** UPDATE 2019 – It appears that some Camp Bow Wow locations have changed their policies and now allow Pit Bulls. Please contact your local Camp Bow Wow for more information on their specific rules and regulations.
Sorry guys. If you were planning on taking your dog for a puppy adventure at your local Camp Bow Wow, think again if you have a Pit Bull breed dog or any kind of dog that might resemble a Pit Bull. Here is a copy of their official policy.
“Camp Bow Wow doesn’t accept Pit Bulls. Camp Bow Wow loves and respects all dog breeds. However Camp Bow Wow prohibits keeping, exercising control over, or maintaining a pit bull in any of our Camps. Pit Bulls are a very energetic and playful breed and our facilities are not equipped to keep your pet, as well as our other campers, safe and happy. A pit bull is defined as any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, an American Staffordshire Terrier, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of these breeds. We are happy to recommend alternative facilities that accept Pit Bulls.”
If you want to visit their site, click here – Camp Bow Wow Pit Bull Ban
I encourage all of my readers to visit their site and write letters to each and every one of the people involved with this organization. I have already sent my emails off basically explaining to them the numerous ways in which they are helping to encourage breed specific legislation and further heighten people’s misconceptions about this breed by singling them out as the one, non-accepted breed.
I am 100% in favor of making sure that dogs are properly socialized before you accept them into your program, as you are a doggy daycare, not a canine training facility, but your company is absolutely mistaken if you think that all Pit Bulls are dog-aggressive and improperly socialized. By stating you do not accept Pit Bulls because “our facilities are not equipped to keep your pet, as well as our other campers, safe and happy”, you are admitting that you too believe the stereotypes that have become pervasive in today’s society, and that all Pit Bull dogs are inherently aggressive, unsocial creatures. This is just simply not true.
Has any of the management at Camp Bow Wow actually ever met a Pit Bull? My dogs are certainly not so energetic and crazy that they are unable to be contained within a fenced in structure, and I certainly can not say the same about some Jack Russel Terriers I have come across. My dogs also do very well in play groups as long as they are supervised, so maybe that is the problem – are there issues with staffing at Camp Bow Wow?
I would also like to point out, since you were alluding to the fact that they need a different type of care, you are correct – Pit Bulls tend to be a little bit more of everything than every other dog. They are a little more loving, a little more trusting, a little stronger and have a lot more personality; not understanding is one thing, and but being ignorant is quite another.
So please Camp Bow Wow, keep on publicizing your Pit Bull exclusive policy and continue to hurt the ailing reputation of these wonderful breeds. Our dogs would be much happier and safer within the comfort of their own home than spend time with a bunch of elitists that claim to “love and respect all breeds”. If you really loved and respected all dogs you would not have ever enacted your damaging Pit Bull policy, nor would you have made it as well-known and public as it has become. Someone that loves and understands dogs would also know that no two dogs are alike, and that the best way to determine whether or not a dog was a good fit for your service would be to meet with them personally and watch them interact. Camp Bow Wow should be ashamed of itself.
Amanda Druckenmiller says
My two Brittany spaniels are also very energetic and playful dogs. Does that mean they are also not welcome? That’s not a very good excuse to use to not accept pit bulls at a facility, considering there are plenty of high energy breeds that exist in the canine world.
Eliot says
I just got a response from them that says they do not turn any dog away solely based on breed, and on the corporate page that this article links to it says the same. so Where did the writer of this article get that pitties are banned?
Robin says
Not sure where they did. But today Jack went and he is American Bully and he was welcomed with open arms
Msim says
Elk Grove, CA location does have breed restrictions. They would not allow our Staffordshire Bull Terrier to visit their facility. They said they don’t accept that breed.
Heather says
This is absolutely not correct, all breeds are welcome at camp. There is no breed ban whatsoever.
Dave says
it is correct just left there with my pitbull and was turned away
Shana says
Then you were turned away either due to not having vaccinations, your dog fixed or your dog did not pass his interview. I’m a manager at a Camp Bow Wow & we will collect all our pits & take pictures of them together. We would never turn a dog away based on breed ONLY.
Robin says
Then she or he did not pass a test. Not because of a breed.
