Meet Charter Member Happy Camper Doggy Day Camp & Sleepover

As part of our 4th Anniversary of The Dog Gurus membership, we wanted to highlight a couple of our charter members. Charter members were facilities who joined The Dog Gurus as soon as we launched and have been with us ever since. We are thankful for their support and hope they have loved being a member as much as we love having them! For this post, we interviewed Mary Beth Albright from Happy Camper Doggy Day Camp & Sleepover in Florida.

TDG:  Provide a brief overview of your company (when you started it, services offered, what is your facility like)

Happy Camper Doggy Day Camp & SleepOver started in 2007. Celebrating our 10th year, we’ve grown from 4 employees to 28 and from one facility to two. We started with Day Care and Boarding and have expanded those services to include our Lazy River Spa Services, themed birthday parties and most recent; training.

We’re known by our four dogmas: FAMILY, FUN FACTOR, FANATICALLY CLEAN and FAITHFULNESS.

Family –We’re smaller and KNOW OUR DOGS AND PET PARENTS.Our facilities are safer because we only allow 25 to 35 dogs to play per day in our four different play groups separating dogs by SIZE, temperament and play style and the correct staff assigned to campers. Dogs enjoy a more personable atmosphere that is less stressful and allows for development of closer dog friendships in a more relaxed & safer environment.

As an owner, I am involved 7 days a week, and my manager Melissa, has been here ALL 10 years. We handpick the best staff whose only goal is to love our dogs as one of their own. We encourage our staff to be creative, innovative, curious, and problem solvers.

Trust and peace of mind are paramount to us being our customer’s 2nd family. We EARN that through COMMUNICATION- complimentary updates, completed reports cards, wellness checks, Monthly Wag Magazine, our sleepover counselors alleviate pet parents stress and worry through daily texting/emailing of pictures and updates. Our first day dogs receive a collage of their day so their pet parents can learn who their new friends are.

Fanatical Cleaners – we have them. Ask any of our parents, watch any of our testimonials. Their job is to answer three questions: Would you drink from our water bowls in our sleepover and play areas? Would you walk bare foot – right now, anywhere inside or outside? Would you touch the bottom of our play equipment right now?

Fun Factor – Happy dogs are healthy dogs and just like us, dogs love being around their friends or their favorite camp counselor. The FUN at Happy Camper takes center stage. Every single week is a different activity. Dog interaction and weekly activities help our staff to bond with our dogs (and make a great photo op) We’re talking back to school video’s with a schoolhouse, Father’s Day ties made by their fur babies, a summer luau, the hoola shuffle, Dancing with the Dogs competition, follow the leader and 46 other weeks of fun.

Faithfulness – To whom much is given, much will be required. Luke 12:48 The idea of “to whom much is given, much will be required” is that we are held responsible for what we have. If we are blessed with talents, knowledge, compassion, time, wealth and the like, it is expected that we use these well to glorify God and benefit others. In our case, our dogs are people’s children. Pet parent’s expectations are greater than ever before and we need not only to meet – but to exceed them – from safety to education to cleanliness to love, security and well-being for their dogs.

TDG:  Why did you get started in the pet industry?

From age 16 I knew every career move and path I ever wanted to make and did it. But at age 45 I was done with law, politics, fundraising and people. I took a sojourn to Ireland and for the first time in my entire life I was scared because I knew I was done with my career. Looking back, God totally- completely set my new path. I mean when I tell you I went to sleep one night and the next day woke up with this idea I’m not kidding.

TDG:  What do you find most rewarding about working in the pet industry?

I remember those first 365 days…ok well 730. Cry oh my God I thought I’d made an insane decision. But it was Henry the Pug sitting in that Pug way. It was Wasabi the snaggle tooth who was big man on campus, it was Mollie who I could dance with, and Bailey and Skipper and Sadie who told me when those Florida summer storms were coming. It’s the love of my campers.

TDG:  What does being a member of The Dog Gurus mean to you?

Wow, 9 years – 10 years ago would have been MORE HELPFUL LADIES. Coming into the industry as 2nd generation ODD, I had the business acumen HA so I thought, but lacked the dog behavior and off leash play knowledge. I was part of the Yahoo forum moons ago and that was our leadership…ourselves, moaning and sharing our day. We were all desperate for an association or for national leadership. Robin and Susan bit the bullet and put it all on the line for our industry. Their first 365 or 730 had to suck lol. Being a member of the Dog Gurus is the most meaningful, fun, educational, make me look good and smart -membership there is. They’re the Google to us owners. Watching them grow us as owners has been so rewarding. They keep us fresh, innovative, creative, educated and…looking good and smart!!!

TDG: What is the thing you are most proud of for your company?

Gosh, the whole thing is nothing short of a gratitude journal but what always brings me to tears I think is our brand new 2nd location. It’s not until I have a friend come in from out of town and we walk through the building and they’re in awe that I realize, with God’s grace I’ve built something. No family money, no rich husband, no lottery winnings just me and the grace of God and my staff.

TDG:  What does your staff do together for fun?

The downside of two locations is we can’t have the Eat at Joe’s Crab celebrations after summer and holidays anymore. I really miss that closeness. It’s my biggest challenge. I think for them, the DOGs 101 and 201 training and the staff bio’s featured on FACEBOOK and in our monthly magazine make them proud of what they do. We have a Caught doing Good program for them. I think what made me like a proud momma was when one of our long time staff left I saw -in a photo I have blown up on my wall — the after math of how they all went out as a group. They stay in touch and they’ve become their own family in a way.

TDG:  Do you have a client or dog who changed the way you run your business?

How many can I name? I extended our hours for all those hard working middle aged women who commute. I’m always looking for the newest, safest equipment for all those smart little campers who have outfoxed us in every way imaginable. We’ve really instituted new policy to communicate to and to keep our pet parents informed while they’re out of town/country to ease their worry so they can have the relaxing time they need. But most of all, I run my business for all the preventable sad dog stories that have happened at other uneducated – owner absent – day cares…Attending our annual industry conference, putting myself and my staff through every boot camp there is for us to learn everything and anything we can… I do it for our business for our campers.

TDG:  If you could meet anyone in the industry, who would it be and why?

Ok seriously, I’m not kidding. Robin and Susan are it. I’ve met old-timers, I’ve met new comers, I’ve met people that are too smart, I’ve met so many ODD’s at conferences, I’ve met cool spiritual people, I’ve met people who could open their check book and buy us all across the country. I’ll take Susan and Robin any day.