Posted on Fri, Sep. 22, 2006

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At canine campground, dogs escape the ruff life

By JOEY HOLLEMAN

jholleman@thestate.com

PROVIDED PHOTOGRAPH

Big dogs, little dogs, tall dogs, short dogs all get a chance to frolic. If their humans want to join in, that’s fine, too.

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Lots of campgrounds are dog-friendly; Four Paws Kingdom is dog-centric.

The three-year-old business in Rutherfordton, N.C., has more amenities for dogs than it does for their people.

The four-legged creatures get a huge fenced dog park, a separate fenced small-dog play area, an agility playground, an obedience arena, a doggy bathhouse and grooming stations, hiking trails and a swimming pond. The two-legged creatures share the hiking trails and swimming pond.

USC professor Miriam Johnson visited with her three dogs last spring, and all involved love the experience.

“Our daily schedule was (1) let dogs run in the off-leash park, (2) have breakfast, (3) hike the trail, (4) have lunch and a long nap, (5) visit the pond (the dogs swam), (6) have supper, (7) one last walk before bed — all interspersed with just sitting on the cabin porch, watching the world (and other dogs) go by,” Johnson said via e-mail. “We found it very relaxing — and that has to be an ideal day in any dog’s opinion!”

That’s just what campground owners Meik and Birgit Bartoschek want to hear. They decided to build the facility after traveling in their recreational vehicle to other campgrounds that allow pets but don’t cater to them.

“We thought, ‘What would be the perfect campground for our dogs and for us?’” Birgit said.

While the agility courses are suitable for competition-level dogs, most of the customers are just ordinary family dogs, Birgit said.

The campground can handle everything from big recreational vehicles to tents, and there are a few spartan cabins. The gift shop is equal parts camping gear and dog stuff. If campers want a little time away from their four-legged friends to visit, say, nearby Biltmore Estate, the campground offers dog-sitting services.

The Bartoscheks schedule special events each weekend, including potluck dinners.

“We enjoyed getting to know the other guests and their dogs,” Johnson said. “I really think the most appealing aspect of Four Paws is just being surrounded by people who have and like dogs.”

Reach Holleman at (803) 771-8366.

IF YOU GO

Four Paws Kingdom is a campground that caters to dogs and their owners.

Where: 335 Lazy Creek Drive, Rutherfordton, N.C.

Directions: Take I-26 west into North Carolina, take exit 67 (U.S. 74), follow U.S. 74 east to U.S. 221 and turn left toward Rutherfordton, go through downtown and go west on U.S. 64/U.S. 74-A, turn left on Coopers Gap Road, then right on Lazy Creek Drive.

Rates: Recreation vehicle sites $30-36 a day, tent sites $25 and camping cabins $65

Information: (828) 287-7324, www.4pawskingdom.com