WHERE ARE YOU BASED?

Epping Forest Explorers are based in Chingford, North-East London, and cover the surrounding areas of Highams Park, Woodford, Buckhurst Hill & beyond - just drop me a quick email via the contact page if you're a little further out to discuss!

WILL WE MEET BEFORE ANY WALKS TAKE PLACE?

Yes! I will arrange a free in person consultation, for a chat & to get to know you & your dog. This is a great time to discuss any needs & ask any questions you may have. 

DO YOU COLLECT / DROP OFF THE DOGS?

Yes, I will collect & drop off each dog to their home at the agreed upon time. Please note - this time is not included in your dogs walk, to ensure they get the most out of your booking, & maximum adventure time too!

DO I NEED TO BE HOME WITH MY DOG FOR PICK-UP / DROP OFF?

Nope, if you are comfortable sharing a set of keys, I am happy to pick up your dog & drop them back home after! 

WHEN ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO WALK MY DOG?

Anytime between the hours of 9-4pm Monday - Thursday! Unfortunately we are currently all booked up on Fridays until further notice, but please do get in touch in case anything changes / or you are very local. Additional, out of hours & public holiday walks can be arranged with good notice also. Weekend walks & drop ins that are arranged in advance (providing I have the availability) will be set at an additional cost - please see our services page for info on costs & more info. 

WILL I BE UPDATED IN PICTURES ABOUT MY DOGS WALK?

You sure will! I will be sure to take lots of photos to share with all dog parents following their walks! If you are comfortable, I would also love to use the photos for our socials, where i'll get permission from you when you sign up with your dogs info. In addition, I am always very careful not to share our specific locations in the forest online, for extra safety, the location will simply read 'Epping Forest'.

WILL I BE ABLE TO TEXT YOU ABOUT MY DOG?

Please do! - I will set up a Whatsapp chat between myself and new clients to keep you in the loop!

ARE YOU FIRST AID TRAINED?

I am! I am up to date, first aid CPD trained. 

ARE YOU INSURED?

Yes, I am fully insured with Protectivity. 

DO YOU WALK DOGS OFF LEAD?

Yes, I do with my own girl, Sumo. However I would only do so once I have got to know your dog & I am confident they have a strong recall with me. Long lines will be provided so your dog can always join in the fun, whilst still staying safe. For everyones peace of mind. Once I'm confident (& you are too!) that your dog will safely be able to walk off lead with me, with a solid recall, I will ask you to sign an off lead agreement with me, & then we are good to go! 

MY DOG IS REACTIVE, CAN YOU WALK THEM INDIVIDUALLY?

Yes! As you may have read my story, I too have a reactive dog, and know very well the challenges both our dogs & ourselves face while out and about on walks, it isn't as simple as just a walk for some dogs, many cannot handle public places, other dogs, noises and so on...& I fully understand this. For reactive, fearful or anxious dogs, I would recommend a solo sniffy walk. That way I can ensure they have some dedicated one-on-one time, receive the care & attention they need, in order to be prepared for each scenario / your dogs trigger we may encounter in the wild. For reactive dogs, I would begin by driving to one of my carefully selected quiet or slightly more remote parts of the forest, to ensure the less triggers the better, armed with treats & a ball, we would walk, play games, & most importantly we would do some nose-work finding treats, should you dog like this game. I play this with my dog on our walks - as you may know, that using their nose is as tiring as exercise. Win Win! My dog loves it, & always returns home nice & tired, ready for a big old snooze! Of course, please do let me know your dogs specific requirements & I will always do my best to accommodate to their needs, because all dogs deserve a great outdoors adventure, however that may look for them!

I HAVE MORE THAN ONE DOG, IS THERE A DISCOUNT FOR BOOKING?

Sure is! Multi dog households will receive a 10% discount on each additional dog, per walk. 

WHAT HAPPENS ON RAINY DAYS?

We will get wet, and we will get muddy! Be prepared! I can recommend kitting your dog out with a nice warm Equafleece ready for their adventures! Which would be best left at the door for me to put on them at pick up. Returning home I will do my best to give your dog a quick dry off before we enter the car, but a towel left by the front door for our return on rainy days would be much appreciated...I cannot promise they will be 100% clean & dry, but I will at least try to protect your house from extra muddy shakes! 

MY DOG HATES THE RAIN, WHAT IF I HAVE BOOKED IN ADVANCE & IT'S RAINING THAT DAY?

Unfortunately, due to the weather being so unpredictable, I am unable to cancel on the day if we have a pre-arranged walk booked & paid for. You can cancel up to 3 days in advance, however anything within the 3 days will still need to be paid for if it is pre-arranged. Please see T's & C's for more info. 

WHAT HAPPENS ON HOT DAYS?

During the peak summer months & high temperatures, I will do my very best keep a close eye on the temperature throughout the days & notify you ASAP should it be too hot to walk that day. Walks may need to be shortened or swapped to drop-in's, where we would play enrichment games, go in the garden for your dog to do their business! & play some tiring but fun nose-work games inside your house or garden. On days it's safe to walk - the dogs will always have water available on walks, the car will be kitted out with cool mats & air con whilst being transported. As our walks are Forest based, you can be confident in the fact that I am prepared for shady undercover walks, in specific trails I know are fully covered... to keep those paws nice & cool! I have a parking permit for all Epping Forest Car Parks, & know which ones have easy access to shade without walking on hot tarmac. I've done my research don't you worry! During the walks, we would have short rest breaks where we find a good rest spot to sit & cool off with a drink & a cool snack such as Blueberries, Carrots or a nice cool Dog safe bit of veg from my cool bag along the way!

MY DOG WEAR A MUZZLE, CAN THEY JOIN IN THE FUN?

Yes of course! All dogs are assessed on their personality & temperament rather than them wearing a muzzle! Upon meeting for the first time, we can discuss your dogs specific needs, & I can assess the best way to walk them, should that be a pack walk or a solo walk. All dogs deserve a great walk a day, & I will do my best to make that happen. 

DO I NEED TO PREPARE ANYTHING FOR MY DOG'S WALK?

All dogs will need to be wearing a collar with your name and number on. Please leave a harness for your dog where I could find it upon pick-up, this is needed to ensure they are safely attached to the long line / lead on walks. Even if your dog is safe to join our walks off lead, a harness is still preferred should I need to grab them quickly for whatever reason! 

HOW MUCH ARE WALKS, AND FOR HOW LONG?

Each walk is for a standard 30 minutes, however I do offer a 1hr walk also for the more energetic! Please see my services page for timings & costs. 

I HAVE OTHER PETS, DO YOU DO DROP INS?

You bet! Drop in's for cats & small animals are covered too, just let me know about your pet & their requirements via the contact page, or go straight ahead to the New Client form if you are ready to book, with a note mentioning your pet & all info needed. Please note, that does not include cleaning of cages, hutches & so on.