Hiking Adventures, Paddleboard Adventures & Training
Let your favorite canine join our pack on some great dog hiking adventures!
Our adventures are ideal for dogs that need exercise, socialization and/or improvement on their manners. It’s a great way for them to release all that pent up energy and will 100% make for a happier dog!
Hiking Adventures
We offer weekly Dog Hiking Adventures. These experiences provide your dog with physical activity, mental stimulation and socialization. Our hikes are 3-4 hours long, out in nature with so many new sights, smells, and sounds for your dog to experience.
During our hikes we take the time to focus on teaching your dog Impulse Control while entering and exiting the vehicle. This is a great behavior for your dog to learn as it addresses the desire to “bolt” when the car door or house door opens.
Trail Manners is another big area of focus during our hikes. Our packs learn to hike together, sit and stay while others pass us on the trails, and to “watch” their pack leader for direction.
Distraction Training is extremely important to your pup’s safety. On our hikes, they will learn to ignore distractions that we encounter during our hike. We will teach them the “watch me” technique to redirect their focus to their Pack leader.
Socialization and Off-Leash play time is important for your pups physical and mental stimulation. Dogs that are trained on 100% recall are allowed to enjoy some off-leash time during our hikes. Fetch off-leash is definitely a favorite with our hikers!
Dog Hiking Options
Weekly Hikes: Includes a 5 mile hike with a pickup/dropoff service* that occurs weekly. We adjust miles during the warmer months according to what the dogs can handle.
Private Hikes: Great one on one time for your dog! Includes a 5 mile hike with a pickup/dropoff service*. Hike can include swimming and fetch (depending on the trail and season). We adjust miles during the warmer months according to what the dogs can handle.
*Transportation to/from is included in our hiking experiences within a certain radius. If located outside of our area, owner is responsible for their own transportation
Paddleboard Adventures
This is a 6-8 hour adventure with pickup/dropoff* service! Your dog will spend the day, out on a Paddleboard with our Trainer, for an amazing experience that includes Swimming too! Group or individual options are available. All dogs must have a life vest in order to participate.
*Transportation to/from is included in our Paddle Board Adventure within a certain radius. If located outside of our area, owner is responsible for their own transportation
Training
Here at Paws on the Path LLC, we offer an E-Collar off-leash dog training program. This is a great way to allow your dog the opportunity to be off-leash so they can roam without having to worry they will run away.
E-collar training is great for dogs that do not have 100% recall, chase people and/or cars, jump on guests, nuisance barking, or show aggression. With an E-collar, a vibration and/or tone correction will work to change the behavior of your dog. Our E-Collar Training is both for your dog and for his/her humans too. We will provide you with “homework” to continue the training at home in between sessions to obtain the most successful training program for your dog.
We also offer a Hiking/E-collar training package. This is great for a nervous dog, dogs that may lack socialization, or dogs that need some training in different areas. This package is a 4-6 week package. We will evaluate each dog individually to determine if they are a good candidate and customize the package to their needs.
Benefits of E-Collar Training
Safety & Communication
During off-leash situations (hiking, playing in an open yard, etc) an e-collar is the fastest and easiest way to communicate with your dog. This is particularly important for dogs that bolt or chase and can find themselves in dangerous situations. Using an e-collar provides immediate feedback to your dog which they respond to better than yelling verbal commands.
Freedom Off Leash
E-Collar training gives your dog FREEDOM to run! What a great way to release all that energy and take comfort in knowing you have control over your dog in the event a dangerous situation presents itself, i.e. chasing another animal while on a hike, running out into the street, etc. Owning a dog that does not have 100% recall can be worrisome and frustrating as an owner. Give your pup some freedom to enjoy all the sights and smells of being outside.
Works When You Are Gone
Most dogs will learn the behavior that is expected of them by wearing an e-collar. This is why it’s important to put the collar on first thing in the morning and take it off before bed. Most dogs do not know if the collar is powered on or off and will tend to exhibit the same good behaviors they show when the collar is powered on. We do recommend rotating the collar every 4 hours from one side to the other as well as removing the collar when swimming or grooming as it’s best to allow the hair and skin to dry first. This is covered during our training program as well.
Testimonials
Here’s what our Clients are saying!
The days Buddy gets to hike are the best days of his week!
Our dog Buddy has been hiking with Paws on the Path since he was less than a year old. Once he gets home from a hike, he’s so tired he plops down to sleep and barely moves for a whole day. It’s obvious he has a blast and really tuckers himself out when he’s with Kaitlyn and her crew. And for us, it’s peace of mind knowing that not only is he getting exercise and he’s not alone all day, but he’s with people that care about him just as much as we do. We can’t recommend Paws on the Path highly enough, and we’re sure Buddy would say the same if he could talk! ~ Naomi
This has been the BEST thing ever!
When my trainer first suggested it, I was very hesitant at first because she was my fourth lab and I had never had my dogs in any type of social program outside of our home. Kaitlyn reassured me that my puppy would truly benefit with the socialization aspect, especially being a puppy full of energy. I also went on to explain that I had an 8 year old lab at the time and she suggested that we try her out too. Suffice it to say, not only my puppy loved her hiking trip but my older lab absolutely loved it so much. knowing they are getting the best care and exercise with kind and compassionate dog loving people taking such good care of them, it just gives me an enormous level of comfort. ~ Joselyn
By far the most important thing we did for Brady!
We knew we wanted to include Brady in our very active life, but that honestly seemed impossible with a high energy dog. As first-time dog parents, we didn’t know where to even begin to make this happen. Kaitlyn knew exactly what to do and she not only taught Brady, but she taught us as well. Shortly after we initiated E-collar training, we were able to have parties, go to outdoor wineries, and hike as a family all while Brady was off-leash and enjoying time with his favorite humans. He loves the freedom and we love being able to see him so happy! ~ Ashley
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this cost and what days are available?
To learn what our rates and availability are for Hiking, E-Collar Training or Paddleboarding, fill out the Contact Us link below and we will respond back to you.
What forms of payment are accepted?
Currently we accept cash or check. Payment is due at the time of pickup or can be paid in advance.
What vaccines does my dog need to have in order to participate?
All dogs must be up to date on Rabies, Distemper and Bordetella (Kennel Cough) vaccines.
Can I drop off and pick up my dog myself?
If you prefer to drop off and pick up your dog from us in Westport, MA you can. Drop off is at 730am and pick up is at 2pm.
What if I don’t live in the pickup/dropoff radius?
If you are located outside of our coverage area, you may be eligible for pickup for an added round trip fee of $15 per hike.
Is there transportation included to/from my home?
We offer a pick up and drop off service (included in your hiking price) if you are in our pick up area.
Pickup from your home is between 7:30 am – 11:30 am. We will send you an estimated pickup time the night prior and when we are on our way the day of.
Drop-Off at your home – we will text you when leaving the trail with an estimated time. If you won’t be home, we will need access to drop off your dog in your home and instructions, i.e. put them in their crate, leave them loose inside, etc.
Contact Us
If you are looking for rates and availability for any of our Services, please email us at pawsonthepathllcva@gmail.com.