Dog Hiking Services

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Q: What exactly happens during a dog hike? 

A: Our 2-hour group hikes take place Monday through Friday on our ranch just outside Houston and begin with complimentary pickup from your home. At the ranch, dogs get to run free, off-leash with their friends in a structured manner, experience nature with all the sniffs, sounds, and sights of the country, learn and practice everyday obedience, and get their energy out. ​ Some pups hike on a random schedule, but most have a consistent set of days each week. They make friends, have favorites, have days when they want to do extra zoomies, and some days they just want to cruise through the countryside in four low. We provide frequent water breaks and perform health checks throughout the hike to ensure all dogs are safe and comfortable. ​We start new pups on-leash to ensure they are safe, and this allows them to get into the groove with the pack. Dogs take their cues from the pack—a well-trained pack shows new pups just what they need to do to thrive. After the hike, the tired pups pile in the puppy van for a nap before getting dropped off back at your home. 

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Q: What if I'm not home during drop-off? 

A: No problem! We’re happy to hand off your pup to anyone you approve, or we can put your dog back inside your home for you. LemonAid K9 is fully insured and bonded for your peace of mind.

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Q: How do you keep track of all the dogs off leash? 

A: We do this a couple of different ways: Dogtra Pathfinder 2 GPS collar systems; proper ratio of humans to dogs and consistent obedience training on hikes. With the Dogtra GPS collars, we can view all the dogs in real time on a mobile app that provides tracking lines, names, distance traveled, and much more—all with a 9-mile range. LemonAid K9 is an authorized Dogtra e-collar dealer as well if you would like to get your dog equipped for off-leash walks at home.

 

It’s important to have the proper ratio of humans to dogs in order to keep a close eye on the whole pack as we roam the trails. While maintaining a good pack structure, the dogs walk at different speeds so we have handlers leading, in the middle and following to keep an eye out on everyone.

 

We consistently practice a lot of obedience during the hikes as well. The common commands that we practice are recalls, leave it, sits, stays and heeling. One of our goals is to not simply exercise the pups physically, but mentally as well. Doing both, especially in a controlled group environment, is true socialization. In a group setting, there are massive amounts of distractions and changing situations that they must work through, just like in a public space. This keeps the dogs engaged throughout the hike and they are far more tired and fulfilled when we return them to their hoomans.

 

Q: Do you hike dogs in the rain? 

A: Yes! We hike rain or shine at LemonAid K9—as long as it can be done safely, we are out getting our laps in. We keep a careful eye on the weather at all times to make sure conditions are safe for both transport and hiking. If we have lightning or heavy downpours during a hike, we seek shelter (perks of living where we hike) and wait for the all clear. If this means extending our hiking time, we are grateful to spend more time with all the awesome pups that use our service. We don’t shorten our true 2-hour dog hikes. We simply pause the timer, and the pups get extra time with their friends at no additional cost. We know a lot of dogs have storm anxiety, and the best way to combat that is with exercise and exposure. 

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Q: What are the requirements for my dog to participate in hikes? 

A: The basic requirements are that your dog must be friendly with other dogs and be physically capable of doing a 2-hour hike. We hike dogs as young as 6 months old, as well as those into double digits. Most dogs we hike are medium to large sport breeds, but we also welcome smaller breeds who need more than the average daily walk. We provide complimentary in-home temperament tests available 7 days a week. During this visit, we evaluate your dog with one of our veteran hiking dogs to ensure your pup will be friendly with the group and is capable of performing the hikes.

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Q: What benefits have other clients seen from the dog hiking program? 

A: Our clients have reported great results including dogs toning up their muscles and losing excess weight, becoming more obedient through constant training repetition during hikes, and being less anxious and/or destructive at home due to being fulfilled and happy. Some clients have reported better on-leash walks as well—less reactivity towards other dogs on-leash, fewer squirrel lunges and a more relaxed, loose-leash walk overall. Regular exercise and exploration time help keep dogs calm, fit and happy.