1. Apply!
Fill out and submit a New Client Application on the Contact page of our website. Once we receive your information, we’ll call to answer any questions you may have and to schedule a convenient time to have a Meet & Greet with you and your hound in your home.
2. Set up an account
Once we have scheduled a Meet & Greet, we will send you a Welcome Email with a link to set up your free Time to Pet account. Time to Pet is our online scheduling, communication, and billing software. Once you set up your account in Time to Pet, you can access your account 24/7 via the Client Portal on our website, by using any web browser, or with the free Time to Pet app for Android or Apple.
- If we will be entering and exiting your home using a key, we request you provide two sets of keys at the time of the Meet & Greet.
- We require that all dogs have the necessary vaccinations and immunizations before service begins. It is requested a copy of your hound’s vet records be provided during the Meet & Greet.
3. Set up your Hounds profile
After you register your account on Time to Pet, you will fill out a profile for your dog(s) and enter in all their relevant information, to include vet contact information and their health and medication history. You will also be asked to review the Hiking and Water Adventures Service Contract. It might also be a good idea to familiarize yourself with all our company policies, so you can have any questions ready for the Meet & Greet.
4. The Meet & Greet
Please allow up to an hour for this visit. We will introduce ourselves to you and your hound and get to know one another. You can fill us in on all the amazing facts about your hound and we’ll answer any questions you may have. We’ll discuss our services, review our policies, and develop the appropriate adventure plan for your hound.
*Updated Covid-19 restrictions/accommodations for the Meet & Greet:
- Due to Covid-19 restrictions and considerations, we request the majority of the Meet & Greet interview take place on your porch or patio or in your yard – weather permitting. This will allow for all of us to socially distance, but still allow us plenty of opportunity to interact with your hound, review our policies and procedures, set your hound up for services, and answer any questions you might have.
- If you would prefer to do the majority of the Meet & Greet interview over the telephone, we will be happy to do so. However, it will still be important for us to briefly meet with you and your hound INSIDE your home, so your hound can have the experience of having us enter your home and be comfortable with us being inside your home. Please review our Covid-19 policy for additional information.
Because it’s fun and they’ll have a great time! There are lots of benefits to signing your dog up for daily or weekly hiking trips. A dog who is home alone all day often suffers from boredom, and a bored dog often gets himself into trouble. With idle paws and too much extra, pent-up energy, is likely your dog will find ways of releasing that energy in ways we humans don’t like; such as destructive chewing, counter surfing, or excessive jumping and barking. A dog who engages in destructive behaviors cannot be allowed the run of the house while you are away, which often results in the dog being crated for hours at a time. As a dog Mom or Dad, you probably don’t enjoy crating your fur baby for long periods of time. Hiking will get your dog out of the house and out in the great outdoors, where they can run and play, explore and sniff…and burn off that extra energy. A tired dog is a good dog.
Absolutely! According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), an estimated 56% of dogs in the U.S. are overweight or obese. Being a chub can also put your hound at risk for other health problems; including arthritis, skin infections, heart disease, and diabetes. In addition to physical exercise, hiking will also provide your hound with lots of mental stimulation.
Yes! All hounds participating in adventures are expected to be current with their vaccinations and immunizations before services begin. We require owners to provide a copy of current vet records for verification and we request a copy of your hound’s vet records be provided during the Meet & Greet. We also expect owners to keep up with their hound’s flea and tick medication; and in our area, it is recommended pets receive flea and tick medication throughout the year. It is also recommended owners speak to their vet about adding in parasite protection, in addition to flea and tick prevention.
No! And that’s what makes our service so convenient for you. We do it all – pick up and drop off.
We will follow all local, state and federal requirements regarding masking and social distancing. We will conduct as much communication as possible via phone and email. Please see the “Meet & Greet” section of “How Do I Get Started?” for more information about Covid-19 proceedures
Yes! Once you become a client at Outdoor Adventure Hounds, you will have access to the Time to Pet app and webpage. You will be able to book services, make payments, receive custom visit report cards, access all your pet info, schedule visits, and more.
Time to Pet is our online billing and scheduling software. With the app you can access your account 24/7 from any device with internet access. The app is free and available for iPhone and Android. You can use the Client Portal on our website or the Time to Pet app to: schedule services and view upcoming visits, view and pay invoices, communicate with us, and update your contact information or your pet’s information.
We hate cancellations as much as your hound does, but sometimes it happens. If you need to reschedule a service, you can use your Time to Pet App or our webpage to make changes or cancellations. You can also call us directly at #417-220-2477. We understand that plans can change, and we don’t charge for cancellations with adequate notice, However, cancellations made after 7:00am on the day of a scheduled service will be charged full price for the service. In the event we arrive at your home for a scheduled service and we cannot make entry into the home or your hound is not available to hike, we will charge a $30 fee.
We hike year-round, rain or shine. The only reason we would cancel a hike is if the weather or travel is deemed to be hazardous. We dress for the weather, so walking in the rain is not an issue for us. Many dogs hate being outside in the rain, in fact, some dogs aren’t willing to go outside at all when it’s raining. On the other hand, some dogs love it!
