to) fun options like:
- Exercise: sniffaris, treadmill training, fetch, flirt pole, canine conditioning/Fit Dog, play sessions with other dogs (for dog-social dogs), hikes, obstacle courses, long-line adventures, trying out dog sports, indoor lure coursing, and more.
- Sensory stimuli: sniffy jars, bubbles, new surfaces, new noises, find it games, nose work intros, tactile games, wobbly surfaces, food choice games, special treats, puzzle toys, and more.
- Social experiences: field trips off campus, playtime with dogs or people (based on the best fit for your dog), snuggle sessions, doggy massages, visits to our neighbors, and more.
- Sports intros: our experienced trainers won’t train your dog in sports for you, but they will try foundations for multiple sports so that you can find out more about what interests your dog! We have experience in foundational training for scent work, treibball, lure coursing, agility, obedience, rally obedience, tricks/performance, disc, parkour, and so much more. We’ll let you know what really revs your dog’s motor and will refer you to additional training or trialing options for your dog’s preferred sport(s)!
Here are some additional details about the program:
- To qualify for Camp, your dog should be friendly with all people, non-reactive to other dogs, and be comfortable in a crate. (Not quite there yet? Start with private training lessons to get your dog on track before enrolling in camp!)
- Dogs do not need to be dog-social or able to play off-leash with other dogs to be considered for Camp. It’s normal for adult dogs to display varying levels of dog tolerance! If your dog doesn’t like to play with other dogs they’re still welcome in Camp, provided that they’re not reactive to other dogs and do not have a damaging bite history.
- Enrichment Camp is available to all dogs six months of age or older. Please note that not all exercise options will be available for adolescents, as we follow industry best practices to protect growing bodies. If your puppy isn’t yet done growing, we’ll limit exercise to puppy-safe options.
- We have crates available, but strongly recommend you bring your dog’s own crate.
- All dogs must be current on vaccinations, including rabies, distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and bordetella. Your dog must have a negative fecal examination before starting the day camp program. Current titers are accepted in lieu of vaccination, but dogs must still have titers for every vaccination we require to be accepted in Camp.
- Enrichment camp spots are limited, as we only work with a small number of dogs at a time to ensure plenty of individual attention. First priority for spots will always go to current or returning students, with several program spots reserved for our Puppy Camp graduates.
Inver Grove Heights program details:
Drop off time: 7:30-9:00am
Pick up: 4:00-6:00pm (pick up times are scheduled during drop off)
Location:
- 6475 Cahill Ave, Inver Grove Heights MN 55076
Camp runs every Monday excepting major holidays (there is no day camp on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, or Christmas). In the event of severe weather, camp will be closed when the local school district closes schools.
Check out our Facebook page for updates on our Campers!
Upcoming program start dates in Inver Grove Heights:
- October 14th – 3 spots left!
- October 21st
- October 28th
- November 4th
- November 11th
- November 18th
- November 25th
- December 2nd
- December 9th
- December 16th
- December 23rd
- December 30th
(Last updated 10/12/24).
Oronoco program details:
[Oronoco Camp is currently on hold, please check out our Canine to Five program or Adventure Walks for enrichment options instead!]
Location:
- 1200 Lake Shady Ave, Oronoco MN 55960
Additional Info for All Locations:
A 50% deposit is required to reserve your spot (we accept checks and PayPal), with the remaining 50% due on the first day of your dog’s camp. Cancellations received at least two weeks in advance will receive a full refund.
We have four programs to choose from!
Amateur Camper
Four weeks of professional training and enrichment, $350.00
Reserve your spot in the Amateur program here >
Athlete Camper
Eight weeks of professional training and enrichment, $650.00
Receive a $50 discount if you sign up for eight weeks immediately! Note that the price to upgrade from Amateur to Athlete is $350.
Reserve your spot in the Athlete program here >
Elite Camper
$960.00 for twelve weeks of professional training and enrichment
Receive a $90 discount if you sign up for twelve weeks immediately! Note that the price to upgrade from Athlete to Elite is $350.
Reserve your spot in the Elite program here >
Silver Leash Camper
Twelve weeks of professional training and enrichment for senior dogs, $768 (20% discount!)
Your dog’s body may be slowing down (or maybe not!), but their brain is still just as active as ever. We developed our Silver Sneakers Leash program to help you keep your special senior active and happy by providing them with social outings and age-appropriate exercise/enrichment in their golden years.
Is my dog a senior?
- Dogs over 100lbs: 6 years or older
- Dogs over 80lbs: 7 years or older
- Dogs over 50lbs: 8 years or older
- Dogs over 25lbs: 9 years or older
- Dogs under 25lbs: 10 years or older
Reserve your spot in the Silver Leash Program here >
Trial Day
A single day of Camp with priority trainer time to help your special needs dog adjust, $95.
Not sure whether your dog will enjoy Camp? We’re happy to set up a trial day for you! Trial Days are run like any other day at Camp for your dog, but we only allow one “Trial dog” per day to ensure that we can give a bit of extra help and acclimation time to your dog if they need it.
Note: we always adhere to a “do no harm” policy, and will contact you for an early pick-up if your dog struggles with the Camp environment and cannot be soothed. In this case, we will credit you with half a day of Camp if your dog is picked up prior to 12:30pm, and those credits can be used for Adventure Walks, Training Classes, Private Lessons, retail purchases, or any other Paws Abilities services. Your dog’s physical and emotional needs are a priority to us and we will always be honest and helpful about your dog’s experiences while in our care!
Have questions not answered here? Email us, we’re happy to help!