P aw’dventure, a Mumbai and Pune-based dog camping agency run by Sharvil Shringarpure, had organised a camp in Karjat (in Maharashtra o the outskirts of Mumbai and Pune) last month that saw a footfall of 30 pets accompanied by their parents.
Sharvil adopted his dog in 2019 after which the realisation dawned upon him that India is not entirely equipped with places you can take your pet for an adventure. It drove him to start Paw’dventure, which conducts activities to socialise dogs and make them welltrained, expose them to physical and mental stimuli like nature trek, swimming and staying off leash to reduce their stress level and anxiety. Having a canine behaviourist, Aditya Patil, on board is a bonus.
The community of around 8,000 to 10,000 pet parents rely on Paw’dventure to spend some quality time with their pawsome friends out in nature’s lap. They conduct camps every weekend and often go sailing in Mumbai. The idea behind the venture is to make India pet-friendly and increase the amount of empathy surrounding pets and animals. The camp at Karjat was lit as the pet parents and their doggos took a dip in the Bamboo Dam located in Nadhal, Maharashtra. It was quite an adventure for the dogs as they were off their leash and quite relaxed. They swam, hiked, munched on treats and socialised with other dogs and probably had really deep conversations in their own language that the two-legged world will never find out about.
The pet parents and their pooches reached the camp site by four in the evening and relaxed, with the canine behaviourist Aditya keeping a close watch on the temperament of the dogs who attended the camp. Followed by adventure galore with games and activities like ‘Musical Mats’ replacing our childhood game Musical Chair, and other agilityfocused activities followed by a nature trail called Pack Walk or Decompression Walk right before they dipped into the Bamboo Dam for a swim. The pet parents were guided to teach their dogs how to swim and sufficient time was provided for the doggos to adjust to the water and get familiar and guess what… they loved it! To sum it up, the weekend camp was a memorable one, for the pets as well as their hoomans.
Pet parents and doggos enjoy a cool dip in the Bamboo Dam at the camp. They splashed around and had pawsome fun!
“My pup Zain and I absolutely love our Paw’dventure weekends. The camp activities and hikes tick all the boxes — socialising with new dogs and people, exploring new smells, sights and sounds, romping through open terrain, and of course playtime, fun and food. Swimming with my pup has been a new learning and bonding experience for us both. The entire experience gave him the physical, mental and emotional stimulation he needs to thrive. As they say, a tired dog is a happy dog — and my little pup with seemingly boundless energy leaves Paw’dventure camps tired in a good way — being physically and mentally spent after a great weekend of fun and play with friends. The Paw’dventure family we have met at the camps is also a great community of tolerant and supportive pet parents and carers who understand the challenges of raising dogs in the city and help each other address the unique issues and anxieties that each pup faces. Activities like these camps allow dogs to explore their natural canine instincts without the limitations of urban communities and ultimately help them better adjust to city life,” said an avid Paw’dventurer and pet mom Aashni Dalal.
“My once reactive dog is a Paw’dventurer for life now. I never would have thought I could take Leo to a camp with 10 other dogs. But everything at Paw’dventure caters to all our and our furbabies’ needs. The team’s attention to detail is meticulous. The camps have changed my relationship with my dog for the better,” said pet mom Jenifer Michael.
(l-r) Sharvil Shringarpure, Canine behaviourist Aditya Patil
“I adopted a dog three years ago and me being an outdoor person, I always wanted to travel with my dog. When I took him camping for the first time, I realised how much physical stimulus and mental stimulus are required for them to stay fit. With that, the idea of Paw’dventure grew. To provide the means of giving the life to the dogs that they deserve. Our larger goal is to make India pet-friendly. We believe to make that happen, pet parents must understand that their dog should be a well-behaved dog and socialisation is a first step towards it. Paw’dventure became an effort to bring up a community of wellinformed and responsible pet parents. We focus on the socialisation of dogs via structured activities which help pet parents handle their dog’s stress and anxiety. It’s been two lovely years and now we are a growing community of 8,000-10,000 pet parents. Our canine behaviourist Aditya Patil helps us understand the dogs. The team at Paw’dventure is dedicated and passionate to working with dogs and pet parents to make our goal come true,” said Sharvil, the founder at Paw’dventure.
“While I love the idea of taking my dogs on a trek, I was very hesitant to go for the camp because handling two finicky and cranky dogs on such treks can get exhausting. However, Travowlet was amazing! Sharvil and his team were calm, collected and so reassuring throughout the entire trek. My pups had a blast! I don’t think even Jackie knew that he could swim, while he might not have loved the cold water I’m sure he was surprised that he could keep himself afloat! I will definitely take my other pet Kito along for the next trek,” said pet mom Nikita Mirchandani.