Your dog comes home tired. But do they come home settled?
Small-group enrichment walks with a behaviourist - not a dog walker.
75–90 minute structured sessions across Sydney's Inner West. Scent trails, problem-solving, real-world skills - the kind of mental work that actually changes how your dog is when they get home.
Enrichment isn't optional. It's a biological requirement.
You walk the same loop every day. Same corner, same fence line, same letterbox. Your dog still comes home restless, still pacing at 8pm, still finding something of yours to chew.
The walk isn't the problem. Repeating the same walk is. Think of your neighbourhood loop as the same album on repeat. Your dog knows every track. Adventures are the live gig - different venue each week, different crowd, different set list.
A dog who isn't getting enough physical and cognitive enrichment will find their own outlets, and those outlets are usually the kind of behaviour you'll find hard to live with. Destructive behaviour, anxiety, reactivity and compulsive disorders are almost always symptoms of unmet enrichment needs. That doesn't level off on its own. It becomes the thing you plan your week around.
Canine Adventures aren't walks. They're structured enrichment sessions designed by a qualified behaviourist and run in real-world environments every week. You'll see the same idea called sniffaris, decompression walks or enrichment walks: a dog-led, sensory-led outing that prioritises sniffing and exploration over pace. Ours are built around M.E.T. and led by a behaviourist, which is where the results compound. Training that isn't maintained quietly degrades, and a weekly session is what holds it in place.
The change most people notice first is at home in the evening, when their dog settles instead of pacing. Our longest-running adventurer, Miyuki, has clocked over 100 walks and counting. Not every dog is suited to Adventures, which is what the Meet & Greet is for.
Sounds
Familiar?
"Blissfully sleepy and content."
Thank you so much for Miyuki's adventures! She has a great time twice a week with her canine buddies in lots of fun doggy places that it would be so much harder for us to take her to.
It gives us so much happiness knowing that she is having such a great time exploring and running around while we are at work, and also peace of mind knowing that she will be safe and so well looked after.
When we get home she has been cleaned (sometimes she's even had had a full bath after her muddy or sandy adventures) and is blissfully sleepy and content. Highly recommend Canine Adventures and we and Miyuki are very grateful!
Vidthiya & Miyuki
Most dog walkers walk your dog. That's the easy bit.
Your dog getting exercise is not the hard part. The hard part is your dog learning to settle in the chaos, read other dogs accurately, recover from arousal, and generalise their training to real environments with real distractions: coastal reserves, bushland trails, urban scent walks.
A standard dog walking service gets your dog from A to B. A doggy daycare can run them ragged in a high-arousal room, but exhaustion isn't the same as learning to be calm and functional around other dogs in real outdoor environments. Neither is a behaviour intervention.
Canine Adventures are built around M.E.T. - Management, Enrichment, and Training. Every session is led by a qualified behaviourist who already knows your dog's triggers, thresholds, and reinforcement history. Groups are small, assessed, and matched. The environments change every week so your dog's training transfers into real life, not just the backyard.
The goal isn't a dog who's tired in the legs. It's a dog who comes home settled - brain worked, body worked, emotional regulation practised. That's what "enrichment walk" actually means.
Three things you won't get from a dog walker or daycare
A behaviourist on every walk
Not a junior handler. Not someone who loves dogs. Every session is led by Marianne - Cert IV, reactive and anxious-dog specialist - who reads your dog's body language in real time and adjusts the session on the fly. That's what you're paying for, and that's what your dog walker can't do.
Small, matched groups
Up to 4 dogs per session, never more. That's the NSW legal limit per walker and we stick to it, assessed before they join. Not a random pack of 10 at the park. Groups are built so every dog can thrive - not just survive - with compatible energy, size and play styles. Bigger dogs or higher arousal? Routed elsewhere first.
Structured enrichment, not just exercise
Scent trails, problem-solving challenges, controlled social exposure, real-world skill reinforcement. The environment changes weekly - coastal reserves, bushland trails, urban scent walks. Your dog comes home settled because their brain worked, not just their legs.
Not ready for group? Dogs showing reactivity or severe anxiety are directed to the Reactivity Pathway first - group walking isn't safe or fair until the underlying behaviour is addressed.
From pre-screen to part of the crew
Quick eligibility check
A 60-second pre-screen works out whether Adventures is the right fit for your dog - postcode, size, temperament, bite history. If it's not the right fit, we route you to the program that is.
Meet & Greet
Your $195 Meet & Greet is a 30-minute meeting with you plus a 1-hour solo walk with your dog. I'm checking temperament, thresholds, recall, and how your dog handles novel environments without you there. Dogs who pass are ready to start.
Your first adventures
Weekly sessions, 75–90 minutes, door-to-door pick-up and drop-off. Coastal reserves, bushland trails, urban scent walks - the environment changes each week so your dog's skills transfer to real life, not just the backyard.
