Walks & wellbeing
When you ring Holty Paws for the first time, we’d love to hear what a good walk looks like for your dog. You know the friend they’re always pleased to see, the muddy path they’d choose every time, and the things they’re still a little unsure of. That’s where we start. And if this is the first time you’ve asked someone else to walk them, there’s room in that conversation for how you feel about it, too.
We collect dogs from home across 27 areas of South Hampshire. You can check your collection area below.
Gabby, founder of Holty Paws & Hooves
A woodland walk at Whiteley Woods, one of the places in our Walking Ideas guide.
A meet and greet before the first walk
Before we arrange a first walk, we meet you and your dog together. Some dogs bring a toy straight over to a new visitor. Others would quite like to watch from beside you for a while. Either is a lovely place to begin. If yours prefers a little distance, we can sit and chat with you and give them time to come over when they’re ready.
We talk about the ordinary details of going out together. How do you put their harness on? Do they like a lively walking companion, or do they prefer one who’ll happily investigate the same patch of grass with them? It’s your chance to see how we are with your dog and ask us anything that’s been on your mind. Between us, we can work out whether a small group walk would suit them. If we think they’d be happier walking one-to-one, we’ll talk that through with you.
A familiar face at the door
On collection day, what you told us at the meet and greet comes into its own. If your dog likes a quiet hello before their lead goes on, that’s a useful thing for their walker to know. We keep those details in your dog’s notes and share them within the team. Our walkers support one another, and if you’d like your dog to meet a new walker with you there, that’s something we want to hear.
We travel by car because so many dogs already know the pleasure of a drive. When I started the business, I wanted another family’s dog to have the kind of journey I’d have chosen for my own dog, Harvey. For the dogs who enjoy it, there’s a window to look out of and a pal to sit beside. We fit each dog’s harness and secure it with a tether before setting off. If getting into a car is a big step for yours, tell us how you manage it at home so we can take that into account.
From our walking album
Places you may recognise
Woodland paths, open skies and a little time by the water. Here are a few of the places in our Walking Ideas guide, photographed through the seasons.
A shoreline stroll at Chilling.
A quiet moment at Hamble River Country Park.
Open skies at Royal Victoria Country Park.
Explore our local Walking Ideas · See all 27 home collection areas
An hour out with their walking companions
Who comes along matters. A playful dog may be delighted to find someone who enjoys a chase. A quieter dog may get just as much pleasure from walking alongside a friend without being drawn into a game. We think about the mix of personalities, the space in the car and the group each walker can comfortably care for. Keeping our walks small gives us time to notice who’s looking for company and who would like a bit of room.
On one outing at Cams, Maja kept the dogs company while I hid toys in the long grass for them to find. We also spent time down by the shoreline, letting them follow their noses and explore for themselves. I love having room for both in the same walk. On your dog’s first outing we’re interested in what they choose to do when they have that freedom to join in or potter alongside us.
The dogs have an hour out walking, with the car journeys separate from that time. Your walker checks in and checks out for the visit, and we track the walk itself. The route records where we went. What we notice along the way gives us something much more personal to tell you when we get back.
The little moments we love to share
A run with a friend, a nose turned towards the camera, a photograph to enjoy when you’re back home. A few moments from our walks together.
Ears flying on a sunny walk.
Room to play at Beacon Hill.
A moment with their walking pals.
Back home, and news of their day
A good walk can leave quite a bit of Hampshire on a dog’s paws. We carry a wash in the car so we can rinse off muddy paws and coats, then towel your dog dry before we take them back indoors. Afterwards, your walker sends a feedback report with photos. Bentley’s family in Locks Heath wrote about the fun he has with his pals and the photos that let them see it for themselves.
Especially after a first walk, we know there’s more you might want to ask than a photograph can tell you. Did your dog settle in the car? Did they seek out the others or stay close to their walker? Ask us. We’re here to listen and to tell you what we saw, including anything they seemed unsure about.
You see the part of their day we miss. Hearing how they were when you came home helps us understand them a little better. If something suited them particularly well, or you’d like us to do something differently, we can talk it over as a team and tell you what we can do on their next walk.
Do you collect from my area?
We collect from homes in the following areas of South Hampshire.
Bishop’s Waltham, Bitterne, Botley, Burridge, Bursledon, Curdridge, Fareham, Gosport, Hamble, Harefield, Hedge End, Locks Heath, Lowford, Netley, Park Gate, Sarisbury Green, Sholing, Stubbington, Swanmore, Swanwick, Titchfield, Waltham Chase, Warsash, West End, Whiteley, Wickham and Woolston.
If you’re close to the edge of a route or would like to ask about a particular day, send us your postcode and tell us a little about your dog.
See our dog walks and all 27 areas
Get in touch with Gabby and the team
With warm wishes, Gabby and the Holty Paws team
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