It’s a double-power shower for this camp director! After hitting “publish” last night and heading to bed, Moose, our Newfoundland, found a skunk. Luckily it’s a hot, humid day... perfect for bath after bath.
For our four-legged campers, Skylemar is dog nirvana. Here they are lavished with pats, pets and belly rubs. They spend the day mostly in the office and appreciate the many visitors who stop by throughout any one day.
Seven dogs make up Bunk 0. Summit the Husky is stunning and gentle, and a bit aloof. Given the opportunity off leash, she’d run to Philadelphia. Finn is the jolly Golden Retriever, with a warm, friendly temperament. Billy Bob, who’s a little of this and that, is the best behaved and sticks with Catie at the Ropes Course.
Cubbie, the black King Charles Spaniel, is the oldest and is blind in one eye. The kids ask questions about this, and show genuine concern. Her sister Trix loves to be held, so she’s definitely a crowd-pleaser with the younger bunks. Moose, the now-stinky giant, is the leader of the pack. She sneaks into the Pavilion occasionally, and “vacuums” under the tables.
Slugger is the toddler, which in dog years converts to the Cubs Division. His attention span is “age appropriate”, and he’s the most interested in what Skylemar has lots of – balls. Near the tennis courts he’s like a kid in a candy store.
Interestingly, the dogs seem to know whoever belongs here. An occasional delivery truck is greeted with loud barking, but never the regulars. Julian, the daily UPS driver brings treats, and the dogs get excited when he pulls in the lot. Maybe dogs really can see the color brown.
The theory that gentle dogs are good for mental health is something we totally buy into. Research shows that petting and interacting with a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol, and increases the feel-good hormone oxytocin. What we see here is that a loving dog is sometimes exactly what’s needed when someone needs any kind of a boost.
Tonight was the search for other animals around camp. It was the Wild Game Hunt. That’s when the counselors hide, and the kids have to find them. Each is worth a certain number of points, and they can often be found in trees or under something. Best spot we’ve seen was right out in the open. A counselor got inside a duffle bag that was on the office porch. No one gave it a second thought!
