Camp Happy Paws

This is a difficult review to write. We started taking our lab to CHP years ago. I looked a very long time to find a place to board him where he would have fun and where I felt the people would be caring and he would be safe. He seemed to really enjoy running free with the pack, and always came home tired, but happy. I felt CHP was a very safe and fun place for our lab to stay when we were traveling.
When we had a major family crisis, Scott and Becky stepped in and took my dog, no questions asked, and it was good to know he was in a safe place while I dealt with this emergency. When I picked him up, he’d been bathed, and they’d even given me a discount on the price, for which I was grateful, as he was there for over a month. They were very kind and I will forever remember their thoughtfulness.
After things settled down, we got another dog, a standard poodle, and brought them both back to CHP for a stay. I received a call a day or so later, that the poodle had been attacked by another dog, and severely bitten on her muzzle. They were able to see, by watching the video, that my dog had just been sitting alone when another dog, unprovoked, came up and attacked her. I was told this dog was sent home. When I picked her up, she had large scabs on her muzzle, which had been treated with ointment. She was left with several bad scars on her muzzle.
I later learned that this dog who attacked mine, supposedly was part wolf and belonged to an employee who was no longer there. No dog who is part wolf should ever be in a setting such as CHP.
The next visit, I got a phone call again, because my lab had part of his lower ear ripped off by another dog. They did take him to the vet, who put in two staples, and treated with topical antibiotic ointment. When I picked the dogs up, his ear was puffy and infected, and I had to take him to my vet, who stated the wound on the ear should have been sutured and repaired, and that my dog should have been placed on oral antibiotics. The infection cleared up with the oral medication, but he is still missing part of his ear. Becky did promptly reimburse me for this vet bill and was very concerned about my dog, calling to check up on him.
However, the reality is when you put a very large group of dogs together in a large open setting like CHP, you run the risk of your dog being injured. And, if you read the reviews, you can see that other people have come home with injured dogs. It’s just the nature of the setting and the nature of dog behavior. No one can watch all the dogs ²⁴⁄₇. It’s impossible.
While my lab especially loved the open setting and being able to play with other dogs, and I feel Becky & Scout really care about the animals, I just can’t take my dogs back there and risk them getting injured again. I don’t blame anyone for the ear attack especially; as stated, this stuff just happens. But, I can’t risk a serious injury or another loss for our family. Our dogs are now boarded in a more traditional kennel situation; while not as fun for them, is at least keeping them safe.
I can’t say don’t take your dogs there; it may be wonderful for you. But, it just no longer works for us, and I’m sad about that.

They take care of my baby almost better than I do!

Our family recently moved from Salt Lake City, Utah. (We now live in Bothell, WA) — Because we are new to the area, we wanted to make sure our dog was left at a place that is attentive, and takes good care of her.
We looked at three different places. We wanted to choose a place close to our home. And we ultimately decided that Camp Happy Paws was the right place for our doggie!
When you drive into Camp Happy Paws, you feel like you are taking your dog to a nice cabin in the woods. They have a lot of acreage where dogs can be social, while getting adequate exercise.
You can bring your own dog food from home, and their daily price doesn’t punch you in the wallet!
The people who work in the office, and with the dogs, are always friendly and professional.
We have used them three times now — and we will continue to use them. Oh wow! I almost forgot the most important thing! Our doggie LOVES it here!

We love Camp Happy Paws! Can’t say enough positive things. I have an energetic but naughty 5-​year old golden retriever. They are kind, compassionate and truly love all of the dogs. Miles was shy at first but now when we drive up he wags his tail & smiles & can’t wait to play with his friends.
Our dog absolutely loves Becky & Scott and all of the wonderful staff. He snuggles right up to them & can’t wait to play. Dogs have an intuition for people & Miles is extra sensitive. He was going to be a medical assistant dog & has a good sense for people & loves visiting the camp.
I am a medical professional and have high standards when it comes to my dog. I could not be more impressed & recommend this camp to everyone I get a chance to talk to. Miles used to go to Petsmart and they were nice but Miles would come home mopey, sad & smelling like urine. They had a very small play room with multiple big dogs & he hated it. He wanted to play outside! This camp is kennel free, 5 acres of fenced trails & attentive staff! He comes home exercised, smelling of the great outdoors & happy.
Thank you for taking such good care of Miles. Check out their website, you can see how amazing it is. Well worth the drive for the wonderful care.

This place is fantastic. First of all, there are no kennels. Our dog is a very social dog & loves to play with other dogs. The one time we took him to a kennel, he whined the entire three nights as he wanted to be near the other dogs. Camp Happy Paws has it all. The dogs get to roam outside and play all day long. At night, the get to sleep near each other (kennel free!!) in a house. Our little guy was exhausted by the end of the weekend, which proved he had a great time. The owner is very nice and you can tell she truly cares about the dogs at her camp. Additionally, I appreciate that they post photos of your dog on facebook while they are there. I could not recommend this place more. It is slightly more expensive than some of the other kennels around, but it is totally worth it!

