Walkable tunnels twist through huge boulders lined with bamboo, birds fluff their feathers beneath a waterfall and dozens of dogs prance around like they own the place — inconspicuously in an urban Lower Eastside neighborhood.
Mary and John Sorosky have been in the dog business for 25 years, operating hands-on their full-service pet resort and spa, Camp Canine. In contrast with a traditional indoor kennel, “campers” here play outside in big groups.
“You hear how little barking there is out there?” John Sorosky asks. “It’s almost none. The reason they aren’t barking is the dogs are happy.”
This is reflective, in fact, of a common Camp Canine motto: Where the dogs play a lot more and bark a lot less.
It all began in the early 1980s when Elwood, the couple’s golden retriever, began winning awards in obedience trials under John’s training. “People started coming up to me asking me for help with their dogs,” he said.
Thus began a loving partnership for the dog-devoted couple combining John’s love for behavior training and Mary’s knack for canine nutrition. Together, they have developed a canine resort where “dogs pull their owners in the door.”
Camp Canine, 803 E. Montecito St., has expanded during the years to what it is today. It stretched from one property to two in 1995, and from two to three in 2005. The Soroskys have lived on the property since its beginnings and have raised two daughters there.
The front lobby is cozy. It has a fireplace, wood flooring and doubles as a retail shop with products Mary has selected from distributors.
“Most of what we sell here you can’t find in other stores,” John says. “Dogs can have physical health problems if they aren’t being fed correctly. She kind of rehabilitates them in that area.”
The facility offers spa treatments, lodging, day care and John Sorosky’s specialty: training. For dogs requiring one-on-one formal training, the Soroskys often take dogs into their home for up to two months of 24-hour supervision.
“We don’t use the word obedience anymore,” John says. “I’m a behaviorist, which means I help people understand how their own behavior impacts their dog’s behavior.”
The most common mistake he sees with dog owners is underestimating the significance of every interaction with their dog.
“Every time you look at your dog, pet your dog, throw a ball for your dog, let them in the house, give them a treat, you are training your dog, whether you know it or not,” he says.
Along with puppy training, John says that what really has made him known is rehabilitating dogs that have “gone off on the wrong track.” He works with dogs and their owners to develop healthier relationships.
Like a prestigious boarding school, Camp Canine doesn’t accept just anyone. Each dog goes through an extensive screening process, including an interview and trial period observing how the canine integrates with other dogs.
Traditional kennel systems, John says, put each dog in individual runs where they have little interaction and “will just go nuts.” The dogs are often kept inside echoing buildings, where they bark all the time because they are unhappy.
Camp Canine is a far stretch from the concrete, wire-fenced stereotype of dog lodging. Artist and designer George Thompson worked on the landscaping and hardscaping of the facility for 20 years to perfect its Grand Canyon ghost town façade.
“There’s no telling when George starts on a project what it’s going to look like,” John says. “You just know it’s going to be fabulous.”
Although dogs aren’t locked up, the system at Camp Canine isn’t to let dogs run wildly around. Small dogs go to Camp Run-a-Muck where they have run of a house as well as an outdoor porch and play area.
Larger dogs attend Lake Splashmore, which coincidentally looks a bit like Disneyland’s Splash Mountain ride. The rock setting is lined with Old West building fronts and freckled with wet paw prints — dogs often enjoy the pond built into the rocks.
The larger dogs are separated into gentle and active groups, depending on a judgment call by staff members who monitor the dog’s conduct.
“They get time to run around and go crazy with the other dogs and time to rest a little bit,” receptionist Echo Hansen says.
The rotations continue as needed and everyone goes to their own bed, with turn-down service, at 6 p.m. John Sorosky says the active-play sessions make for sound sleepers, and in the middle of each night, he lets the smaller dogs out to go to the bathroom.
In accordance with the customized attention, trained health supervisor Bebe Ball watches to make sure the dogs are healthy and comfortable.
“Sometimes, the owners don’t even know what’s going on with their dogs,” Mary Sorosky says. “We look at the symptoms and do what we can to educate the owners. When the owner comes back, we can turn around those problems and make recommendations.”
If a medical emergency comes up, Camp Canine’s working association with area veterinarians ensure quick treatment.
Most clients are repeat clients, so the staff at Camp Canine develops lasting relationships with them — both human and canine. The door frame in John’s office is covered in pencil marks almost to the ceiling, tracking the names and heights of growing kids whose families have been clients for years.
Camp Canine is located at 803 E. Montecito St. in Santa Barbara. The staff is happy to answer questions and give tours of the facility.
Noozhawk intern Mollie Helmuth can be reached at mhelmuth@noozhawk.com.