Our Springfield East Team

Meet the Carusos!

Have you met our pack leaders? Husband and wife team, Tony and Jamie Caruso are the proud owners of four Camp Bow Wow Franchises, two in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan and two in Springfield, Missouri.

A Man and His Dog

The Caruso family Camp Bow Wow story all started in April of 2007. Tony’s Hungarian Vizsla, Abby, ignited Tony’s passion for dogs and drove his entrepreneurial spirit to invest in a Camp Bow Wow. As Tony worked to grow the Camp business, his personal pack also grew…by four.

Abby's relationship with Tony crossed the "Man's best friend" boundary into what he refers to as "jealous ex-girlfriend" territory. However, Abby has graciously learned to share the man in her life with the other family in his: his wife Jamie, their daughter Ella (born in 2011), and their son Enzo (born 2016). And don't forget about the fur-family members; Bella, a Mastiff that thinks she is a lap dog that the family adopted in 2012, and an Abyssinian cat (born in 2007), that thinks he's a dog named Louie. He is Ella's partner in crime and often the victim to her fashion prowess. When Louie isn't causing trouble with the dogs or meowing for attention, he can usually be seen in the season's latest fashions (i.e. Ella's accessories). Ella and Enzo are clearly the pride of the pack (shh, don't tell Abby!) and have grown up in a house full of animals.

Growing Camp!

As dog lovers, the Caruso family love what they do. They were excited to grow their pack even more when the opportunity arose to take on a second location in Springfield, Missouri in March of 2015 . With a great team of Camp Counselors at both locations, they were able to make this expansion and bring their passion for dogs to Springfield! In January 2016, the Carusos decided to try something new when taking on their third location - Camp Bow Wow Lil' Campers of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, one of only two concept locations especially designed to care for our littlest Campers.

They feel right at home in the Camp Bow Wow Franchise as they are both pet owners themselves. Being able to fetch peace of mind for pet parents is something they understand from both sides of the fence. The opportunity that Camp Bow Wow brings to foster and further the relationship between man and his best friend, is an opportunity that’s just too good to pass up.

Community Outreach

The family cares and loves being involved in their camp local communities. Tony and Jamie’s passion for animals allows them to help with charity fundraising and participation with multiple rescue groups in Saint Clair Shores and Springfield. They host bite prevention readings with the “Scout Says, Dogs Get Nervous Too” book at Ella’s school and other local elementary schools and libraries. Tony also uses his dog training knowledge and experience to train volunteers at our local rescues and work with the dogs on a one-on-one basis. You may even catch Tony dressed up in the Scout mascot suit at our events.

We are also excited to announce Tony has received his professional certification by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)!

Outside of Camp

When Tony and Jamie aren’t busy scratching butts in the play yards at Camp you can usually find them in Downtown Detroit at a Lions or Tiger’s game, in Kansas City watching a Royals baseball game, or hitting the links for a game of golf (Jamie supervises the cart).

Next time you are at Camp, make sure to say hi to Tony and Jamie!

We are excited to introduce Ashton Sims to our Camp Bow Wow family. Ashton will be taking on the role of Chief Operating Officer for our Brighton Township, Grand Rapids Airport, St. Clair Shores, MI, and Springfield, MO locations. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Ashton worked his way up from a Camp Counselor to a General Manager. For the last 3 years he has worked for the Camp Bow Wow corporate team as a Franchise Business Coach supporting new and existing franchise owners with a high focus on customer service, daily operations, and dog safety.

Ashton is committed to building positive relationships with people and serving dogs within their communities. Ashton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and a minor in Business Administration, providing him with a strong foundation to excel in his role.

In addition to his work, Ashton enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and rock climbing. He also enjoys attending professional sporting events and catching comedy shows or concerts. He is a self-proclaimed foodie, always searching for the best chicken parmesan, and he loves indulging in anime and video games in his free time.

Ashton’s dedication to Camp Bow Wow along with his motivation to inspire others makes him an invaluable Leader. His commitment to providing the best experience is fueled by his love for dogs and people.