Thank you Camp Happy Paws! We have been boarding our dog at CHP on a regular basis for the past couple years. We could not be happier. It is great to have peace of mind knowing that our dog is in safe and knowledgeable hands while we are traveling or just spending a day climbing or skiing in the mountains.
We decided to try CHP for our pooch because of their plush kennel-​free indoor accommodations and the acres of forested play area (I wish this was my backyard). Before CHP we had bounced around to many boarders/​day cares without having experiences that compelled us to keep coming back… we now go to CHP every time despite the location sometimes being a bit of an inconvenience (worth it!). Beckey and Scott and the rest of the CHP team are awesome, friendly people and their casual yet professional interaction makes boarding our dog with them easy. Their ability to accommodate our irregular schedules, the regular and honest feedback, and the special attention given to our dog’s finicky eating habits set their service apart.
Our dog LOVES Camp Happy Paws and gets excited miles before we turn onto their road. Forget anxious pleading looks when we drop her off for the weekend, at CHP our dog can’t wait to ditch us and sprint off to join the pack.
We love Camp Happy Paws and can’t recommend them enough!

If I could give this establishment a star that’s broken in half and the other half is shown being in a pile of dog shit, I would.
Not only is the location inconvenient, but from the get-​go, we’ve had nothing but troubling issues.
Basically, to sum it up, the owners of a random puppy who attended here found a wound on its stomach that was infected. The owners, and whomever else, blame my dog because he was last seen playing with it. We left with no knowledge of this and Scott never said a single word to us about their interactions. My boyfriend receives a call FOUR DAYS LATER from Camp Happy Paws and the woman is saying that we’re liable for paying for the puppy’s vet visit, and if it’s anything serious, we also have to pay for the medication and/​or surgery if it requires it. He tells them that they do not have proof, therefore we’re not paying for it.
It boggles my mind because:
a) My dog has never bit another dog in his life.
b) Dog bites can be infected, but that is also why it is critical to have a dog treated *right* after a fight if there was a bite, even if it looks like it’s not that bad, and even only a minor puncture. However, Scott, again, didn’t say a single word to us.
c) They called us FOUR DAYS AFTER we picked up our dog to tell us this.
d) Again, no one had told us this information when we picked him up on Sunday morning; you’d think ***BITING ANOTHER DOG*** would cause a scene and therefore would tell us.
Whoever reached us never called us back with details because the accusations weren’t true. Not shocking.
This is the best part, though:
After picking my dog up from Camp Happy Paws, he’s been noticeably less hungry and less energetic. Okay, fine, he was tired from daycare. That’s to be expected, right? Wrong. He’s still not eating and lethargic even a week after of daycare, and I start to get worried, because he’s been more snappy towards us as well. I schedule a vet appointment to see what’s up.
It turns out that my dog actually has a spinal injury and requires medication, as well as suggesting x-​rays to examine internal factors, along with seeing if he needs surgery. It’s frightening to me because we haven’t done any vigorous activity of ANY KIND to warrant a spinal injury since returning from the daycare. Not only have they not been giving us clear answers as to what exactly happened, but they’re not returning or answering our calls.
Thanks Camp Happy Paws for my dog’s spinal injury and being incredibly unprofessional for the whole thing! I highly appreciate it. Truly, I do.

Ive been taking my 10 year old rescued cattle dog here twice a week for a few months and have been really happy. Sometimes my schedule isn’t exact, and Becky and Scott are completely fine with me sometimes dropping her off at 8am and sometimes 10, which helps me out a lot. My pooch is also a bit nervous — they’ve been great at making sure she gets alone time when things get too crazy outside or on the porch, and also letting her stay outside if she wants to. They certainly dont force any of the dogs to go in or out if they don’t want to. Personally this is a big bonus for me – I dont particularly like my dog to be pushed into an area or room that she’s not really comfortable in. She was abused by her former owner and is afraid of certain breeds.
Also, even though she’s only there 2 days a week, I know they’ve actually spent time getting to know her personality. When the 4^th of July was coming up, they mentioned that it might be hard for her that week with the noise (they live in a really rural area and anticipated a lot of fireworks going off around the camp). They’ve obviously spent time watching Lucy and realized that sharp noises really frighten her and asked if there was anything special I’d like them to do to help her out during this time. I thought that was great.
Ive taken her to several places around the area with great results, and while all have their own unique attributes, this one is really comfortable for me and my dog.