Watch it compound
Enrichment doesn't work once. It compounds. Our longest-running adventurer has over 100 walks and counting. Cancel or pause anytime with one week's notice. You'll notice settling, regulation and recall changes by week four.
Not every dog is a good fit - and that's not a problem. The pre-screen and Meet & Greet are there so no dog ends up in a group that isn't right for them.
"Marianne was referred to me by Milo's pet behaviour vet."
"Milo & Charlie are rescue dogs and Milo was terrified of his own shadow (but protected by Charlie). After seeing how Marianne helped Milo soothe his fears and control his behaviour, I heard of her dog adventures. Charlie is a small dog but very energetic so he relishes his weekly “date” with Marianne (and friends), exploring new spaces, going bush, even swimming (we live in an apartment)."
Joanna & Charlie (and Milo!)
Is your dog a good fit for Adventures?
Canine Adventures is a small-group walking program for dogs who enjoy being around other dogs and are comfortable in a social setting. Not every dog is a good fit, and that's not a problem. Some dogs prefer their own company, some need to build skills first, and some are better suited to private training.
These quick questions help us figure out the right path for your dog. About 60 seconds.
Your postcode
Adventures are currently available in the Inner West and surrounds.
Subscription & Pass Pricing
All new adventure clients must complete a Meet & Greet first. Then choose the subscription or pass that suits your lifestyle.
Meet & Greet
30-min owner meeting + 1-hr solo walk. Dogs who pass the Meet & Greet can begin immediately.
Weekly Subscription (paid weekly)
| Configuration | 1 session/week | 2 sessions/week |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Dog | $99/wk | $190/wk |
| 2 Dogs | $180/wk | $350/wk |
| 3 Dogs | $260/wk | $500/wk |
Flexible Passes (per dog)
Flex-5 Pass
Five adventures to use at your own pace. Perfect for irregular schedules.
Adventure-10 Pass
Ten adventures for committed enrichment. Best value per session.
All pricing is per dog. Cancel or pause at any time with 1 weeks notice. Not all zones are eligible for adventures.
FAQs
- The $195 Meet & Greet is a 30-minute owner meeting plus a 1-hour solo walk where Marianne assesses your dog's suitability for the Adventures program. Dogs who pass the Meet & Greet can begin their subscription immediately.
- Adventures are 75-90 minute trainer-led enrichment walks in carefully selected Sydney environments: coastal reserves, bushland trails, urban scent walks, and more. Each session is built around your dog's individual needs.
- A dog walking service gets your dog from A to B. Canine Adventures are structured enrichment sessions led by a qualified behaviourist. Every walk has a purpose: cognitive challenge, emotional regulation, social exposure, or skill reinforcement.
- Yes, but they must complete the Meet & Greet first. Dogs from other trainers are welcome if they pass the Meet & Greet. Dogs showing reactivity or severe anxiety will be directed to the Reactivity Pathway first - group walking isn't safe or fair until the underlying behaviour is addressed.
- Payments are weekly. You can cancel or pause at any time with 1 weeks notice. If you prefer not to commit to a weekly schedule, you can purchase a flex pass instead for more flexibility.
- Adventures are currently available in the Inner West & surrounds (Botany, Mascot, Marrickville, Newtown, Dulwich Hill, Enmore). Not all areas are eligible - use the postcode checker on this page to confirm availability in your suburb.
- The Meet & Greet is a 30-minute meeting with you plus a 1-hour solo walk with your dog. I'm checking temperament, reactivity thresholds, recall reliability, and how your dog handles novel environments without you there. Not every dog is safe in a group walking environment - the Meet & Greet makes sure yours is, or tells us what needs to happen first.
- It's not a walk. Each 75–90 minute session is a structured enrichment experience: scent trails, problem-solving challenges, controlled social exposure, and real-world skill reinforcement. The environment changes each week (coastal reserves, bushland trails, urban scent walks). Your dog comes home properly tired in a way that a lap of the park can't replicate.
- The weekly subscription gives your dog a consistent slot and builds the routine that makes enrichment compound over time. You can pause or cancel with one week's notice. The flex pass gives you more flexibility but doesn't guarantee a spot - sessions fill from subscribers first. Most of our long-running clients (some with 85+ sessions) are on the subscription because consistency is where the real results come from.
- If your dog doesn't pass the Meet & Greet, you'll receive a detailed report explaining why and a recommendation for the appropriate next step - which is likely either Group Classes or Private Training, depending on what your dog needs to work on first. The $195 Meet & Greet fee is not refundable as it covers Marianne's time for the 30-minute owner meeting and 1-hour solo walk, regardless of outcome.
Marianne Dawson
Behaviour Trainer & Founder, Pet Professor
Cert IV Companion Animal Services
Force-free, evidence-based, games-based training for dogs and cats across Sydney since 2018. Now leading weekly Canine Adventures across the Inner West.
About Marianne