Auckland Dog Walking & Pet Care FAQ

Like people, every dog is unique. We follow a careful process to ensure we find the perfect "best fit" for your mate’s personality and energy level before they join us for Auckland dog walking.

Curated Dog Pack Walks: Suited to easy-going dogs who thrive socially. By maintaining a strict limit of four dogs per walker (with up to two independent groups out exploring at any one time), we ensure your dog gets the undivided attention and safe environment they deserve.

A major benefit of our group adventures is that between the customized transport routing and a full 1-hour active walk, your dog will enjoy between 1.5 to 3 hours out of the house! Candidates must:

• Be at least 12 months old and vet-endorsed for a full 1-hour walk.
• Be social, calm, and tolerant in a group setting.
• Have highly reliable recall (if they are to be allowed off-lead).

Bespoke Solo Dog Walking: If your dog prefers their own company, requires a slower pace, or is still building public confidence, Solo sessions provide 100% focused handler attention.

We offer a highly secure, frictionless home access process. You are welcome to supply your own key lockbox for us to use, or if you become a regular weekly walking client, we will gladly supply a secure lockbox for you! This ensures we can safely pick up and drop off your dog while keeping your home and keys completely secure at all times.

We walk rain or shine! Rainy days are often some of the most fun (and remember, we have our portable warm water wash-down system to clean muddy paws before drop-off!). If you have a winter or rain jacket for your dog, simply leave it out and we will gladly fit it before we head out.

Please note: For the ultimate safety of the dogs, in the event of extreme heavy rain, severe storms, or abnormal summer heatwaves, walks may be shortened or called off entirely at our professional discretion.

Absolutely! We frequently get asked if we can accommodate ad-hoc casual walks for busy weeks, or if we can visit dogs just outside our standard service map. The answer is yes, whenever our daily schedule permits! Please contact us directly to discuss your specific location and needs.

Designed for growing puppies needing puppy visits in Auckland, and senior hounds who prefer a quieter pace, these visits happen right in your home while you work.

Our dog check-in service includes midday toilet breaks, feeding, gentle play, basic training reinforcement, short neighbourhood walks where suitable, and cleaning up accidents. It is the perfect way to maintain your dog's routine and give you total peace of mind.

Young dogs have fragile growth plates, so we follow the vet-recommended "5-Minute Rule" (5 minutes of structured walking per month of age):

• 8 to 16 Weeks: 30-minute home visits with up to 10–20 minutes of structured walking. We can even bring Elvis along for safe yard playdates!
• 4 to 8 Months: 45-minute training sessions, allowing for custom travel to local reserves for long-line recall practise.
• 12+ Months (Large Breeds 18+ Months): Graduation to full 1-hour pack walks once growth plates have safely fused.

Yes. We offer comprehensive holiday pet sitting services to keep your home secure and your dog happy:

• Home Check-ins: Midday feeding, companionship, and a household refresh (bringing in mail/bins).
• Auckland In-Home Dog Minding (Existing Clients Only): As an exclusive VIP perk for our regular mates, we offer overnight in-home sitting if you prefer your dog stays in their own home.
• Weekend Walks: Available to maintain their regular exercise routine while you travel.

We operate a purpose-built, temperature-monitored van with fixed individual crates. We offer elite pet transport Auckland-wide:

• Local Kennel & Vet Runs: Safe, door-to-door concierge transfers to local boarding facilities or vet clinics.
• VIP Direct North Island Travel: A dedicated, completely private same-day relocation service anywhere in the North Island. Your pet is the sole VIP occupant on a non-stop express journey.

Please contact us directly for a bespoke transport quote.

We exclusively service Central Auckland, City West, and the Eastern Bays with a dedicated focus on being the most reliable dog walker in your area:

• The Eastern Bays: St Heliers, Kohimarama, Mission Bay, Orakei, Glendowie, Wai o Taiki Bay.
• The Central Hub: Remuera, Parnell, Epsom, Mt Eden, Newmarket, Onehunga, One Tree Hill, Greenlane, Ellerslie, Mt Wellington, Stonefields, Meadowbank, St Johns.
• City West: Herne Bay, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn.

Yes. We are officially vetted and registered as an Auckland Council approved dog walker, operating in full compliance with current regulations.

To maintain a safe, calm, and harmonious environment during our group dog walks, all adult dogs must be spayed or neutered.

We understand many veterinarians recommend waiting until large breed puppies have fully developed before desexing. Intact puppies and young dogs are more than welcome in our Puppy Visits and Bespoke Solo Walks until they reach the vet-recommended age to join the social pack.

To protect our collective packs, we require all dogs to be up to date with vaccinations, worming, and flea treatments. Furthermore, all dogs must be safely microchipped and hold a current local council registration. We can only provide services once we have verified this information.

We strongly believe in positive reinforcement! We supply and generously reward brilliant pack etiquette with our own high-quality protein snacks. If your dog has specific allergies or dietary requirements, simply let us know during your Meet & Greet so we can accommodate them perfectly.

We use client-provided leads and collars to ensure they are in safe working order. To maintain a hospital-grade environment, our custom van crates are rigorously cleaned and sanitised after every single use.

To provide a highly reliable service to all of our clients, we operate under a structured booking and cancellation policy.

For comprehensive details regarding payments, reschedules, refunds, our transport disclaimer, and social media usage, please review our official policies here:

👉 View the Hound Mates Terms of Service