Springfield Team
From the individualized care our canine-loving staff provides to playtime with other four-legged friends, your dog has never had this much fun! Our team understands the key elements to a happy pup and we find great joy in incorporating them into our daily activities. We believe every single one of our Campers deserves premier treatment, which is why you'll receive all of the great benefits of Camp at one upfront cost.
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Tony & Jamie OwnerMeet the Carusos!
Have you met our pack leaders? Husband and wife team, Tony and Jamie Caruso are the proud owners of four Camp Bow Wow Franchises, two in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan and two in Springfield, Missouri.
A Man and His Dog
The Caruso family Camp Bow Wow story all started in April of 2007. Tony’s Hungarian Vizsla, Abby, ignited Tony’s passion for dogs and drove his entrepreneurial spirit to invest in a Camp Bow Wow. As Tony worked to grow the Camp business, his personal pack also grew…by four.
Abby's relationship with Tony crossed the "Man's best friend" boundary into what he refers to as "jealous ex-girlfriend" territory. However, Abby has graciously learned to share the man in her life with the other family in his: his wife Jamie, their daughter Ella (born in 2011), and their son Enzo (born 2016). And don't forget about the fur-family members; Bella, a Mastiff that thinks she is a lap dog that the family adopted in 2012, and an Abyssinian cat (born in 2007), that thinks he's a dog named Louie. He is Ella's partner in crime and often the victim to her fashion prowess. When Louie isn't causing trouble with the dogs or meowing for attention, he can usually be seen in the season's latest fashions (i.e. Ella's accessories). Ella and Enzo are clearly the pride of the pack (shh, don't tell Abby!) and have grown up in a house full of animals.
Growing Camp!
As dog lovers, the Caruso family love what they do. They were excited to grow their pack
even more when the opportunity arose to take on a second location in Springfield, Missouri in March of2015 . With a great team of Camp Counselors at both locations, they were able to make this expansion and bring their passion for dogs to Springfield! In January 2016, the Carusos decided to try something new when taking on their third location - Camp Bow Wow Lil' Campers of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, one of only two concept locations especially designed to care for our littlest Campers.They feel right at home in the Camp Bow Wow Franchise as they are both pet owners themselves. Being able to fetch peace of mind for pet parents is something they understand from both sides of the fence. The opportunity that Camp Bow Wow brings to foster and further the relationship between man and his best friend, is an opportunity that’s just too good to pass up.
Community Outreach
The family
cares and loves being involved in their camp local communities. Tony and Jamie’s passion for animals allows them to help with charity fundraising and participation with multiple rescue groups in Saint Clair Shores and Springfield. They host bite prevention readings with the “Scout Says, Dogs Get Nervous Too” book at Ella’s school and other local elementary schools and libraries. Tony also uses his dog training knowledge and experience to train volunteers at our local rescues and work with the dogs on a one-on-one basis. You may even catch Tony dressed up in the Scout mascot suit at our events.We are also excited to announce Tony has received his professional certification by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)!
Outside of Camp
When Tony and Jamie aren’t busy scratching butts in the play yards at Camp you can usually find them in Downtown Detroit at a Lions or Tiger’s game, in Kansas City watching a Royals baseball game, or hitting the links for a game of golf (Jamie supervises the cart).
Next time you are at Camp, make sure to say hi to Tony and Jamie!
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Chelsey Regional DirectorSkills and Experience
Background: Previously, Chelsey was the Program Director at the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri for nearly five years.
Additional Skills/Qualifications: Chelsey received her Canine Behavior Assessor Certification through the Humane Society's partnership with PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin' Program which has served her well in both her rescue work as well as in the open play environment at Camp Bow Wow.
Fun Facts
What I love most about my job: Chelsey is thankful for the opportunity at Camp Bow Wow to see, on a daily basis, the positive impact she can have on a dog's life. Being able to meet the mental and physical stimulation needs of dogs with Camp gives Chelsey great joy. She knows that helping the Campers be the best dog they can be will keep them in their FUR-ever home. She also still enjoys helping our friends at the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri through Camp Bow Wow's Foster Dogs At Camp program and various fundraising events.
My pets: Chelsey shares her life with two pups! Her first fur-child is a Jack Russell Terrier Chihuahua mix named Ellie Bug. Ellie is a seven-year old rescue from the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri. She describes Ellie as a "big personality in a little package," which is how we'd describe Chelsey! Finn Diesel, a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix, joined Chelsey's family in February of 2017! He stole Chelsey's heart from a rescue in Pittsburgh, Kansas and she will be the first to tell you it was love at first sight. Finn loves to play in the water, go hiking, and playing with his big sister, Ellie!
My hobbies: When Chelsey isn't at work, you can usually find her at her yoga studio, enjoying herself outside or curled up with a book.
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Carsen Area Director -
Alexah Assistant ManagerAlexah is one of our Guest Service Representatives so you might have met her during check in or check out! When asked why she wanted to become part of our Pack, she answered, "I’ve always had a passion for animals, dogs especially. Growing up, my family would foster dogs through Rescue One and I always loved helping my mom take care of them. I had a friend who worked at CBW and he said it was right up my alley and I should apply. The rest is history!" Alexah's favorite part about working at Camp is builidng relationships with both the dogs and the pet parents!At home Alexah has one sweet pup. Zeke, is an almost 2 year old Boxer/Collie mix! He is super smart, and he loves to cuddle. He’s pretty shy, so he doesn’t come to camp a lot. In his free time he loves to play fetch and go on play dates with his girlfriend Alcatraz. :)When Alexah isn't at Camp, she loves to listen to live music downtown, play the drums, nap with Zeke, or paint something! Next time you're at Camp, be sure to give Alexah a warm hello! -
Brayden Team LeadBio Coming Soon...
