More About Day Camp

Our Facility and Outside Areas

Our indoor and outdoor spaces where designed with dogs in mind and provide ample space for them to enjoy themselves. Our facility offers over 13,000 square feet of climate-controlled indoor space and over 1.5 acres of outdoor space for play, exercise, and exploration.

When resting in between activities, our indoor kennel complex has a fresh air ventilation system that offers year-round temperature control and routine fresh air exchange. All dogs are provided with individual accommodations during rest periods that are cleaned and disinfected twice daily. We will provide fresh water, chewing toys, and bedding (upon request) for no additional charge.

Day Camp Experience

Our caring staff gets to know your dog and formulates your dog’s day camp routine based on your feedback and based on your dog’s individual personality and activity preferences. 

• PLAY – Our staff will formulate play activities based on your dog. Play could include fetch, outdoor walks and sniffing, and confidence building and fun with agility obstacles. If selected, our staff certified dog trainers will evaluate and approve your dog to be included in small selective play groups. Dogs that qualify for dog socials will be placed in small groups according to size and play style. Not all dogs will enjoy social dog play and may not qualify. Dogs that do not qualify for social play groups will receive individualized one on one attention from the other activity options offered.
  
  
• EXERCISE – Regular outside times are scheduled throughout the day for exercise and potty breaks. Common exercise includes examples sniffing walks outdoors, fetch, treadmill walks, pack (group) walks, and (with approval) small, monitored play groups. We also have over 13,000 square feet of indoor climate-controlled spaces to romp and play when the weather outside is not ideal.
  
  
• SOCIALIZATION – Dogs that prefer people interaction will receive one-on-one sessions with our caring staff that includes petting, massage, basic grooming, and quality hang-out time.
  
  We also offer small selective dog play groups for dogs that enjoy playing with other dogs. The amount of time social dogs spend playing with other dogs will vary based on the individual dogs. Some like to play for longer periods, while others prefer to play in shorter sessions. Some dogs like to play with multiple dogs while others are more selective and prefer to play with one or two dog friends before settling down to relax. All dogs that participate in dog socials will be monitored by our trained staff to determine the length of dog social time they enjoy.
  
  Our professional staff will observe each dog’s personality, body language, and behavior to ensure they are happy and comfortable to continue playing. If they see any signs that a dog is feeling stressed or overstimulated, we allow them to take a break and rest. This gives the dog time to refresh and decompress before returning to the play group.
  
  Not all dogs will qualify or be required to participate in social play with other dogs. Dogs that prefer to interact and socialize with people instead of dogs will be able to participate in social interactions and fun activities with our staff.
  
  
• REST – In between your dog’s scheduled activity sessions, your dog will be able to rest and refresh before enjoying more fun. Dogs require more sleep than humans, and their sleeping schedules differ from ours. Dogs will be provided with rest time on and off throughout the day because too much activity and play can cause over-exhaustion or over stimulation. This is why it is critical for dogs to have scheduled rest periods throughout their day camp experience. We find that rest breaks in between activities allow each dog to recover mentally and physically recovery for the next adventure.
  
  ○ In a dog day camp environment, structured rest time is crucial for each dog to have a fun and positive experience. In a stimulating Day Camp environment filled with play, exercise, and social interactions, dogs can easily become overtired without realizing it.
  
  ○ Unlike people, dogs do not always self-regulate well in when in fun and stimulating settings. Many dogs will push past their limits, continuing to be active even when their bodies and brains are telling them they need a break. Dogs need rest and downtime, and spending too much time in stimulating and fun settings can leave them exhausted. This is why structured breaks during their days at camp is important to your dog enjoying the experience.
  
  ○ Our staff will monitor and determine the frequency and amount of rest that best suits your dog’s needs a daily basis.
  
  ○ Dogs will be provided with rest periods in their own individual kennel run in between exercise and activity. Fresh water, chew toys, and bedding are provided. Optional owner provided meals, snacks, and medication can be provided during your dog’s stay.
  
  
• DAY TRAINING – Our certified professional trainers can schedule a free pre-training evaluation appointment with you to discuss training and behavior modification options that could be incorporated into your dog’s day camp. A pre-training training evaluation can be scheduled with one of our trainers to discuss your training goals and help formulate a training plan. Training and behavior modification will be subject to an additional charge that will be discussed in your free pre-training evaluation. Dogs that have already completed a training program or private lessons with us, are eligible for day training options during their day camp visits. Contact a team member for more information.

Add-On Extras (additional fees will apply)

For an additional fee, you can add extras for your dog’s stay at dog day camp.

• Day training exercises to introduce new commands and work on behaviors*.
• Bath and toenail trim services.
• Toenail Trim services alone.

*Requires a pre-training evaluation

Our Caring and Experienced Staff

Your dog is treated as part of the family and our staff is dedicated to the providing the best care possible. Our staff gets to know your dog and treats them as individuals. 

National K-9 has been providing dog care and training in Central Ohio since 1975. We are passionate and committed to what we do. The National K-9 staff has continued their commitment to adapting to the constant changes related to dog care and ownership. Since National K-9’s inception, the entire staff has worked to develop better ways to care and provide for our customers’ dogs. The entire staff takes great pride in developing better ways to effectively service our customers and to safely care for their best friends.

We only recruit and hire career-oriented individuals who are dedicated to and passionate about dogs and their care. Our staff undergoes intensive training and participates in on-going education during their length of employment. Our Day Camp staff have all completed the Pet Tech’s® CPR & First Aid certification and routinely re-fresh their skills through additional training. Our staff is committed to the care of dogs and has an average employment duration of over 7 years.

Our staff will provide honest and accurate updates about your dog’s stay, activities, and health. We encourage our customers to do the same about their dog’s experience. We pride ourselves on keeping open communication lines between our staff and our customers. We fully realize the importance of caring for an important part of your family.