YOUR DOG IS
BUILT FOR ADVENTURE
Canine Athletics is an adventure-based daycare/boarding program where dogs get to experience life on their terms.
Give your dog a life beyond the couch.
Allowing your dog to lead his best life possible requires giving him the freedom to explore and engage his natural instincts.
While you can give your dog all the training in the world, genetics still play a role in your dog’s wellbeing. Every breed of dog is meant to do a different “job” – herd, hunt, track, swim, retrieve, etc.
At Canine Athletics, your dog will have the opportunity to channel their inner athlete. Here, your dog will get to do what he was always meant to do – whether that’s retrieve balls all morning long, chase waterfowl around the pond, swim after fish, socialize with his new furry best friends, or sniff the same piece of grass for 20 minutes.
Explore All Types of Terrain
Fields
Creeks & Rivers
Forests
Lakes & Ponds
Choose Your Own Adventure
Each day holds endless experiences. Your dog will get the opportunity to do whatever he loves doing most in a safe environment, away from dangers like vehicles, people, and unknown dogs.
✓ Chase and retrieve balls and toys in grassy fields
✓ Climb over creek beds and rock formations
✓ Dig a hole to China in the dirt or sand
✓ Get the Zoomies in a big open field
✓ Sniff every piece of grass within a 50 yard radius
✓ Antagonize & chase the geese in the pond
✓ Bark at a squirrel in the tree
✓ Track an animal along a forest path
…and so much more!
Our Daily Schedule
Rise and Shine!
Our days start early in the morning with a 4:30 AM walk & breakfast. We’ll be out the door by 5:30 AM to pick up any Canine Athletes who are just spending the day with us.
Adventure Time
By 7 AM, we’re headed to our adventure for the day. Chase rabbits in big open fields? Go for a splash in a creek or lake? Play fetch along a hiking trail through the woods? Every day is a new adventure for your dog. Your dog will have the freedom to unleash his inner athlete!
Afternoon
If your dog is just coming for the day, he’ll return home in early afternoon, thoroughly worn-out and happy after hours of fun & play. If your pup is spending the night, we’ll return back to our dog-friendly house.
Rest & Relax
Once home for the day, your dog will get to play with my 4 pups on a half acre of fenced-in land. We’ll have dinner, followed more playtime (or relaxed nature documentary binge watching session), and then head to bed by 8 PM.
ABOUT US
Meet Your Favorite Doggy Wrangler
Hey, I’m Kara Meyer. During my 20+ years of working with animals, I realized the way we tend to treat domesticated animals – whether it’s horses, dogs, or something else – doesn’t promote their overall wellbeing.
Over and over again, I saw that animals need ways to express their natural tendencies like tracking and chasing in a safe way. Out of that need, Canine Athletics was born.
What Clients Are Saying…
Here’s where a super exciting testimonial from a client will go once you come up with that testimonial or ask someone for it.
-ALY J.
A Canine Community You Can Trust
All breeds are welcome. Every dog goes through an initial evaluation process to ensure they would be a good match for group play in such a varied terrain. They spend an entire day with a hand picked “eval pack” made up of dogs who have been in the program for 2+ years or demonstrate superb social skills. This ensures that all dogs will play well together, while helping your dog acclimate to the Canine Athletics experience.
All dogs new to the program begin on a 20-50 foot longline until they have demonstrated consistent proficiency in returning to me when asked, regardless of what else is going on in the environment. This can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several weeks. As long as your dog continues to make forward progress, they can take as long as needed to come off leash.
Why Your Dog NEEDS an Athletic Lifestyle
Dogs are physically and mentally healthier when they’re allowed to do what they’re biologically hardwired to do.
Dogs who experience an athletic lifestyle experience less stress & anxiety, as well as a marked decrease in obsessive/compulsive behaviors. Just like working out at the gym is good for our mental health, your dog getting in his daily workout benefits his mental health.
It also increases your dog’s ability to effectively process & retain information. Basically, your dog will be smarter & learn more when he’s able to burn off his energy on a regular basis.
As your dog’s mental and emotional wellbeing increases through adventure, it translates to a happier, more well-behaved dog at home.
Plus, living an athletic lifestyle increases mobility and in some cases, lifespan!
Questions You May Be Asking
Do dogs stay on-leash all day long?
All dogs new to the program begin on a 20-50 foot longline until they are able to return to me when asked, regardless of what else is going on in the environment. This can take anywhere from 20 minutes to multiple weeks. As long as the dog continues to make progress forward, they can take as long as needed to come off leash.
How many dogs can be with you each day?
Spaces are available for up to 12 dogs per day. Daily groups are selected based upon a variety of different factors to ensure that they all play & interact well together.
What locations do you use for adventures?
We currently have a 2,500 acre farm we use for adventures that has a wide variety of terrain for dogs to explore on. While no two days are the same at the farm, we’re actively looking for new environments for our canine athletes.
No matter what the location, we make sure adventure spaces are far away from potential dangers like moving vehicles, people, and unvetted animals.
How often do you accept new Canine Athletes?
Enrollment opens every spring and fall. This ensures that the dogs in each daily group are a good fit for each other and have the opportunity to build long-term relationships with one another.
How many days per week can my dog attend?
As many as you’d like! With a few exceptions, your dog can attend just 1-2 days per week or all 5 days per week.
What are the requirements to become a Canine Athlete?
Dogs must be at least 25 pounds (as a safeguard against hawks and eagles in the area), be vaccinated according to Illinois state laws, and be under the care of a licensed veterinarian. Males must be neutered. There are no breed restrictions.