The Most Fun Activity Class at Camp: Puppies!

We’re BAAAAACK! The next class of puppies will be at Silverado, the Towers, AND the Springs! It’s an awesome opportunity for campers to learn the importance and responsibility it takes to care for a dog. This class also equips campers with the skills and techniques to train a dog! And through all of it, campers have some plain ol’ fun with the puppies.

At the end of the summer, there will be a silent auction for the puppies in hopes of placing each dog with a loving Pine Cove family. 

Looking to place a bid on a puppy? You’re in the right spot!

• Towers Puppies
• Silverado Puppies
• Springs Puppies 

The money raised in this auction will go directly to our scholarship fund so we can have even MORE campers experience Pine Cove next summer! 

How old will the puppies be?
By the end of week 10, all puppies will be around 16-20 weeks old.

What kind of puppies are they and how many will there be?
There will be 4 Goldendoodles at the Towers and Silverado, and four Mini Goldendoodles at the Springs! All puppies have AKC registration.

How and where did you get these puppies?
The Towers and Silverado Goldendoodles come from Lonestar Doodles. The puppies at the Springs are provided by Crockett Doodles. 

Do puppies get vaccinated?
Puppies have a few rounds of shots that they must have for their safety and the safety of the people around them. They receive all required vaccinations prior to summer. 

What happens if a puppy bites my camper?
The medical team will be notified and the camper will be taken care of immediately. Depending on the severity and aggression of the puppy, steps will be taken to ensure campers are not harmed again. 

What if my camper has a dog allergy?
Much like our horse program, we pay attention to the needs of each camper and will find alternatives for them to continue having serious fun while at camp! 

Where do the puppies go at the end of the summer?
We will host a silent auction and find each puppy a loving family. All proceeds will go to our scholarship program. The auction will begin on May 26, and will end on July 28. Puppies need to be picked up from camp on August 3. 

What can you tell me about the parents?
The Towers and Silverado puppies’ moms are first-generation Goldendoodles, and the dads are Poodles! The Springs’ puppies’ mom is a Goldendoodle, and the dad is a red Mini Poodle.

Can we adopt a puppy at the end of our week of camp?
We cannot allow the puppies to leave camp prior to the end of Week 10, but you can bid on a puppy anytime between May 26 and July 28. You can bid on the Silverado puppies, the Towers puppies, or the Springs puppies.

What will the activity class look like?
During activity classes (each class is an hour) the puppies will be playing with our campers! This class will be facilitated by four summer staffers, including our puppy “wranglers,” and overseen by our Extreme Activities Coordinator as well as our full-time team. Along with playing, our staff will teach campers important skills and techniques on how to care for a dog.

Who is in charge of the puppies and how will they be cared for over the summer?
At Silverado, Abby “Tic Tac” Sides will be overseeing our puppy program! She will be a junior at Texas A&M University, and this will be her second year at Pine Cove. She fell in love with our puppy program last summer, as she got to help run the puppy activity class. She enjoyed it so much, she wanted it to be her entire job for this summer! She will do an amazing job caring for our puppies and campers through this program!

At the Towers, Samantha “Puppy Patrol” Farrell will be heading up our puppy program for the second summer in a row! She is currently a student at Texas Tech University where she is studying pre-veterinary companion animal science with plans to attend veterinary school after she graduates. She is eager to teach campers the pure joy of the Lord through the puppies this summer! 

At the Springs, Maya “Rocky” will be leading our barn including our four horses and puppies. She is a third year summer staffer and has been serving in the barn each year. She is compassionate, caring, and diligent – making a great leader to care for our puppies this summer. 

Is it an activity, or are they just roaming around camp?
Just like our campers have awesome cabins to hang out in, our puppies do too! During activity classes, we have a “puppy palace” that has AC and a fenced area where the campers can come pet and play with the puppies. If puppies are outside of their designated area, they are on a leash.