Structured Group Hiking for Dogs in Barrie & Midhurst

Give your dog more than a walk—a fulfilling, founder-led group hiking adventure designed for real exercise, socialization, and confidence-building on local trails.

Why Choose a Hike Instead of a Walk?

At Run The Dog, we offer structured pack walks and running why not offer hiking? What makes a hiking service different?

Many working, hunting, and herding breeds were built to move, explore, follow scents, and cover ground. For some dogs, a walk around the neighbourhood simply doesn’t provide the level of physical and mental stimulation they crave.

Taking your dog into the forest gives them an entirely different experience. New trails, changing terrain, wildlife scents, fresh environments, and the freedom to safely explore off leash allow your dog to walk, run, sniff, and move at their own pace. And sometimes, there’s even a little play along the way!

Fulfillment, Not Fatigue

Our hikes aren’t just free time in the woods. We continue to challenge your dog mentally by practising recall, impulse control, engagement, and safe social skills while moving together as a pack. Encounters with other dogs, people, wildlife, and new environments give us opportunities to reinforce calm, appropriate behaviour in the real world.

Dogs are encouraged to move at their own pace, and we monitor their activity throughout the session to make sure they’re not overdoing it.

Some younger or more excitable dogs can get carried away with play, so we step in with short breaks when needed to help them reset and regulate. We also encourage purposeful movement throughout the session to support both mental and physical fulfilment.

The result is an outing that combines physical exercise, mental stimulation, freedom, structure, and socialization.

If your dog has a large engine, hiking might be exactly what they need to burn off their unlimited supply of energy

How Our Group Hiking Service Works

We provide pickup and drop-off for your dog and take them to a designated quiet, local trail in Midhurst for their group hike.

Because our hikes include off-leash freedom, dogs must have a reliable recall before joining the group. E-collars are highly recommended for added safety and communication. If your dog is not currently e-collar trained, we can recommend a professional dog trainer to help you work toward that goal.

Our hikes are approximately 90 minutes long, and with pickup and drop-off included, your dog may be in our care for around 2–3 hours depending on the route and pickup schedule.

To support consistency and help your dog become comfortable with the pack, we ask for a minimum commitment of one day per week.

Ready to come home to your pup passed out on the couch?

If your a Barrie or Midhurst dog owner with a high-energy dog, group hiking could be the game-changer you’ve been searching for.

Life is busy enough to get a walk in but to take your dog out every single day on a 90 minute hike can burn you out. Let us be a helping hand while you go tackle your day.

Don’t settle for generic walks or crowded daycares—choose a hiking experience that’s as unique and special as your dog.

FAQS

Group Hiking Service: Frequently Asked Questions