Hit paws...

It is inexplicable, the joy that one feels when their pets intuitively curl up beside them providing warmth at the end of a long, dreary day. The thing about animals is, they have a way of restoring faith and innocence in our mundane and gruelling lives. But we, as pet parents, often fail to reciprocate and clear up our unforgiving schedules to make quality time for them.

With this in mind, Pooja Sathe Gawande started Crazy K9 Campers in 2005, a Mumbai-based pet group that hosts weekend camps to provide pet dogs and owners with unique opportunities to bond. But the inspiration behind the initiative was her two-year-old labrador, Jazz.

Pooja Sathe Gawande and her dog Jazz, who passed away in 2018

"He used to love the water. My husband and I are trekkers, and we used to travel with him quite often. That's what motivated me to start an event where like-minded people could come together and allow their dogs to engage in outdoor activities," Gawande tells us, ahead of a two-day camp this weekend called K9 Summer Splash that will take place in a resort away from the city in Kalyan.

The camp will include fun and games, a treasure hunt, river and pool swimming sessions and a doggie awards, too. Elaborating on how these activities can prove to be beneficial for dogs, Gawande, who is also a professional dog trainer and behaviouralist, tells us, "People gets all kinds of fancy breeds which are not suitable for our environment, and then, they don't get much exercise apart from daily walks. But that's not mentally stimulating. That's why we have so many activities, and by that I don't mean that you make the dog run for an hour and get them tired. The idea is to rather help them engage in things they are good at like sniffing, jumping and searching."

A group of guests visit a lake during a camping getaway in Manor

To allow pet parents to bond with their doggies without hassle and to ensure the safety of the pets, Gawande is accompanied by a team of three trainers who take care of the dogs during all the activities, supervise them when they are off the leash, such as during trekking and beach visits, assist pet parents and to keep a watch on cleanliness. During registration, owners are encouraged to share information about their pet's dietary needs, health issues, if any, vaccination records and temperament with other pet parents, allowing the families to have a smooth, and paw-some weekend.

On April 27, 9 am to April 28, 5 pm
At Kalyan (venue details to be revealed after bookings).
Call 9820596903
Cost Rs 3,500 per person and Rs 3,000 per dog

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