Camp bow wow south asheville says
We accept all pit bulls at the south Asheville location,
mantion says
It comes down to liability. Different states have different standards of liability and different insurance companies will offer different coverage. Also there are local laws outside of liability that are relevant. Many Camp Bow Wow will allow pits but like all dogs they will be evaluated and they will look at body language. Some camps are almost entirely pitbull because other dog owners don’t want to leave their dogs there any more. Its a business in the end so they will go where the money is. It is true that most if not all locations did ban the breed for a bit but found they were missing out on a lot of money so they simply adjusted their waiver and allowed fighting breed dogs in. From the website.
”
Depending upon location there may be outside factors dictating who may be allowed in Camp, these may include:
City Ordinances
Insurance Policies
“
Natalie says
01/011/18
Just called to set up my two female pit bulls for an interview in Allentown PA. I have a few friends that take their dogs for daycare. The first question they asked was, “What breed are your girls?” When I said pit bulls I was told they don’t accept the breed. There’s risk in interviewing any breed. I know of labs, mixed breeds and specific small breeds of my friends and colleges that have aggressive nasty dogs! My girls are so sweet. I take my girls everywhere with me and they are the most relaxed and friendly dogs. I take them to Lowe’s and Home Depot. I take them to dog parks. There have been other dogs in those stores that have been aggressive toward my girls and my girls just back away. Camp Bow Wow really doesn’t respect all breeds if you discriminate.
Jessica Nacar says
I work as a Camp Counselor at CBW Dallas High Five and we happily accept pitties breeds- even our own camp staff have pitbulls of their own ! We are locally owned though so I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it.
Robin says
Sorry that happened. I took my dog with no issues
Courtney says
Please call your local Camp Bow Wow to ask their specific policy. Camp Bow Wow as a corporation does not have any such rule. The breed policy is based on each individually owned Camp and up to that specific owner. I can speak for the location in Smyrna, TN and Mt Juliet, TN and they do NOT have any breed restrictions and happily accept pit bulls! Every dog must pass the initial interview, regardless of breed. If the dogs pass the interview, they are all welcome!
Jessica Nacar says
CBW Dallas High Five also allows pitty breed with open arms! Many of our own staff bring in their own pits!
Robin says
Our Camps here in Florida accept all breeds – including pit bulls. We don’t believe in breed specific legislation although there are many communities that do. The corporate office does not ban pit bulls but it’s possible there are some local camps that do for legal or insurance reasons.
Cassie says
I know this is a very old post, but I work for one of the largest Camp Bow Wow’s in the country and this is not true! Camp Bow Wow does (should not be doing so) not discriminate against any breed. I cannot speak to your specific situation, but this is not true and you should follow up with Corporate HDQ. Multiple members of staff at my location own Pit Bulls including myself and our certified trainer! We have lots of pretty pitty campers!
Arianna says
I worked at Camp Bow Wow and the one I was at did accept pit bulls and any pit bull mixes. The dogs just had to go through the interview process.
Kate says
Well my pittie goes to Camp Bow Wow, along with many of his friends, so I’m calling bs. Most are locally owned and operated, so owner discretion.
Myra says
I think that’s kind of funny because if you can accept a Australian CATTLE DOG then you can handle the energy load of a pit bull ! This is just ridiculous, pit bulls are a amazing dogs and they don’t deserve to be able to work with this amazing breed if this is how they want to act .
Kay says
It really depends on the state, I work at a camp in NC and the pitties are some of our best campers!
August Martin says
Hello, at Camp Bow Wow Diablo Valley we accept all breeds! Not all Camps do so call your local CBW and ask!
T says
The original founder of camp bow wow supports breed Specific Legislation. Did she sell to the VCA in 2014?
C. Balentine says
The Camp Bow Wow I own does not have breed restrictions and there is no Corporate franchisor restriction on this. We have plenty of pit bulls that love camp and we love them!
Chelle says
Pitbulls and mixes are allowed at Houston area Camp Bow Wow’s. Go to http://www.campbowwow.com/houston to find a location.
Alex says
Well as someone who is a certified vet tech and have worked with pitbulls and own 3 of my own i can say that you clearly dont understand what your talking about. There is a risk because of their energy level because the way they play is pretty physical, and not saying all pits are the same but i would say atleast 60 percent of pitbulls i have worked with in kennels and clinics have dog aggression besides the dogs they live with. Again i love this breed and own 3 but the risk they do present isnt fake.