I’m a dog photographer, so I spot doggy things. I’ve been seeing packwalkers, and am absolutely amazed at how, when you see them, all the dogs are in a calm follow, none of them are pulling on the lead. What makes it even more impressive, is the number of dogs they usually walk at the same time.

I find it SO interesting! Cassie from The Dog Squad (aka Cassie’s Canines) (website I facebook I instagram) let my camera and I join one of their pack walks. Besides learning about the packwalking industry, I think I’ve picked up a trick or two I can use in my dog photography, and certainly advise on how to teach my own puppy Max to walk nicely on lead.

I always thought that packwalkers must have some kind of voodoo or magician tricks, or perhaps a total alpha vibe where dogs just listen to you….. but it turns out, it’s not so.

We had such a good time on our walk, chatting and making photos, we only got to making the video afterwards when we were driving back to start dropping the doggos back home.

These were some of my favourite photos from the day - video after

Watch this video to find out how dog walkers manage to walk dogs so well, how they train them to walk like angels, what Cassie’s most difficult thing is about her job among many other questions.

Interview with adventure packwalker Cassie's Canines in Auckland. As a dog photographer I'm fascinated with how dog walkers manage so many at a time. Cassie ...

Click on the video👆 to see what dog adventure & packwalker Cassie’s Canines says about working with and training dogs.


The questions from the day:

  • What is an adventure pack walker

  • How long are your adventures

  • Tell us about Cassie’s Canines

  • Where can people find you or get hold of you

  • What is the most difficult thing about adventure walking

  • How do you get dogs to behave so well

  • Do you sometimes get a dog that acts out and how do you deal with that

  • Do you get the dog’s house keys

  • Do you teach owners the new commands

  • Are dogs better behaved after walking with you

  • How dirty do they get

  • Do you clean them before you give them back to owners

  • How far do you walk

  • What’s one thing dog owners do that really bugs you

  • What’s the one thing you’d love to teach dog owners

  • How to get your dog to walk nicely on lead

  • How to teach your dog to be calm


If you’re keen to look into pack/ adventure walking for your own dog:

 
“Pack walkers I would recommend, only because I have walked with them many times, they have lots of experience and I trust them with my own dogs. They run pretty similarly to us but everyone has their own style.”
— Cassie (The Dog Squad, aka Cassie's Canines)
 

For other Auckland areas, find other recommended dog walkers:

North shore Devonport dog pack adventure walker

Cassie’s Canines (now known as The Dog Squad) offers dog adventure pack walking in North Shore, Dairy Flat, Coatsville, Silverdale.

Paws in line dog pack walker in Devonport

West Auckland dog walker

The Dog Squad offers dog adventure pack walking in Kumeu, Tuapaki, Riverhead and Waimauku.

Pack Social - Daycamp for Dogs service Blockhouse Bay, Avondale, Green Bay, New Lynn, Titirangi, Laingholm, Glen Eden, Te Atatu Sth, Te Atatu Peninsula and some surrounding areas.

Woof Pack dog walks service West Auckland of Massey, Swanson, Ranui, Glen Eden, Henderson, Glendene, Te Atatu (incl peninsula). Woof pack offers dog training Auckland wide.

Kim's K9s dog adventure walker service West Auckland and parts of the city. Areas are West Auckland, Swanson, Henderson and Ranui.

Central Auckland dog adventure pack walkers

Woof Pack dog walks in Avondale, Rosebank, Mt Albert, Pt Chevalier.

Kim’s K9s adventure walkers walk dogs from Point Chev, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay.

Other Auckland areas

 

If you battle to find an adventure packwalker in your area, DM one of the above mentioned packwalkers. They’re a close knit community who can refer you to the right person servicing your area.

Thank you so much Cassie for having Yellow Lab along, sharing your advice and not walking 10 km on the day we joined you. It was an experience! I thought having so many dogs walking towards you could be a frightening thing, but they are SO calm, and they feed of your amazing, positive energy, it was SO good <3 Thanks!

I usually photograph dogs, and dogs and their family, but if you’re a doggy business in need of some new behind the scenes and professional photographs for your website and social media, flick me a mail at [email protected]

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