Bet You Didn’t Know

CHANNEL MARKERS - for the long run Happy Campers Dogs thrive at Cornelius-based Camp Wagging Tails

by Karel Bond Lucander photography courtesy of Camp Wagging Tails

Owners Mary and Richard Colven.

Dogs love their time at Camp Wagging Tails in Cornelius.

If you ask Richard Colven how many dogs he has, he’ll tell you “some 2,500.” He and wife, Mary, own Camp Wagging Tails in Cornelius and that’s the number of pups they day camp or board annually. Some regulars come five days a week while others sleep over once a year.

In 2011, the Colvens moved from Virginia to purchase Camp Wagging Tails from the original founders. Richard was transitioning from a corporate job that had him traveling often while Mary was parenting their four children full time. Both being animal lovers, who have two dogs and a cat of their own, Camp Wagging Tails has allowed them to pursue their shared passion.

“We are blessed with a great team of people that run the business,” Richard says. “We are here helping out.”

“Some staff members have been here 15 years,” Mary adds. “We view them as preschool teachers of furry toddlers. We have seven different yards, or classrooms, and the team does a great job of organizing and matching up the dogs’ play energy. Our staff also has a special heart for senior dogs, who need extra help. Even if they aren’t out there running around, they’re getting mental stimulation.”

With three-and-a-half acres for dogs to play, areas are segmented by their life stage, size and energy level. And when summer season kicks off in their 20-by-40-foot bone-shaped pool with a beach entry, some like to cannonball into the deep section. like a dog version of “Caddyshack”; they get so excited,” Mary says.

Unlike corporate-owned pet-care facilities that cannot make decisions without consulting headquarters or in-home care that may not be state regulated, these owner-operators can make an immediate call about tailoring to individual needs. They know the Lake Norman veterinarians well and will work with yours or emergency veterinarians if a situation arises. Their standards are high, and they require that vaccinations are all up-to-date. “It’s super important to protect the safety of the pack,” Mary says.

A special service Camp Wagging Tails offers is PetMessageTM.

“It is powerful and fills an emotional and psychological need for anxious, uptight dogs,” Mary says. “You put your hands on them and they say, ‘Ahh’ … You can feel their heart and breathing slow down, and you can tell they really needed it.”

During the past decade, the Colvens have discovered there’s a psychology to working with dogs. “They really are individuals,” Richard says. “Your own personal energy can affect them, too.”

The caretakers at Camp Wagging Tails love what they do and would be happy to bring your pups into the pack. As Richard says, “Getting my hands on dogs every day narrowly beats out meeting with customers.”

Learn more at campwaggingtails.com.