Absolutely – the safety and security of your home and your hound is of utmost importance to us. As we will likely be picking up or dropping off your hound when you are not at home, you can arrange to provide us with a key or a door/garage code password. Keys and code data are only labeled with a Client ID number and no names or addresses are ever labeled on keys. Your Hound Hiker will have your residence key or alarm code physically on them when working; and when not in use, all keys and passwords will be kept in a secure and locked location. We require 2 working keys from each client, the 2nd key is kept in the office safe for emergency purposes. All exchanges of physical keys – initial keys and return of keys, will be done in person.
We welcome all hounds who are in good health and able to handle at least a slow, ambling hike. We require all hounds to be up to date with their vaccinations and to be on a year-round tick and flea medication schedule.
We will provide all necessary hiking equipment – leashes, harness, water bowls, etc. All hounds are required to wear a collar or harness, with their owner’s name and phone number on the collar or on a tag. We will also add on an Outdoor Adventure Hounds ID tag when your hound is hiking with us, for identification purposes. We will cover equipment use during the Meet & Greet.
We carefully evaluate each hound to determine the best fit for them. We take into consideration your hounds’ temperament, energy level and size. We will only introduce one new dog to a group at a time.
We’ll pick your hound up in our customized Bark Bus. The Bark Bus is designed with your hound’s comfort and safety in mind and is equipped with air conditioning and heat. Each dog will have their own roomy crate, complete with plush bedding and their favorite toy. During the Meet & Greet, we will discuss any concerns you and your hound might have with vehicle travel or crating. A calm and organized tone for the hike begins during pick-up and is continued during travel. Keeping all the hounds separated during transit ensures not incidental contact takes place between any hounds.
If you signed up for a 1-hour hike, your hound’s paws will be on the trail for at least one hour. Same goes for the time on other hikes. The total amount of time your hound could be gone from home might be approximately 2 -3 hours; due to time spent during pick-up and drop-off, traveling to and from the hiking trails, time spent sprucing up for the ride home, and any other incidentals along the way. So, adding at least 1-2 hours on to the hike time would be an average time.
During the Meet & Greet, we will schedule a FREE first visit. This will ensure your dog is comfortable with us entering your home, loading into our Bark Bus, walking on leash, and interacting with other dogs if going on a group hike. This first hike will last about 15-30 minutes. We encourage hound owners to be present for this first hike.
Yes, always to start. However, if you and your hound can demonstrate your hound has a strong and reliable recall, we can offer off-leash hiking. We leash up all dogs as we get close to the end of the hike for safety reasons. We will go over all leash questions during the meet-and-greet.
An unaltered female or male hound can always go on an individual hike. In order to be included in a group hike; an unaltered female hound will be required to take three weeks off from hiking during her heat cycles and an unaltered male can be included on a group hike in a trial basis. Unaltered males can at times have behavior problems or be bullied by altered males, and this would not be an acceptable situation for a group hike.
We will talk about and assess your dog’s leash skills during the Meet & Greet. We can then review what options are available and make a plan for your hound to get started hiking.
We recommend your hound hike at least once to twice per week. Ideally, the more often your dog can get out, the more benefits both you and your hound will receive. If you would like your hound to hike several times per week, we can set up an alternating schedule such as Tuesday/Thursday or Monday/Wednesday/Friday. We can design a schedule to fit you and your hounds needs.
We use the Time to Pet smartphone app, which uses GPS to time stamp our arrival and departure time at your home. The GPS feature also makes it possible for you to see where your hound was during their hike and the total distance covered. All this information will be sent automatically to you via email and/or text once the visit is complete. This digital report will also include what potty business was done, a photo of your pet and a personal note from the Hound Hiker.
Sure! We can pick up or drop off your hound from your work location, as long as it is located in our service area. In the event you need to board your dog, we can also coordinate with your boarding facility to take your dog out for a hike and return them to the boarding facility, as long as the facility is in our service area. We aim to please both you AND your hound!
Trust is important. We know you’ll want to be familiar with the Hiker who will be spending time with your hound, and that is why we have a Meet & Greet before going on any hikes. You’ll have a chance to get to know your Hound’s Hiker and ask any questions or discuss any concerns. We are fully insured, and all Hound Hikers are certified in Pet First Aid/CPR. We want you to feel confident that your hound is in good hands.
Absolutely! Not all dog’s like to be in a group and that’s ok. We will take your hound out on the same trails and give them some great one-on-one time during the hike.
In many cases, dogs who are not social or who are dog-reactive, will do great on an individual hike. We’ll assess your hound and find the perfect hike for their needs.
We accept debit/credit cards and ACH payments (bank account transfers). All payments can be entered and processed directly through the Time to Pet app or website. Cash payments are not accepted. For single or intermittent services, payment is due prior to the beginning of the service(s) scheduled. For recurring services, we will provide either a weekly or monthly invoice, depending on the services. You will always be able to check your prior and current payments and invoices in the Time to Pet system.
Past due balances will incur a late charge of $20 and this charge will continue to accrue monthly until the balance is paid in full.
At Outdoor Adventure Hounds, we only utilize positive reinforcement training tools and methods. No types of correction collars will be allowed on hikes.
All Hound Hikers are certified in Pet First Aid and CPR. Please refer to our Veterinary Release Form and Emergency Policy for more information.
Bites must be reported to the local authorities as provided by law. You, as the dog’s owner, will be liable for the medical care expenses and damages that result from the dog bite.
The price of our hikes varies by time, please refer to the Hiking Adventures section for specifics. We include pick up and drop off, fresh water and light snacks. We post pictures and/or video daily to our Client Portal and our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/outdooradventurehounds.