SMALL & CONTROLLED DOGGY GROUP ADVENTURES

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM STORIES @SITHAPPENSNZ TO SEE WHAT THE DOGS GET UP TO IN BOTTLE LAKE FOREST, HALSWELL QUARRY & THE REDZONE!

What is special about the Sit Happens Doggy Group Adventures?

Everything! 🐶

• We only take a maximum of 5 dogs to keep up full control and safety ✓

• Our dogs are being walked by qualified, passionate staff who is paid at least a living wage ✓

• Our staff is pet-first-aid-trained, police-checked, trained in dog body language, training theory and practise ✓

• We use only natural treats and biodegradable poop bags ✓

• We offer safe transport in individual areas to ensure maximum comfort ✓

• We track our walks with maps and videos and share these with you before your dog returns home ✓

• On our walks the dogs learn good habits and are being trained in recall and play styles ✓

• The dogs can be dogs and socialise while we ensure their safety ✓

• Our qualified staff looks out for and picks up on any issues with health or behaviour and addresses them ✓

• We build a personal bond with your dog and go the extra mile for them ✓

Is my dog alone too much?

It’s okay to be apart from our dogs and to leave them home alone and in fact important for them to learn this, but is there a limit to the amount of time our dogs should spend alone? We believe the ideal maximum time a dog can be left alone without toiletting or social interactions is 4-6 hours if they have been slowly accustomed to this. We are however aware that some dogs have to cope with 8-9 hours. It would be nice to break up their days! Where we would definitely draw a line and ask you to get in help is when days alone start getting to 10-12 hours or more in a single stretch.

Lots of dogs have difficulty adapting to the modern lifestyle they are subjected to, with a lack of mental and physical stimulation, socialisation and social support. These are the dogs who come to us with behavioural issues such as barking, toiletting, destructive chewing, or emotional issues such as fear, anxiety, aggression, or over-excitement. But even if the dogs don’t display obvious issues, just because they are coping, does not mean we can’t do better.

What can you do if you work all day?

Please note: In Christchurch we do not recommend Daycare as we have checked out lots of different ones, especially the ones that claim to be better and have found they have a huge dog-to-staff-ratio, are very loud and create unsettled dogs with too boisterous play and high stress levels. More here.

So, time to get creative!

Can you come home from work at lunch time? Even if not every day, but maybe a few times a week? Maybe you even have several house hold members that could take turn to give the dog a social visit and the chance to be let out for toilet. It’s a good idea to leave some sort of mental enrichment toy behind when leaving.

Can you work from at home on occasion? You might be surprised if you ask your boss. :) Telecommuting is getting more and more common.

Can you bring your dog to work with you? Again, your boss might surprise you. It doesn’t have to be every day, but it’s a nice chance for socialisation and the social contact your dog requires. You could take along a crate to feel comfortable in situations that your dog is still learning.

Can you arrange for someone to visit? Ask a neighbour, family member, friend or colleague’s nephew to pop in and let your dog out and give them cuddles.

If you require a professional service, consider a positive Pet Care Service that pops in to look after your dog and possibly also takes them out for a quick stroll. Or look into Group Walks: Well-run Group Walks help reduce social isolation and maximise your dog’s wellbeing.

Is Social Isolation the only reason to consider Group Walks?

Group Walks are much more than just getting the dog out of the house!

They provide socialisation, training, sniffing opportunities in new places, mooching time, mental stimulation, social interactions, physical exercise, cuddles, fun and so much more.

We are very actively involved with the dogs throughout the whole walk, ensure their calmness, practise recall, check that play is appropriate, look out for kids, bikers, joggers and more and practise calmness around all those real-life triggers.

How does it work and where do we start?

The dogs will be picked up from your home, driven to the selected adventure area, walked for at least 1 hour, being given water, training treats, cuddles, socialisation and lots of sniffing opportunities and then dropped home afterwards, happy, satisfied and tired.

Please click the ENQUIRE NOW button to answer some questions about you and your dog. (Takes only a couple of minutes.)

If you are new to Sit Happens, we will need to schedule a Meet-and-Greet where we take your dog out for a one-on-one walk. The standard Group Walk fee applies.

New dogs, especially if younger and more excitable will always join our designated intro walks first before joining the bigger groups. This is for as long as it takes them to settle into the walking routine. These walks may only be 30 minutes long, depending on the energy in the group, the age of the new dog and the training requirements.

Do we accept all dogs?

We are looking for relaxed, fun, friendly dogs or puppies of all ages and sizes. We will check all dogs for their suitability to join the group and be off-lead. Possibly we might suggest to start with some private training first. Some dogs join a few times on a long line and then they are good to go.

Please note that we cannot accept dogs on our Group Walks that go to Daycare as our continuous training to ensure the dogs are responsive, calm around other dogs and approach interactions mindfully will be undone with every visit to a place where dogs are running around crazy all day, barking and having no real boundaries. Refer to our blog post on the matter of Daycare for further info: Click here.

How are the dogs transported?

All dogs enjoy having their personal space!

Dogs are transported in separate areas in the vehicle as safety comes first. This way we can attend to them individually, they can relax in their own personal space and no-one gets overwhelmed. Our dogs are transported in a normal car as dogs are used to travelling this way which means there is no stress involved in the travels. In the 5 separated dog areas they can lay down and relax. We know that stress is never good for our canines and reinforce calmness throughout the full experience. In their areas the dogs are secured to ensure full safety. We love seeing how relaxed and happy the dogs are on their way to the walks and even more love seeing them having a snooze with a smile on their face on their way home.

Can I keep track of my dog’s walk?

Our walks are tracked to let you see where your pooch was off to, how many kilometres they walked and how long the walk was for. The tracked map is shared with you.

We always take a bunch of videos and photos that are uploaded live to Instagram Stories for their mums and dads to see. (Sometimes the upload is delayed if there is limited reception)

Here is one example of an Instagram Story of a Friday Walk in Bottle Lake Forest:

These are examples of the maps that clients receive of the tracked walks once the dogs are loaded safely back into the vehicle. You can also follow our walks on Instagram Stories: @sithappensnz

What are the bandannas all about?

Our dogs wear Sit Happens bandannas throughout the walk that have our branding and phone number on them. This way the dogs can be identified to belong to us and if we would ever lose one (which has never happened), the phone number on the bandanna could be called, so we can reunite quickly.

Freya here never wants to give her bandanna back after the walk :D

How much does it cost?

Owners need to commit to have their dogs join at least one day per week (of course excluded holidays, sick days, etc.). The price for the full Doggy Group Adventure Experience is $60. Your dogs are usually out for about 3 hours depending on where you live.

Please be aware that an extra travel fee may occur if we have to go very far out of our way. Just enquire with your home address and we can let you know.