Your first Packmates walk: a friendly guide to etiquette
What to expect and how to behave on your first walk with new dog owners: arriving, first hellos, pace, poo bags, leaving gracefully and following up.
The Packmates blog
Notes from the walk.
Friendly, practical advice for walking with other owners and their dogs. We cover reading body language, finding good routes, staying safe and meeting your kind of company, all written by dog owners for dog owners around the UK.
Practising recall around other dogs
A friendly, reward-based way to build a reliable recall when other dogs are about, using long lines, great treats and a very good plan.
City park loops for busy owners
Short on time? A friendly guide to city park dog walks, from Hampstead Heath to Sutton Park, with tips on lead rules, signs and fitting walkies into a busy day.
UK outdoor hazards: ticks, adders, algae and grass seeds
A calm guide to the natural hazards UK dog walkers meet: ticks and Lyme disease, adders, blue-green algae and grass seeds, and what to do about each.
Walking together when you live alone
Living alone with a dog can mean long, quiet days. A gentle guide to finding walking company, building a routine and looking after yourself.
Organising a breed meet that everyone enjoys
How to plan a friendly breed meet with Packmates: choosing a place, writing the listing, welcoming newcomers and keeping every dog comfortable.
Walking a senior dog with company
Shorter, slower, sniffier walks suit older dogs. Here is how to adapt, what to watch for, and how a Senior / slow walk with friends can help.
The Countryside Code for dog walkers, in plain English
What the Countryside Code means for dog owners: effective control, lead rules around livestock, bagging and binning waste, and what to do if cattle chase you.
What Proof of woof is, and why we ask for it
Proof of woof is one private selfie with your dog. Here is what it is for, who sees it, and how it fits with email and phone checks on Packmates.
Woodland walks and why dogs love them
Why woods are a sniffing paradise for dogs, plus friendly advice on nesting season, deer, livestock and keeping a woodland walk happy for everyone.
Introducing a puppy to other dogs, gently
A calm, kind approach to puppy meet-ups: waiting for vaccinations, choosing the right dogs, keeping hellos short and ending on a high.
The dog-friendly pub after the walk
A walk ends best with a drink and a sit-down. How to enjoy a dog-friendly pub with new walking friends, and keep your dog safe and well behaved.
Canal towpath walks with dogs
Flat, quiet and full of interest: a friendly guide to canal towpath dog walks, with tips for cyclists, locks, deep water and weed.
Dark evenings and winter walks: be seen, stay warm
Practical tips for winter dog walks in the UK: being visible, lit routes, cold weather care, antifreeze, icy paths and why company makes dark evenings better.
Your dog's profile: size, energy and lead manners
How to fill in your dog's Packmates profile honestly: size, energy, lead behaviour and comfort around other dogs, and why accuracy gets you better walks.
Lead reactivity and why Needs space walks exist
If your dog barks or lunges on the lead around other dogs, you are not alone. How Needs space walks work, and how to make the most of them kindly.
New to an area? Finding dog walking company
Moved house, started a new job or just visiting? How to find friendly dog walking company in a place where you do not know anyone yet.
Dog-friendly beaches and seasonal bans, explained
Many UK beaches restrict dogs in summer. Here is how seasonal dog bans usually work, how to check before you go, and how to enjoy the sand all year.
Walking dogs in hot weather: keeping cool and safe
How to walk your dog safely when it is warm: the five second pavement test, spotting heatstroke, cooler walk times, water, shade and never leaving a dog in a car.
Writing a walk listing people say yes to
How to post a Packmates walk that attracts the right company: choosing a type, picking tags, being honest about pace and describing a good meeting point.
Reading dog body language on a group walk
How to spot relaxed, unsure and overwhelmed dogs on a shared walk, what to do when you see the signs, and why your own dog's whole body matters.
Walking the Chilterns with your dog
Beech woods, chalk hills and big skies: a friendly guide to Chilterns dog walks, from Ivinghoe Beacon to Ashridge, with tips for livestock, kites and mud.
How Packmates works, from first look to first walk
A plain-English tour of Packmates: how walks are posted, how you ask to join, how plans are agreed privately and how meeting points stay public.
Meeting a stranger for a dog walk, safely
Sensible, friendly habits for meeting someone new for a dog walk: choosing a public place, telling a friend, trusting your gut and knowing how to leave.
Why dogs love regular walking friends
A walk with the same few friendly faces beats a new route every day. Why regular walking friends suit dogs and owners, and how to find yours.