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A Franchise for Dog Lovers

The Camp Bow Wow

Success Story

The Original Vision: In with Camps & Out with Kennels

The impetus for Camp Bow Wow comes from our founder’s personal experience. Heidi Ganahl didn’t want to leave her dogs in a kennel when she and her husband had to travel. A traditional kennel has dogs locked in cages for most of the day. The dog is let out two or three times a day for bathroom breaks. If they get play time, it can be just as stressful as being caged — either the dog is put into a dog run by itself, or the already-stressed pooch is put with other dogs in an environment that lacks consistent human supervision, which can be dangerous.

“We made the best choice we could have ever made in our initial decision to join the Camp Bow Wow franchise system. Our experience has been humbling and almost too good to be true. - Frank & Tamara Wetegrove, San Antonio, TX

Heidi Ganahl holding puppy Ganahl’s idea was a summer camp for dogs — the kind of place a dog might design for himself if he could. A boarder gets a comfortable Cabin with a cot, a fleece and room for his dog-mates if he’s from a multi-canine home. He gets all-day play – indoors and out – with other dogs his size and temperament. Most importantly, they’re under constant supervision. At night, in Camp Bow Wow’s temperature-controlled environment, soothing music is piped in to help tired pups get to sleep. She designed a space that was good enough for her dogs — and for millions of others, too, as it turned out. Customers fell in love with the concept as soon as it debuted in 2000. Entrepreneurs fell in love when franchising began in 2003.

Contact us to learn more about our groundbreaking dog care business opportunity and how we’re marking our place in the doggy boarding and day care industry.

image of a dog with a girl

A Dream Come True for Dog LovingBusiness Owners

Multi-unit owner Jordan Murray of Pittsburgh describes himself as “your average, casual dog owner” while wife and franchise co-owner Barbara is the more dog-obsessed of the two. They’d been shopping for franchise opportunities in the early 2000s when they came across Camp Bow Wow.

  • Jordan and Barbara Murray
    “We had two dogs at the time and had been leaving them with her parents, who were getting into their 70s. We never trusted a typical kennel,” he said. When the Murrays saw how Camp Bow Wow treated dogs — like the beloved family members they are rather than just animals — they were impressed. Not only did they love the sustainability and earnings potential, they knew they’d found the right solution for their dogs. “They had webcams and all-day play. We finally felt we’d found a place where we’d feel comfortable leaving our dogs.”
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Camp Bow Wow History

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  • VCA animal hospitals
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  • Unleash Your Passion

    “I feel so good about the level of care we provide people. They aren’t having to take their dogs and lock them up all the time in a kennel or drop them at a daycare ...”

    Jordan Murray
    Camp Bow Wow Franchisee Jordan Murray
  • Unleash Your Passion

    “We made the best choice we could have ever made in our initial decision to join the Camp Bow Wow franchise system. Our experience has been humbling and almost too ...”

    Frank & Tamara Wetegrove
    Camp Bow Wow Franchisees Frank & Tamara Wetegrove
  • Unleash Your Passion

    “I feel like they keep getting smarter and smarter with what they’re doing. They’re always looking at what the next new thing is and what can we do to improve our ...”

    Drew Detlefs
    Camp Bow Wow Drew Detlefs
  • Unleash Your Passion

    “It’s a fun business, it’s all about the dogs! Obviously, there is a business component to it but it’s really marrying that strong ROI investment component with ...”

    Becky & Tim Simcoe
    Picture of dog
  • Unleash Your Passion

    “At the end of the day it is good to do something you love but it is still a business. I love that I come to work and I have the freedom of being my own boss and also ...”

    Tony & Gina Paradiso (Father/Daughter Team)
    Picture of Doodle
  • Unleash Your Passion

    “I truly love what I do, it's my favorite thing in the world. It's all about the dogs and the staff become like family!”

    Scarlett Dalton
    Picture of dog
  • Unleash Your Passion

    “Having been a CEO in corporate healthcare for many years, I needed a change. Camp Bow Wow offered me the peace of mind of owning my own destiny with very real ...”

    José Morillo
    Camp Bow Wow Franchisee José Morillo
  • Unleash Your Passion

    “My favorite parts of Camp Bow Wow are the people and the dogs. It is hard to say which comes first. The dogs are great. Camp is their ‘happy place’ and being with so ...”

    Laurie Williams
    Laurie Williams
Image of a happy dog

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