You have questions, we have answers!
Check out Adventure Club FAQs below
Adventure Safety
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Toby Joy is the Owner and Operator of WPA. She is a Wilderness First Responder through NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School.) She is also Pet First Aid Certified through the American Red Cross. She has Masters degrees in Education and Philosophy and Religious Studies. Toby also has undergraduate degrees in Psychology, Gender Studies, and Philosophy. She’s also certified in Pet Psychology, Animal Reiki, and more! Toby loves nomadic life and adventure, dancing, various types of art, and learning how to fix things. Foraging plants and mushrooms, touching moss, and attempting to become amphibious are favorite past times. She also rides a Harley and shaves her head.
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Wild Pup Adventures does everything possible to ensure that the Pups in our care are happy, healthy, and safe. WPA conducts Meet N Greets to observe dogs’ behaviors and personalities, and look for signs that indicate they will be a good fit in our pack. New dogs wear our GPS tracker and a bandana with Toby's phone number on it as they integrate into their pack. WPA has defined protocols in case of emergency. However, Wild Pups do badass things and there is risk. Just like there is risk in sending a kid to adventure camp, so too are there risks in sending your fur kid to adventure camp.
Your dog will be in good hands: Toby is a Wilderness First Responder and is Pet First Aid certified. Our extensive planning and thoughtfulness means that there are very rarely issues of safety that arise, but if they do, we are ready.
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WPA has emergency protocols in place and we are ready to take whatever action is necessary to ensure the safety of all the Wild Pups in our care. Toby carries a satellite two-way messenger for communication and we have GPS collars for each pack. If a client has a specific request, they may request that their dog wear this collar (there may be an extra fee per day of use).
Toby puts a lot of care and energy into preparing for anything that may happen. If there were ever an emergency, WPA would utilize all of the information provided in the client’s account in the client portal. If there is a medical issue, your pet would go to the veterinarian you have specified, unless it is a true medical emergency, in which we will take the dog to the nearest animal emergency hospital.
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We take the dogs to natural, wild places, which could mean that dogs may interact with the elements, other animals, and people. Sometimes dogs can experience paw injuries in snow, on gravel or concrete, or be cut by stepping on something sharp. Dogs will be off leash, swimming, and playing in a group. We do everything possible and within reason to keep dogs safe, but because they are animals, we cannot control their behavior 100%, although dogs typically want to stay with the pack while on the move. When you send your dog on adventures, you assume these and other risks.
On the plus side, we have all 5-star reviews and have a 100% positive feedback rating from our clients. All clients will sign our waiver, which goes into details on these topics, prior to starting adventures.
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Yes, we are bonded, licensed, and insured through Pet Sitters Associates.
Logistics
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The WPA Adventure Van meets our clients at a designated Meeting Spot at 11am for drop off and 5pm for pick up. Friday pack meets at 11:20-11:40am and 5:20-5:40pm. This gives us 6 hours with the dogs!
If a client cannot come to the Meeting Spot, WPA offers early-morning drop off, late-evening pick up, Adventure Boarding at Wild Pup House in Beaverton. Please inquire about these additional services.
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You set up a profile in our client portal, where your card is encrypted. Our system charges automatically, the same amount each week.
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$396 per month for basic membership, billed weekly.
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All dogs go out on their one or more adventure day(s) per week. Club Members get adventure credits if they miss adventures to use at another time, for a second adventure in a week, in addition to their regularly scheduled one.
Approval Process
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We assess your dog’s basic skills during the Meet N Greet. Contact us to set up an appointment.
The Meet N Greet will give us a lot of information needed to approve your dog(s) for adventures. If a dog is working on improving their recall, but is not 100% perfect, being in a group is likely to help them in their training, as dogs typically want to stay with the pack. We look for certain cues about this when observing your dog on the Meet N Greet.
We always take great care in placing your dog in the appropriate group, everything we do is customized based on your dog’s needs, and creating harmony in our packs. As your dog becomes accustomed to their adventure days, we will give you honest feedback about our observations.
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WPA accepts dogs who:
Are motivated to stay with other dogs and people.
Are capable of hiking or running for 7+ miles and are healthy and are in good physical condition.
Can swim or learn to swim.
Get along with other dogs and do not harass or fight with others.
Are not a flat faced breed.
Feel comfortable riding in a vehicle with other dogs.
Are over 5 months old.
Are spayed or neutered or do not display anti-social behaviors if in tact.
Have updated vaccines and are routinely given flea and tick medication.
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The following are reasons for the denial of services at any time:
Not staying with the pack-
Threatening the physical or emotional safety of humans or animals
Health concerns impacting our activities
Aggressive tenancies towards other dogs or people
Great fear or anxiety in the car or in small spaces
If a dog is not yet fixed, we cannot work with a female in heat or a male who harasses other dogs
If there is play that concerns us, such as neck grabs or shaking, we will notify the clients and determine whether it’s safe to keep them in a group. Undesirable traits that raise concern may potentially be remedied, or be cause for denial of services: Extreme anxiety, demand barking, picking on other dogs or other behaviors impacting their enjoyment, biting and pulling objects away from the adventure leader, excessive jumping, etc.
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Clients are expected to be forthcoming and honest when sharing information about their dog and his or her history. Pet parents are also required to submit extensive behavioral, health, and emergency information, in the client portal, in order to participate. Our new clients enroll in a recurring weekly or multi-week service. This commitment ensures that the pack gets along well and maintains its integrity.
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First, schedule a Meet N Greet with Toby to assess your dog’s basic skills.
After your dog gets approved, you will be given information on how to complete your profile in the client portal and access important safety videos. From there, you will be able to start scheduling services.