We LOVE Camp Happy Paws!
We have a very energetic, playful dog who really needs to get out and run and play and Camp Happy Paws is the perfect place for him to do it. They have 5 acres of open woods for the dogs to explore and they give them the freedom to run and play and explore safely.
Our dog goes once a week for daycare, and stays there for boarding when we’re out of town, and I would highly recommend them for both services. He always comes home happy and exhausted and I am completely confident that they are not only knowledgeable about dogs, but also that they really care about my dog and his well-​being.
Also, they’re just really nice people. For example, Scott knows that I have a baby and when he sees my car pull in to drop my dog off for daycare, he always immediately comes outside to get him from my car so that I don’t have to take the baby out of the carseat. And I truly mean every single time. That in itself is pretty compelling reason to give Camp Happy Paws a shot.
They’re responsible, they’re trustworthy, they’re flexible, and your dog will love them!

My wife and I travel quit a bit for work and searched for months for a dog care place we were comfortable leaving our dog at. Camp Happy Paws has been a blessing for us and our dog from the start.
The facility itself will draw you in right away. Its a wonderful log cabin, on a great piece of land that is very well kept. If you take a tour you will see the dogs are not put in kennels, they have acres of woods to explore and the areas they sleep are very open, clean and comfortable.
Pre-​screening of dogs for their temperament and health is taken very seriously so you know the other dogs at the camp will be well behaved and are not carrying any health issues that your dog could catch.
The service is outstanding. The couple that owns the place is all very warm and welcoming and you can tell they love the animals by the way your dog responds to them when they see them.
Best of all is my dog’s reaction when we take the turn up the road to Camp and he starts to bark, run back in forth and wag his tail. We all love our dogs and have a tough time leaving them at camp but with CHP its almost as if its a treat for them to stay there. I have a St. Bernard, that does not like the car so we have even dropped him off there when we take a day trip just because we know how much he likes it and how much great exercise and fun he will have.
Believe me, I love my dog, sometimes to a level my wife thinks is over the top :) and Camp Happys Paws is the first place I felt comfortable leaving my dog.
Great place and great price. 5 stars!

Our Labs have boarded with Camp Happy Paws for the last 8 years. Initial reason was the free-​roaming — not a crate in sight.
CHP are a small family-​run business, not some cash obsessed corporation. They wanted to meet our dogs for a short stay before accepting a longer board — they only accept a modest number if dogs too.
Our dogs are always thrilled to go there — excitedly racing over to the office. They roam freely across acreage by day. We know that our pack loves Scott & family — they always come home exhausted.
We wholeheartedly recommend them.

Though I have given this place two stars I am not certain that is fair. If I were to judge everything on the surface, I would certainly give it a 4 or 5. However, I am going with my gut on this one and honestly the two star rating is two stars too many on the gut meter. When we dropped our two dogs off we were laughing at how happy they were and that they were going to love this place. So far so good! Shortly after we landed in Seattle I had a message that my dog was limping and that it had just started that morning. I gave permission to give my dog a pain meds and mentioned that we would be there in an hour or so to pick them up. Well… all the excitement and anticipation of picking up our dogs was soon replaced with uneasiness and concern. Our Chocolate is normally a nut… whenever she sees us she goes bonkers and charges toward us. Well, not this time… she walked out the door head down looking as though she hadn’t seen the light of day for a week. Then my other dog comes hopping out on three legs, not looking good at all. Initially I didn’t think much of the original call as my dog has had TPLO done to both knees. I just thought he was tired and a bit sore from running and playing all week. When he walked out limping, it was not what I expected at all. He cant put any pressure on his leg and in fact I am taking him to the vet today. There is an area of missing hair on the same knee and no explanation what so ever. «Perhaps he slept wrong», NOT, I know what that looks like. In fact, just as we were leaving my wife gave him the pain meds– I told them an hour prior to go ahead and give them to him, why he hadn’t I don’t know. So, If everything is in fact as it seems I would have to say this is a wonderful place for dogs. However, the fact that my dogs looked scared and limped really makes it hard to ever foresee going back. I know that I can be over protective, but when you see those faces and your gut tells you «this isn’t good» I cant recommend.

My first impression of the physical Camp Happy Paws was very positive. The couple that runs the place live in a nice cabin, the yard is nice, the dogs look happy. And, our dog certainly was happy upon picking him up from Camp Happy Paws. He is very energetic, yet he slept for about two days once he got back home.
My only negative thoughts about this place are in relation to the «spacey» business practices and poor communication relating to reservations. I called one morning, spoke with someone who said his wife was in the shower and she would call me back. She never called me. I then called two days later and she definitely seemed preoccupied and I didn’t really feel like she was listening to what I had to say. This same behavior was noted when I picked our dog up.
However, it’s obvious they took good care of our dog, so I am willing to put this all aside and give it another try.
They don’t require proof of immunizations, but do require a recent fecal exam. Moreover, they want to meet your pup in person before your stay… so plan well in advance.