When you think of working with dogs, what jobs come to mind?
Dog walking, dog sitting, maybe dog training? How about opening a dog adventure camp?
That's what Caitlin Stedman, owner of Adirondack Sniffari, an outdoor adventure camp for dogs, does.
I meet her in the “Serengeti,” a fenced-in section of Stedman’s yard with playground equipment and a small pool. It fills with a team of puppies that rotates every Monday through Thursday.
On Thursday, it was a pack of seven dogs that Stedman called his most “vocal” crew.
“We have Gunner, our big German Shepherd. We have Sasha, we have Bentley the Bernese, we have little Whiskey, we have Charlie the chocolate Labrador. And then Bosco is a little white dog and Winnie is our golden.”
Adirondack Sniffari is a dog sitting service: owners pay $50 per day and get discounts for multiple days a week or multiple campers. In exchange, their dogs get to have fun!
They hike, swim or romp in the snow every day. Stedman says they're outside in almost all weathers and use those adventures to practice training skills like impulse control and recall.
Stedman also provides pick-up and drop-off in a converted mini school bus.
The dogs are tied up and secured on the bus, and Stedman says they all know where their seat is. So if you tell them 'go get your seat,' they'll just go get their seat.
Stedman had a regular office job. She also had a dog, and when she put him in training, she loved the bond they created. She also loved “seeing other people working with their dogs. And then I wanted to work with other people’s dogs and create that bond with those dogs.”
In 2020, Stedman started working as a dog walker and sitter. But she wanted to drive less and be outdoors more. So she took an online course and shadowing program on how to run a dog adventure camp and got started.
Sniffari has now been up and running for two and a half years. Stedman says it's great.
“Have you met any dogs? Dogs are the best!”
Stedman suffers from anxiety and says dogs “keep me grounded and in the moment.”
Stedman hands out scratchies, treats and Cheez Whiz for additional good behavior. She says she finds treats everywhere, including in her socks.
After wandering around for a bit, it's time to get ready for a walk on the trail behind Stedman's house.
All the dogs wear orange safety bandanas and the bravest explorers are given bells. Stedman explains that “when they go deep into the woods, we know exactly where they are.”
Today, the bell goes to Bosco, a small white dog with an enthusiastic smile. “You, little man!” Stedman said as he attached the gold bell to his collar.
As they head out for the walk, they practice impulse control. Stedman asks the dogs to wait inside the gate while she calls them one by one.
Memory is a key skill at camp. A few minutes into the march, intrepid explorer Bosco wandered a little too far.
“Bosco! Come on!” Stedman yells. “He's coming out of the woods! That's why he's got the bell.”
Sniffari has grown a lot since Stedman started her a few years ago. She now has a team of other “camp counselors” who run satellite camps in the area. Stedman herself is in the process of purchasing a 30-acre parcel to give her campers even more room to roam.
She says she feels really lucky to be able to work with dogs all day. “They’re just awesome, they’re sweet, you know? They just want love and patience.”
And to go out, they often do it.
