The homely heart of Happy Dog! Started as a trial in 2001 to see if a dog walking business would work, we look back after almost 18 years and reflect on that we not only started the very FIRST professional Dog Walking service in New Zealand, but have had the unique privelege, pleasure and company of many loved dogs. The total dog walks in these years past is now around 45,000! The journey is to this day, a true life joy! The company of dogs is hard to beat at any time so being part of a group of close friends is a thing of beauty, joy and incredible insight into the behavioural world of dogs.
The responsibility of taking your pet out is not looked upon lightly. The study and training undertaken by us has put us in a position to call ourselves professional. To alleviate the stressors of life, from the viewpoint of a dog, is one of our highest priorities. Sadly this is overlooked by so many walkers and day care facilities that have come after us.
Our TRANSPORT is safe, with each dog being housed independantly which is a reducer of stress even before the walk begins. At Happy Dog we make a point of highlighting the importance of safe transport. It just crucial!
Our walk environment has also proven itself to be very safe after all these years.
Once we have met and been introduced to your dog we will take him/her along for a FREE intro walk. This is done for both your dogs mental well-being (meeting me first is a great start point for a bond that will grow..) and to match their the personality to an existing social construct of the group into which they might join. The walk has to be fun for the dog and a positive first impression with me makes a world of difference to the whole bonding process. PLEASE NOTE: Dogs walked by us must be of a social nature.
Your pet will then be booked in. Picked up from home in our custom built van on the arranged day(s) and taken for a two-hour walk at varying locations. Afterwards your tired but satisfied pet is returned home. What we have found through the years is that dogs feel great when they all know one another, this in turn creates harmony, increases confidence, lower stress and stimulates socialisation.
Experience has shown that after a period with us, a dog will likely become more socially confidant (if not already!) and less likely to react adversly to random (canine) anomalies within their direct environment. This is not only due to 'the walk', but also due to the non-confrontational environment in which your dog finds itself. In short, it all comes down to 'speaking', and 'interpretting' their own language better. He/she starts to look forward to its walking schedule. This sums up in short what Happy Dog walking service does. Still we all know that every dog is different and this is also taken into account. Aspects such as medical condition and/or age are watched closely, as is general physical condition. You will be informed directly should anything out of the ordinary be noticed.
Socialisation of your dog in a group situation in a stress-free, non confrontational environment. i.e. space to look away and or move away (as dogs do need this choice)!
The place to be a dog with other dogs in a non-contained environment i.e. room to find its own space if needed.
Remember: Always 'read' your dog after activity to see if they liked it! Even better is to watch them whilst being out and about...We'll do our best to provide regular videoed updates.
* The booking fee applies to the reservation of the walking space within the group. This is a fixed weekly cost, even during a pets abscence except for reasons that are medical or illness related.
"Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in your car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear."