Frequently Asked Questions

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For all new clients before using any of Happy Hounds services, we require a meet and greet with you and your pup. This allows for all of us to meet, chat and get to know each other, so the first time we come to walk or them pick up we are not a complete stranger to your pup. Meet and greets are complimentary, and we come to your house or meet at a local park.

We service all parts of Barrie, including Midhurst and some of Springwater Township.

We are incredibly active on all our social media platforms, where we post daily stories, videos and photos of all of your pups during the day. Typically, we are not available during the day to speak to you on the phone (other than in emergencies) 

All of Happy Hounds handlers are prepared to walk/hike in many different conditions. Only in extreme weather conditions will Happy Hounds services be cancelled. These may include: extreme hot or cold temperatures, thunderstorms or severe weather warnings, or unsafe driving conditions.

Our Adventure Hikes are 1.5-2 hr OFF-LEASH hikes through the forests of Simcoe County. These are pack hikes with multiple dogs. During the hikes your pup will enjoy lots of socialization, exercise and companionship. Our packs range anywhere from 4-12 dogs at a time. Large packs have two handlers hiking with your pups, smaller packs have one.
We pick your pup up at your house, they go for a hike, then we drop them back off. All while you are at work or out for the day. When you get home, your pup will be nice and tired from the days Adventures and will want to tell you all about it!

Adventure Hikes are offered 2x a day Monday-Friday, and 1x a day Saurday-Sunday
Our AM hikers get picked up between 10-1030am, and our PM hikers get picked up between 1-1:30pm. To allow for travel time, please note your pup may be out of house for up to 3 hours.

We don’t require dogs to have perfect recall, but rather an understanding of staying with the ‘pack’, know their name, and a drive to listen to the handler.
For extra security and protection, all new dogs are equipped with a 30-40 ft long lead attached to them. This way, a handler still has control over them, while they are still able to enjoy some freedom. This long lead will stay on them for each hike until the handler feels they are ready to ‘graduate’ off it.

Yes! The beauty of the Adventure Hikes is it welcomes dogs of all different sizes, ages and temperaments because of the unlimited amount of space they can enjoy. We have some dogs who run and play together all hike long, other dogs who like to sniff and do their own thing, and some who love the human interaction the most and stick close to the handler.

Absolutely yes! In fact, we encourage it. Often, we have owners who think that their small breed dog wont be able to handle or enjoy the hikes, but we challenge you to think differently. More often than not our smaller dog breeds are the ones having the most fun!

Our handlers are CPR and Pet First Aid trained and certified, and we carry first aid supplies with us on every hike. We have the supplies and skills to tend to them immediately if necessary, and owners will be contacted about further steps.

The only time we will walk more then one dog is if they come from the same home. Unfortunately, we do not offer group walks at this time. 

At Happy Hounds we are fairly flexible and try to provide and accommodate a time that works best for you and your pup. Because of some circumstances that are out of our control, we unfortunately are not able to accommodate very specific times, but rather an hour timeframe that your pup will be walked in. We do not offer any evening walks (after 6pm) at this time.

Leashed walks can be catered to your own pup, depending on timing and location. We can take your pup to a local park with a long lead and throw a ball with them, go through a small forested area or trail, or just a simple neighbourhood walk. We understand your pups likes to explore different places and experience different sniffs, and we want to give them that experience!