GR Dog Adventures walking, running, hiking services look for more athletes to join its team

Established in 2013 as a solo venture by GR Dog Adventures Owner Eve Wrest, the dog exercising business' client base has been steadily growing. However, as Grand Rapids continues to see the addition of downtown residential living complexes, Wrest is hoping to find more athletes in a market that she anticipates will expand as more dog owners move into downtown housing. 

"I'm seeing there's a big need in the city and dog walking is nice, but it's not even close to the kind of exercise most dogs need." 

Unique in its approach, GR Dog Adventures does offer the traditional dog walking services along with dog running and hiking expeditions – the latter two, Wrest says, are closer to the kind of exercise many dogs really need. 

With the exception of the very large or very small breeds, many larger dogs can run up to 10 miles per day with the proper conditioning. Many working dog breeds, when exercised regularly and in good health, can run up to 10 miles per day, while some of them - border collies, Pointers or Rhodesian Ridgebacks, for example — are capable of running up to 30-40 miles over the course of one day. 

GR Dog Adventures accepts any dog breed – even those stereotyped as "aggressive"  – as long as there is no history of physical aggression toward owners or other dog trainers/walkers. In fact, Wrest says GR Dog Adventures make up a large part of its business - everything from pit bull mixes to Dobermans - simply because with the proper exercise, many dog owners are finding that their pups are just, well, not that aggressive. 

"They're more relaxed, they're calm, their energy is drained," she says. 


While each service requires a twice-weekly commitment from owners, dog walking rates start at $19 per session, running at $24 and hiking at $38, with a "Train-And-Walk" service, where athletes work with owners to show them how to train dogs to be good walking companions, as optional add-on sessions starting at $8 each. 

"Our team is made up of awesome people who love what we do, they really believe in it, they're athletes," she says. "They're the best part of the business and they're what make it so fun." 

For more information, a full service list or pricing inquiries visit GR Dog Adventures online or call 248-980-9049. 

By Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of GR Dog Adventures