Harpers Hounds

Harpers Hounds 🐾 On leash pack walker specializing in reactivity

🐾 Behaviour modification and training

🐾 Slatmill running

🐾 5+ years experience Walks are 45 minutes long.
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Harpers Hounds offers on leash only dog walking in the Hamilton area. Specialising in reactive dogs. Maximum of 8 dogs per pack. Public liability insurance. No dog parks. Operating since July 2020.

27/11/2025

Part Three ✅

I put countless hours into training my dogs and setting them up for success.

The reality of working with dogs is, they can still have off days.

Maybe they aren't feeling well. Maybe they haven't had a walk in a few days. Maybe something has changed in their lives and they are affected by it.

Weeks and months can go by with zero incidents and relatively smooth walks. Then one walk can go quite badly and the pack is on edge.

It only takes one dog to change the dynamic, which is why adding dogs to existing packs takes time.

If something is out of the ordinary, the owner is the first to know. My most common example is a dog reacting out of character, and learning down the track that there was an unknown health issue going on.

That is why it is so important to keep the owners notified of any changes, big or small.

25/11/2025

NAIL TRIMMING ✂️

Hands up if you struggle to cut your dogs nails.

This is a very common issue amongst dog owners.
Many dogs develop a severe aversion to anybody touching their feet and nails, resulting in ongoing problems with gait and care.

Reasons can range from improper training, an unfortunate injury that has caused the dog to become sensitive in that area, i. e. cutting a nail too short (guilty🙋)

It is easy to avoid doing as to not cause the dog stress, however, issues will be caused in other areas.

Daily stressors are unavoidable, and it is about teaching our dogs coping mechanisms so that a necessary task can be completed safely.

Stella here used to hate her nails being touched.
She also hated being washed.

How is this resolved?

Training. Practice. Repetition.

I trim my dogs nails every week. Sometimes they don't need doing, but I keep up the routine anyway. I taught Stella to offer her little feet. She knows good things come from this. She knows it's not a big deal.

Staying 100% calm and not treating it like a major event also help. You also need a solid sit, down, and wait command.

Run Mozart Run 😂I think he wanted to join Tony's pack.Tony has really done an amazing job with Kylo. He used to flip rig...
25/11/2025

Run Mozart Run 😂

I think he wanted to join Tony's pack.

Tony has really done an amazing job with Kylo. He used to flip right out even if the dog was across the street.

Another win for walking reactive dogs with other dogs to help teach them new behaviours.

25/11/2025

Part Two ✅

Setting rules and boundaries is critical in the dog walking business. Without them, the dogs make their own decisions, and that is how things can go wrong.

🚫 Enforcing Thresholds = Not allowing the dogs to jump out of my car without permission.

You will note that Stella is very excited and forward in the car.

1. The dogs were all excited. They knew something was going on. We usually don't have a cameraman right there sticking equipment in their face.

2. I asked her to sit and she doesn't. I don't let it go, because blowing off a command is not acceptable. If I allow it, what command will she ignore next?

🪢 Tying the dogs to me = No dropped leads, and no escaped dogs. It can happen, I've seen it happen and the consequences of it happening.

📷 All walks are recorded for the entirety of the walk. If anything happens, it's caught on camera. Roaming dog, or a dog off lead? Can't argue who is at fault with video evidence.

💯 Top Quality Gear only. This means no breakages, no dodgy plastic clasps and no frayed leads.

All of the above ensures the safety of the crew while we are out and about, just trying to enjoy our walk together.

24/11/2025

Part One ✅

How the plans, processes and protocols matter when you are walking groups of dogs together.

Anybody can pick up some leads, advertise on Facebook and suddenly become responsible for other people's dogs.

The main issue I have is young teenagers offering this as a service as they have a family dog, and therefore have "experience" or young kids doing it with adult supervision.

The reality is, dogwalking is incredibly dangerous and requires a particular set of skills. Skills that have been crafted with time, mentorship, seminars, and real world experience with dozens, if not hundreds, of dogs.

