Canine Concierge

Make sure your four-legged bestie gets the exercise they deserve

By Irene Middleman Thomas

Kath Allen has coordinated 50,000 dog hikes. Times four legs—that’s a lot of paw prints that happy pups are leaving across Colorado. “In 2016, I left corporate life to start Hike Doggie,” she says. “Our vision is to create unforgettable outdoor experiences for dogs, ensuring their physical and emotional well-being while fostering a deep bond between them and their human families.”

The Denver-based professional dog hiking service recently signed a franchise deal with Matt Gray, extending the brand’s reach into Boulder, Arvada, Broomfield, Louisville/Superior, Erie and Lafayette. “My dog trainer showed me the brochure on Hike Doggie, and it was everything I was looking for wrapped into one,” Gray, a first-time entrepreneur, says. An avid outdoorsman, as well as a dog lover, he’s enthusiastic about expanding into Boulder County.

With some 40 percent of all Boulder residents owning at least one dog, it’s a smart business move. The city’s abundant dog parks, hiking trails and pet-friendly establishments, such as off-leash areas, make it a haven for dog and nature fans.

Hike Doggie offers door-to-door service and hours-long hikes in the Colorado wilderness, year-round. Dogs can be picked up at their homes, boarding centers or training facilities. They are bathed before being returned and enjoy post-hike snacks such as apple “freezies” in the summer or beef soup in the winter.

Customer Donna Stockman enthusiastically notes that her dog has a new personality since getting involved with Hike Doggie. “Cierra is an anxious dog,” she says. “But now, she literally runs and jumps into the big blue van! She does well with the pack mates and comes home happy and tired.”

According to Dr. Hatley McMicking, of Pearl Street Animal Hospital in Boulder, dogs need their minds worked just as much as their bodies, and hiking is an excellent way to satisfy both. The hospital offers Hike Doggie subscribers an exclusive veterinary care discount. “It’s important your dog is in good health before hitting the trails,” she notes. “Most young to middle-aged healthy dogs benefit from a once-weekly hike, if not more often. As we lose daylight going into winter, it gets more challenging to be active with our dogs. “

The Hike Doggie Flatirons bus, nicknamed the “Zen Den,” holds 12 dogs in separate kennels. The dogs are picked up, then driven to a mountain trail for a two-hour, on-leash hike and small group socialization before being dropped off back home. Travel to the trails is at most 45 minutes. Most customers sign up for a weekly hike, but some opt for more often. The dogs are grouped by their speed and temperament, with no more than four dogs assigned to each handler. “Safety is our number one priority,” Gray says. 

For more information, visit hikedoggie.com