Desert Doggie Behavior Guidelines: How to Decide if Adventure Camp is Right For Your Dog

Ashley Diaz
Nov 2
2 min read

Updated: Nov 6

If your dog loves new trails, fresh air, and spending time with friendly pups, they might be the perfect fit for Desert Doggie Adventure Camp. Our adventures give dogs the chance to explore, play and socialize while maintaining a safe, structured & positive group environment. To keep every outing safe and stress-free, we look for dogs who share a few key qualities.

✅ Good Social Skills

A dog ready for camp demonstrates good social skills and a stable temperament. They read body language well, respond appropriately to social cues, and can share the trail, toys, treats, or attention without conflict.

✅ Polite Play Style

Play is welcome when it’s mutual and respectful. A good play partner takes turns, reads cues, and avoids pushy or bullying behavior. These dogs make social time safe, positive, and fun for everyone involved.

✅ Trail-Ready Manners

Our adventure dogs are ambassadors of good behavior, but we celebrate progress over perfection. We welcome pups eager to learn and grow, with a solid foundation in leash manners, recall, and listening around distractions.

✅ Calm Traveller

Dogs should be able to ride comfortably and calmly in the car to and from our adventure locations, including during pick-up and drop-off with other dogs.

✅ Healthy & Adventure-Ready

All campers must be spayed or neutered, at least 10 months old, and up to date on vaccinations. Dogs must be in good physical health and able to comfortably participate in moderate activity.

Dogs Who Aren't a Match for Adventure Camp

Every dog is on their own journey, and if your dog isn’t quite a fit for Adventure Camp, that’s perfectly okay. Some dogs are still building confidence or developing their social skills, and they may benefit from more one-on-one experiences or continued training before joining a group setting. Our goal is always to set dogs up for success so that every Adventure Camper feels comfortable, safe, and happy on the trail.

For safety reasons, we aren't able to accept dogs who display guarding, aggressive or reactive behaviors toward other animals or people, such as barking, lunging, growling, snarling, or snapping. These behaviors can create stress within the group and put other dogs at risk.

Ongoing Behavior Evaluations

We continually monitor behavior to ensure every dog feels comfortable and happy. If concerns arise, we’ll always be upfront about what we’re seeing. In some cases, working with a professional trainer may help a dog build the skills needed to rejoin Adventure Camp in the future. Other times, a different type of service or individual walks may simply be a better long-term fit. Our goal is always to do what’s best for each dog’s safety, comfort, and overall well-being.

Could Your Dog Be a Desert Doggie Adventure Dog?

If your pup loves new experiences, making new friends, and spending time in nature, they will likely thrive with us. Reach out and we will help you determine if Adventure Camp is the right fit for you & your dog.