Why Dogs (and Their Humans) Choose Hipster Dogs
Most dog walking in Auckland comes down to a quick loop around the block with whoever else is on the route. We built Hipster Dogs to be the opposite of that: proper two-hour adventures in real nature, small packs that actually get along, and handling you can verify. This page is the honest version of our pitch, so you can decide whether we are the right fit for your dog.
What makes us different
Small, matched packs
Dogs are grouped by temperament and energy, not just by suburb or timetable. Calm dogs walk with calm dogs, and every pack is small enough that each dog gets real attention.
Two-hour real adventures
Not a pavement loop. Every outing is a two-hour adventure with fields to run, bush to sniff and streams to splash, with on-lead and off-lead time matched to your individual dog.
40 acres in Oratia
Our packs explore a big, familiar property in the Waitakere foothills: open fields, native bush tracks and fresh streams, a safe and predictable playground your dog gets to know week by week.
Certified, TBTE-grounded handlers
Janet and Ethan are certified through Rhonda Bilodeau’s My Dog Camp programme, grounded in Mark McCabe’s TBTE (Training Between the Ears) system, which builds calm, confident, well-socialised dogs.
Insured and first aid trained
The team is insured and certified, including animal first aid training, with clear emergency plans and a vet relationship ready before it is ever needed.
Door-to-door, wash-down included
Pick up and drop off from your door across West Auckland, you do not need to be home, and every adventure ends with a wash and towel dry before home time. No muddy car, no stress.
The difference, in detail
The difference starts with the format. A two-hour adventure gives a dog what short walks cannot: time to settle, time to explore, time to swim, sniff and play until they are genuinely tired rather than mildly entertained. Dogs come home satisfied, not keyed up, and owners notice the difference in the evening within the first fortnight.
The second difference is how packs are put together. We match dogs by temperament and energy: a bouncy young spaniel does not get dropped in with a gentle older cavoodle and hoped for the best. New dogs start with a free 30-minute meet and greet in your home, then a structured introduction to the calmest compatible dog, then pack time at a pace your dog copes with. That patience is the whole method, and it is why even shy dogs settle in beautifully.
The third difference is accountability. You can verify everything on this page: our certification through Rhonda Bilodeau’s My Dog Camp programme (grounded in Mark McCabe’s TBTE system), our insurance and animal first aid training, our published rates with everything included, and the daily pack photos on our Instagram feed. Good dog walking should be easy to check. Ours is.
Compare us on what matters
Whatever walker you choose, compare on what matters. These are the six checks we would bring to someone else, and how we answer each one:
- Where do the walks happen? A named 40-acre property in Oratia: fields, native bush and fresh streams, not vague somewhere green.
- How big are the packs? Small and matched by temperament and energy, with structured introductions for every new dog.
- How much time is off lead? On-lead and off-lead time is matched to each individual dog, earned through trust and recall.
- What does the price include? Everything: two hours, door-to-door transport and a wash and towel dry. See our published rates.
- What training do you hold? Certification through Rhonda Bilodeau’s My Dog Camp programme, grounded in Mark McCabe’s TBTE (Training Between the Ears) system, plus animal first aid.
- How will I know how the walk went? A settled dog at home time, plus the daily pack on Instagram so you can see the real thing.
What our pack days look like
A pack day looks like this: morning pick ups from Titirangi, Green Bay, Glen Eden, New Lynn, Laingholm and Oratia, then out to the property for two hours of fields, bush tracks and stream swims with the matched pack, then a wash and towel dry, then home, settled and happy. See it for yourself in the gallery, or read exactly what happens on our dog adventure walks. Curious how the pack is put together? That is explained on our group dog walks page.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Hipster Dogs different from other dog walkers in West Auckland?
Three things stand out: the format (two-hour adventure walks, not short pavement loops), the setting (40 acres of fields, bush and streams in Oratia with door-to-door pick up), and the handling (small packs matched by temperament, guided by certified TBTE-grounded handlers).
Are you insured and certified?
Yes. The team is insured and certified, including animal first aid training. Janet and Ethan are certified through Rhonda Bilodeau’s My Dog Camp programme, grounded in Mark McCabe’s TBTE (Training Between the Ears) system.
How many dogs are in a pack?
Packs are kept small and matched by temperament and energy so every dog gets attention and stays safe. We are happy to walk you through exactly how a pack is put together for your dog at the free meet and greet.
What does a two-hour adventure walk cost?
The Adventure Excursion is $50 per dog, all-inclusive: two hours, pick up and drop off, and a wash and towel dry before home time. The Twice the Love walk is $55 plus $20 for each additional sibling from the same home, and the 30-minute meet and greet is free.
Meet us before your dog does
The only real test is your own dog. Book a free 30-minute meet and greet: we come to you, meet your dog in their own territory, answer every question on this page and map out exactly how they would join a pack.
Prefer to read first? See how our dog walking adventures work, step by step.