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Take your dog on a Sniffari at our Hobart Home
Looking for a relaxing outing with your dog where you won’t run into the ‘don’t worry he’s friendly’ brigade with off-lead dogs pestering you?
Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania has extensive private bushland grounds behind our Home in Risdon Vale, and you can book your dog in for a private walk around our Sniffari route followed by a private play session in our fenced off-lead doggie play yard.
What’s a sniffari?
A Sniffari is a relaxed walk with your dog on a long lead, with some ‘Sniff Stations’ set up along the way to give your dog some unusual and interesting things to sniff. We’ll be putting out lots of interesting things for your dog to smell, and there will also be all the usual good things to smell in the bush.
How it works
You book a time online and pay in advance (every dollar raised goes to caring for our dogs). We email your booking information, including a route map so you can come to the home and start your walk without having to see anyone. You do the walk at your own pace.
Can I come with friends?
Yes, our standard booking is for one dog with as many humans as want to come with them.
If you have more than one dog or want to bring a friend and their dog you can add extra dogs to your booking. You can have up to five (5) dogs in your group, as long as there are no more than two dogs per handler.
Will there be other dogs around?
No other dogs will be on the walking route. The route goes around our Home, so you and your dog may be able to hear other dogs in the distance, but these dogs will all be a safe distance away and out of sight. The only way other dogs will be on your walking route is if you decide to book and come with a friend and their dog – it’s up to you!
What about wildlife?
You are in the bush so you might see wallabies, native hens and echidnas. As with all Tasmanian bushland, there are also snakes and lizards about. But your path is nice and wide, and remember snakes are as keen to stay away from you as you are to avoid them. In more than 30 years at this location, with volunteers walking dogs every day, we have never had an incident.
Can I do the walk off lead?
Sorry, as there is wildlife on the property, dogs must stay on lead during the Sniffari.
But they’ll have a great time on a long lead and after your Sniffari you can spend some together off lead in our securely fenced play yard. The play yard has ramps, platforms, tunnels and more good things to sniff.
Do I need to be fit?
The sniffari route is a 20 minute walk but we hope you’ll take it slowly and let your dog explore. There’s a short (100m) uphill section at the start but you don’t need to be super-fit.
Each session is 45 minutes, and when you’ve finished your Sniffari you and your dog can spend some off-lead play time in our securely fenced Education Yard.
When can I go?
We run sessions from 2pm each afternoon. You can book up to seven days ahead.
How do I book?
Just click the button to book your Sniffari.