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Amber Camp CounselorSkills and Experience
Background: Amber has a huge passion for dogs and loves all animals.
Fun Facts
What I love most about my job: Amber's favorite part of her job is being able to see the Campers blossom and come out of their shells throughout their visits at Camp!
My pets: At home, Amber has a three-year-old Doberman named Siri, and a puppy Red Doberman mix named Ruff. Siri is a spunky girl full of attitude, but also a lover! She loves people, dogs, and anything with a pulse. Ruff is a sweet boy who Amber recently adopted from Rescue One. Siri and Ruff have hit it off!
My hobbies: Amber spends most of her free time with her fiance, Eric, and their two fur babies. Eric and Amber are movie and music fanatics! Amber also enjoys DIY projects such as making dog treats or making house decorations.
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Ashlin Camp CounselorBio Coming Soon...
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Chandler Camp CounselorBio Coming Soon...
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Franklin Camp CounselorBio Coming Soon...
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Julian Camp CounselorBio Coming Soon...
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Lacy Camp CounselorSkills and Experience
Background: Lacy was excited with the idea of being able to play and work with dogs for her job when she started at Camp. Fast forward to now and she is still just as excited to come to work each day!
Fun Facts
What I love most about my job: Lacy loves every size and breed of dog, which means she loves each and every Camper! She always takes the time to get to know the dogs and their distinct personalities each day she is at Camp. You can always find Lacy in a play yard loving on all of our pups!
My pets: At home, Lacy has a seven-year-old Golden Retriever named Copper! Copper is a very loving and cuddly girl. She loves swimming, chasing squirrels, going on long walks at the park, playing fetch, and going to Camp!
My hobbies: In her free time, Lacy enjoys nature and being outdoors – especially with Copper! She goes to the lake as much as she can, and loves spending time with her family and friends. Lacy is a senior in the IB Program at Central High School. She stays busy throughout the school year playing soccer, the flute, and working at Camp!
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Beverly Marketing ManagerSkills and Experience
Background: Beverly has known and worked with Camp Rangerette Jamie since 2001. You read that right, that’s 17 years! Beverly loved working with her and thought it would be fun to combine her love of marketing with her love for dogs.
Additional Skills/Qualifications: Beverly works hard behind the scenes for Camp but she also has personal experience in training. She trained one of her dogs in level one, level two, agility, freestyle, and fly ball in 2000. Beverly loves working with dogs and truly sees the value in socialization and training. Beverly isn’t the average marketing consultant – she’s the paw-fect person for us, right?!
Fun Facts
What I love most about my job: Beverly’s favorite part of her job is working with people who love dogs as much as she does. She loves sharing the Camp Bow Wow brand with other dog lovers! Beverly gets to spend a lot of time on social media, looking at cute dog photos, dog videos, and planning fun events for you and your pup. She can’t get enough of it!
My pets: At home, Beverly has two dogs. Midnight is a Labrador Retriever/Corgi mix who she rescued in 2013. Midnight was six years old at the time and Beverly happily gave him a better life! Minna is a Miniature Schnauzer who thinks she is human. She was more than happy when Beverly brought home Midnight and quickly taught him how to play and chase squirrels!
My hobbies: Outside of her marketing world, Beverly is a proud Army Wife! She loves spending time with her husband, Bobbie, her adopted son, Zeke, and her step-son, Eliott. Beverly is a coffee addict who enjoys traveling, playing board games, going to the beach, cuddling with her dogs, and spending time outdoors!
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“Great staff, professional, friendly and welcoming. Immaculate environment and expert care for your Camper.”
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“I love how comfortable the staff made us feel leaving our Duke there for the first time!! Everyone is so friendly, I know he's in great care when at Camp Bow Wow!! Duke is always excited now before we even get into the parking lot!! I also LOVE the pet cameras!! They really are addicting to watch, but it's so fun seeing him running around and having fun!! We love Camp Bow Wow & can't wait to come back!”
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“A very kind and caring staff! I always feel secure knowing that the staff truly love my dog and that they will make sure he is happy and comfortable during his stay. They are the best!”
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“I absolutely love this place. They take incredible care of my dog. They make her welcome and I feel comfortable knowing she is well taken care of. Recommend to anyone who has a dog.”
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“Staff is always very friendly and knows my dog, facilities are always clean, the webcams allow us to check our dog's activity, and hours cover my work day. Most importantly, my dog LOVES going to Camp! When she hears us on the phone making reservations for play, or hears us say "Camp", she grabs her leash with such excitement she moves furniture in her path as she heads for the door!”
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“Super friendly team of staff! Very kind, caring, accommodating, flexible. They loved my dog and treated her like their own. I will be back!”
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“The staff is always helpful and kind. I know when I leave my dogs at Camp Bow Wow they will be taken care of, have a great time and come home worn out from playing all day. I love the Camper Cams so I can check in on them!”
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“Camp Bow Wow is fabulous...they are passionate about their work, always happy to see our pup, and take great care of her...be it for day Camp or overnight. We love Camp Bow Wow!”
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“We know our dogs are in trusted hands at Camp Bow Wow. They always have fun playing with their "friends" and we love being able to check in on them throughout the day”