Erin is the Manger here with us since July 2021. She wanted to work with us because of her love for animals, especially dogs. As a child, she was always scolded for bringing home strays in an attempt to keep them as her own. It only made sense that when she grew up, she would have a job that involved getting to spend the majority of her time with dogs. She is trained in Pet First Aid and CPR. Her favorite part of the job is being able to bond with the dogs and their owners. Erin has two dogs, Hiccup and Poptart. Hiccup is an overly loveable Pitbull Mix who loves to cuddle and play with his little sister and mom. Poptart is a wild, Catahoula Leopard Mix who will play with any dogs she meets. In Erin’s free time, she enjoys going to the movies, spending time outdoors, and hanging out with friends at local breweries.

Tris is the Guest Services Representative at Camp and has been working with us since October 2021. She wanted to work with us because she loves animals and wanted to work with them. She’s very knowledgeable about dogs because she used to volunteer at a shelter when she was younger. Both of her parents are also certified trainers and have a dog boarding and training company that she helps with. Her favorite part of the job is working with the dogs and learning each of their personalities. She also loves expanding her knowledge of how to care for them through experience and the training Camp offers. Tris has a Shiba Inu, Aussie, and Retriever Mix named Nova. She is very hyper, hard-headed, and smart. She loves any kind of food. In Tris' free time, she enjoys doing aerial arts. She also likes painting and cross-stitching.

In what month and year did you begin working at Camp Bow Wow?

October 2021

Why did you want to work at Camp Bow Wow?

I enjoy working with animals and have always wanted to have a job that involved working with them.

What kind of dog/animal training have you had to help the CBW campers?

CPR and first aid training

What is your favorite part of your job at Camp Bow Wow?

My favorite part of my job is getting to work with the dogs everyday.

Do you have pets at home? 

I have a pug named Doug. He is 4 years old and enjoys treats and napping.

What do you do in your free time?

I enjoy spending time outdoors in my free time.

Delilah has two dogs. Buddy is a six-year-old Black Lab/German Shepard. He is known to be grumpy and protective. Fae is a Pitbull-Catahoula Mix that’s about three years old. She is hyper and loves everyone. She also has a cat and two kittens, Jax, SquirrelMan, and Punkin.

In her free time, Delilah enjoys drawing and painting. She also likes to play video games with her boyfriend and loves to be outdoors.

Skills and Experience

Background: Beverly has known and worked with Camp Rangerette Jamie since 2001. You read that right, that’s 17 years! Beverly loved working with her and thought it would be fun to combine her love of marketing with her love for dogs.

Additional Skills/Qualifications: Beverly works hard behind the scenes for Camp but she also has personal experience in training. She trained one of her dogs in level one, level two, agility, freestyle, and fly ball in 2000. Beverly loves working with dogs and truly sees the value in socialization and training. Beverly isn’t the average marketing consultant – she’s the paw-fect person for us, right?!

Fun Facts

What I love most about my job: Beverly’s favorite part of her job is working with people who love dogs as much as she does. She loves sharing the Camp Bow Wow brand with other dog lovers! Beverly gets to spend a lot of time on social media, looking at cute dog photos, dog videos, and planning fun events for you and your pup. She can’t get enough of it!

My pets: At home, Beverly has two dogs. Midnight is a Labrador Retriever/Corgi mix who she rescued in 2013. Midnight was six years old at the time and Beverly happily gave him a better life! Minna is a Miniature Schnauzer who thinks she is human. She was more than happy when Beverly brought home Midnight and quickly taught him how to play and chase squirrels!

My hobbies: Outside of her marketing world, Beverly is a proud Army Wife! She loves spending time with her husband, Bobbie, her adopted son, Zeke, and her step-son, Eliott. Beverly is a coffee addict who enjoys traveling, playing board games, going to the beach, cuddling with her dogs, and spending time outdoors!

Megan has been a Camp Counselor with us since May 2023. She wanted to work with us because of her love for dogs. She has experience in dog sitting and her favorite part of the job is being in the yard and playing with the dogs. Megan has 2 dogs. She has a 4-year-old Black Lab named London. She is very sweet, calm, and great with other dogs. She also has a 10-year-old Chocolate Lab named Lincoln. He’s very crazy and full of energy, but he’s also the sweetest boy you’ll ever meet. In Megan’s free time, she enjoys hanging out with her dogs and coaching high school girls' basketball.