Tom Dufresne puts his canine clients to sleep — but not in the weepy, one last chance to say goodbye at the vet’s office way all pet owners dread.
He and his team at Run of the House Dog Adventure Camp make their charges dog-tired from a combination of fresh air, deep snow, and pure puppy exhaustion and they all wake up happy to play another day.
Dufresne says the first time a client picks up their pooch from the camp and returns home to see their four-legged friend sleep soundly through the night is a revelation to some. Dogs need exercise, many breeds innately crave being let loose in a circuit of trails, free to lead (or follow) the pack. Run of the House provides this for dogs, and now camp owner Dufresne is set to expand his services once more.
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Dufresne worked for years in sales for multi-national companies, rising to the pinnacle of his previous profession. He says the goal was to continue on that path, based in larger markets, heading out on the road to ploy his craft, until 40. He had dreamed up the idea for the dog adventure camp as a retirement venture and says he never really considered anywhere else to open up shop but back home in North Bay.
In observing Dufresne, he is clearly a dog person. A lifetime of studying dogs has shaped Dufresne into someone who commands the attention and obedience of every one of his charges with a look, sound or motion.
The business idea came from a lack of supply. “I couldn’t find a place for my dog when I was still travelling,” explains Dufresne. “I didn’t want a daycare where it was all kennels. I was looking for a home environment where the dogs can be dogs, play, and go off-leash and interact. I couldn’t find the right spot for him.”
Living back in the area, Dufresne jumped at the opportunity to purchase the house and land where Run of the House now sits. Facing another job relocation back south and coping with a health issue (Dufresne lives with Crohn’s disease) which made travel near impossible, at 35, he moved up his timetable and began taking on canine clients.
“I chose to stay in North Bay. My family’s here, my friends are here and I know businesses can do well here,” says Dufresne.
He says he saw a need for his business model all around him. “Seeing so many behaviour issues out of dogs at the dog park,” after [those dogs] had participated in various training programs, “I knew there had to be something better.”
The team has built a loyal clientele of owners of dogs of varying breeds, something Dufresne says is essential for the expansion in services he is undertaking. The dog camp, complete with pack hikes of varying distances — some several kilometres long — along with outdoor playtime in the fenced-in areas closer to the camp’s Highway 17 location east of North Bay will continue.
With his staff poised to take on more of the camp duties, Dufresne will now be able to focus more of his efforts on the “board and train,” aspect of the business he says he has only scratched the surface of so far. The service is exactly as advertised, says Dufresne. “We board and train your pup and then show you how to continue to raise the perfect pup.”
Upon meeting with a new client, Dufresne says he can quickly help identify what the needs of the dog and owner are. Some dogs just need that energy release but beyond that, some require behaviour training associated with that need.
The first-day assessment of a potential client involves a checklist including feeding, off-leash actions, and socialization with the other dogs. This is where the “board and train” service enters the picture. If there are worrisome behaviours, Dufresne will keep the dog at the camp until the behaviours are corrected under his guidance.
“We teach obedience in three days,” with the around the clock attention, Dufresne says proudly.
Run of the House has grown in phases and Dufresne has big plans for the next chapters. They have added play areas near the main house and the property abuts hundreds of acres of Crown land where the dogs go for hikes in packs led by staff. Dufresne says adding an indoor play area and an in-ground pool for swimming are on the horizon.
As anything pet-related, the onus for changing behaviours falls equally on the pet owners. Dufresne refers again to how important routine is at Run of the House. “We want consistent clientele that wants to work with us.”
Dufresne says one of the keys to the camp’s success is the near-constant activity for the dogs.
“Bickering and confrontation between dogs tend to happen due to lack of energy-release. We haven’t had a fight here in our five years.”
