How cool would it be to take a fabulous vacation with your dog where every nuance, activity, and aspect was for, with, and about dogs? What if your dog could be there every step of the way and it was more his vacation and you, the human parent, are along for the educational and fun-filled ride? Janice Costa loved this idea so much that she built a business around it. Vacations for dogs with the human family welcome, too.

Fidose of Reality asked Janice about this unique approach dog camp for the 2K generation, why she does it, what it took to build, and what’s on the dog-cation horizon. Today’s “paw-er” women is Janice Costa of Canine Camp Getaway of New York.

Fidose of Reality: Congratulations on being selected as  “paw-er” woman. Tell us a bit about your life with dogs.

Janice Costa: I am the owner and founder of Canine Camp Getaway of NY. I’ve been working with dogs in various capacities since 2002, and 2012 will be my fourth year of running dog vacations. When I’m not working with dogs, I’m the editor of a design magazine, and have combined both interests by writing stories and giving talks about pet-friendly design.

Fidose of Reality: What is Canine Camp Getaway and why did you decide to do this?

Janice Costa: Canine Camp Getaway of NY is, quite simply, the ultimate vacation for dogs and dog lovers. We incorporate a host of dog-friendly activities (agility, swimming in the dog-friendly pool, lure coursing, hiking, flyball, frisbee, doggie skateboarding), classes (Canine CPR, scent detection, “barks and crafts,” Therapy Dog and Canine Good Citizen preparation and testing) and seminars (by top veterinarians, trainers, dog nutrition experts, etc.) so that people can play, learn, make new friends and have a great vacation while enjoying time with their very best friend — their dog! Located in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, we offer a scenic (and scent-ic) wonderland for dogs and their people — the perfect vacation for people who can’t imagine a vacation that doesn’t include spending time with their four-legged best friend.

As for why I decided to do it, well, my dogs will tell you it was their idea. They got tired of me taking business trips without them, and figured if they could find a way to create a business that included them, they’d be in on the trips. They were right! As “ambassadogs” for the business, they attend all kinds of dog events to help me spread the word about CCG-NY, and of course they get to go on a great vacation each year with all their doggie friends. What could be better?

Fidose of Reality: I understand the media has recognized you and CCG. How did that happen?

Janice Costa: The media, like every other industry, is trying to do more with less these days, and with smaller staff sizes, they simply don’t have the time or resources to go out and find every great business with a story. So you have to reach out to them.

I began running dog vacations in 2009, and in that time have been fortunate enough to receive extensive media coverage, including national TV (The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, which was very exciting!), newspapers (The New York Daily News, Newsday), magazines (Every Day With Rachael Ray, The Washingtonian, FIDO Friendly), Web Sites (MSNBC.com, AOL’s Paw Nation, ZooToo, DogTipper.com) as well as local TV and radio.

After our third annual event this June, my partners decided to leave the business and expressed the desire to shut it down; however, my dogs put their collective eight paws down, insisting, “Their MUST be dog Getaways!” I didn’t want to disappoint my four-legged best friends or my guests who have come to look forward to our annual dog vacations, so I re-launched the business under its new name: Canine Camp Getaway of NY. But while we have a new name, we have the same great staff of dog professionals, the same exciting array of dog-friendly programming and the same facility with its stunning views of the Adirondack mountains, dog-friendly pool and bar and nearly 300 acres of wide open spaces for hiking, romping, lure coursing, running agility and more. And we already are back in the news, with a new story coming out about us in the November/December issue of Pet Passion magazine, and a cover story coming out soon in another publication!

Fidose of Reality: What advice would you give others wanting to pursue their pet/dog-related business?

Janice Costa: Most people think it’s all about “The Great Idea,” but that’s only the beginning of the process. Sure, you need a terrific idea, but it may take a different form than you originally imagine. Because you can’t just focus on what YOU want to do; you have to think about what people and their pets want and need, and how you can fill that need differently and/or better than what’s already out there.

You also need to be able to do a lot of different things when you own a business — it’s not okay to just be great with pets, you also need marketing skills and financial skills and PR skills. You may not be great at everything, but all those aspects of the business still have to be tended to, so you need to have a plan for how you’re going to get these things done, whether it’s through your own skills, hiring staff, working with a college intern, relying on help from friends, or even getting help from mentoring programs (I lucked out with a great free mentoring program that’s offered in my area through the Small Business Administration). There are a LOT of great FREE resources out there if you look for them, and these can help you with aspects of your business that you may not be as skilled with!

Connections are also important, and you don’t want to wait until you’re up and running to start making them, so if you’re even considering pursuing a business, start making connections NOW. Pet professionals networking groups, dog owner groups, dog-related meetup groups, small business or entrepreneur groups, chamber of commerce meetings…all of these can help you to build a base of contacts who can help you as you grow your business.

Fidose of Reality: What are some resources (websites, etc) that you can refer readers to who want to do their own business in the pet sector? In other words, what sites/info helped you?

Janice Costa: First and foremost, I always suggest you look for a local networking group, because those connections are invaluable. I live on Long Island, NY and belong to a wonderful group called Long Island Pet Professionals, which has given me a chance to connect with a pretty diverse array of pet professionals in my area, and we enjoy sharing insights, advice and resources. Dog related meetup groups are also a great way to find like minded dog lovers — I run a dog social meetup group called The Canine Club, and I belong to several others. Not only are these fun, but they can give you the chance to connect with other pet people in your area that you might not have had a chance to meet otherwise. Read great dog-related blogs (like this one) and become active in online dog communities. As far as Web sites are concerned, I’ve found several that are great resources for me: Bringfido.com, Wetnoseguide.com, Dogtipper.com, Fidofriendly.com, and petswelcome.com. I also recommend joining LinkedIn and hooking up with pet professionals through the variety of pet-related groups — it’s a great way to expand your circle of contacts and learn from others who work with pets.

Fidose of Reality: Where can folks learn more and when is the next Canine Camp Getaway?

Janice Costa: Our next Getaway will be held June 24-28 at the Roaring Brook Ranch in Lake George, NY, with Early Bird rates available through January 15th. You can find more info on our Web site or by calling us at 877-K9-CAMPG (877-592-2674).

You can learn more about our Getaways at www.caninecampgetaway.com, and check out our blog, “Traveling Tails” at http://caninecampgetaway.com/blog.

Fun and FIDO Friendly: We love hearing that! If you missed the first three parts of our Paw-er Women 10-part series, catch up below.

We’d love to hear your feedback on this concept and if you would take your pooch to Canine Camp Getaway.

Part 1: Abby Kass and Pet Fashions

Part 2: Amanda Jane Finnell and Chinese Pet Herbalist

Part 3: Paris Permenter and Dog Blogging