Roaming dogs are my most common issue. Some run at you as soon as they see you have a dog. Is your twelve year old willing to deal with a dog wanting to bite them? Who pays the vet bills if the dog you are walking gets bitten? What happens if you drop the lead and the dog runs onto the road or gets lost?

So many factors, so many risks. It is best left to the professionals.

22/11/2025

For a long time, I have wanted to film a video that shows exactly how I operate.

All of my processes are done for specific reasons, the main one being keeping the dogs safe.

Working primarily with reactive dogs, I wanted to showcase how difficult it is to walk a pack of dogs in residential areas. Professional dogwalking should not be a hobby and should be treated like any serious business. Safety protocols, insurances and experience should be a non negotiable.

Training and exposure is vital, and I wanted to demonstrate the reality of dogwalking. Although they are well trained, the dogs can still have off days, and it is my job to manage that.

Stay tuned for parts two, three and four!

Happy 6th Birthday Addie! 🎂Aka Addie BaddieAka The Wriggle MonsterA dog ran at us today and she didn't move. As much as ...
20/11/2025

Happy 6th Birthday Addie! 🎂

Aka Addie Baddie
Aka The Wriggle Monster

A dog ran at us today and she didn't move. As much as I detest roaming dogs, the silver lining is you get to see how their training has progressed.

I will always advocate that some forms of reactivity are best helped by the presence of other dogs.

Structured, calm, controlled walking = structured, calm, controlled brain.

Does this always work? Yes and no. It depends on the dog and their physical and mental requirements.

But can it help overall? Yes. I have had dogs where you can work on reactivity for a year and not get the same results as walking them for a month with other dogs.

Is it an under rated method? Yes. But you need the right dogs to set the tone, and that is where you need a professional who has the right type of dogs.

I have always felt incredibly proud that all three of my personal dogs have helped to grow and develop other dogs.

Thor was a big contributor in Addie's progress, as was Omega and Reef 💙 Yeap, she is better with males, so I worked that to my advantage. Start with successes and begin those alternate behaviour pathways.

Knowing what dogs will work together is also key.

When you're a mop, but a cute mop 💙
18/11/2025

When you're a mop, but a cute mop 💙

Mr Arlo's DNA results are in! 🥁🥁Not surprisingly, Greyhound and Whippet feature (we gathered that from the 41ks on the s...
12/11/2025

Mr Arlo's DNA results are in! 🥁🥁

Not surprisingly, Greyhound and Whippet feature (we gathered that from the 41ks on the slatmill).

American Bulldog was a surprise, as well as no Rhodesian Ridgeback 🤷 It does explain his personality though 😂

I always love seeing the dogs DNA results because I am always wrong.

Where we started vs where we are now 😂😂Well done Oona 💜 I sits. I grin.Insane week of weather. Everything is better when...
07/11/2025

Where we started vs where we are now 😂😂

Well done Oona 💜 I sits. I grin.

Insane week of weather. Everything is better when it is weather like this 🌞

This week I was privileged to walk three of Carol's dogs from Cambridge Dog Walking.Why is it a privilege? Because trust...
07/11/2025

This week I was privileged to walk three of Carol's dogs from Cambridge Dog Walking.

Why is it a privilege? Because trusting another dog walker with your clients dogs is not an easy feat.

Having met all three dogs on previous occasions, they were all happy to come along with me.

Meet Nellie, George and Bodhi.

All were super well behaved and a delight to walk. Plus super cute to boot.

Thank you Carol for trusting me with them ❤️

Farewell Loki 😭 I did say nobody was allowed to move away. I've walked this little dude from the very start of my dog wa...
31/10/2025

Farewell Loki 😭 I did say nobody was allowed to move away.

I've walked this little dude from the very start of my dog walking journey.

When I first met him, he was a reactive crackhead, scared of his own shadow and terrible on lead.

He went from that to me being able to put him in any pack because he was no trouble. And he has been in every pack. He met everyone 💙

Five years is a long time, and I will dreadfully miss that little face.

All the best in Taupo monkey. Thank you for teaching me all about little dogs and thank you for being my pal in the front seat xx

Address

Hamilton
3204

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 7:30am - 4:30pm

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