Why Choose Us


Dog Adventures Northwest is rated #1
for pet care in Portland


There is a reason we have been voted the number one pet care company by Spot Magazine multiple times for many years. Take a look at the following to see why our premium service has earned our qualification as the safest dog care company around.

Our trainers are either Certified Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT), or are currently accruing hours toward their CPDT.

The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers is the leading independent certifying organization for the dog training profession. Certified Professional Dog Trainers must complete 300 hours of dog training, pass a rigorous exam to demonstrate mastery of humane, science-based dog training practices, and sign a comprehensive code of ethics. Dogs who go adventuring with Dog Adventures Northwest are in the care of true dog professionals, people who are very well equipped to correctly read animal body language, offer science-based training techniques to improve behavior, and provide positive experiences for dogs. Unfortunately, anyone can call themselves a "dog trainer." Sticking with trainers that are actually trained and certified through an accredited, science-based program is the only way to go.

Dog Adventures Northwest maintains a strict four-to-one ratio.

All dogs in our care receive highly individualized attention. We never have more dogs than we can safely and securely handle  in the event of an emergency. While the photos of the large groups you see on social media may look super fun, they are also super dangerous.We do not take out large groups of dogs to maximize profit, and believe that doing so a highly irresponsible practice. 

Dog Adventures Northwest has its own private property to visit with dogs and operates legally in the state of Oregon.

Dog Adventures Northwest dogs either visit our private, fenced, riverside, 70-acre property or remote areas with applicable legal permits. Dog Adventures Northwest does not frequent overrun, unpredictable, and dangerous off-leash areas.

Dog Adventures Northwest offers breed-specific enrichment and cardiovascular exercise for dogs.

We keep our pups happily hiking and playing during their time with us. The amount of exercise your dog needs depends on their age, breed, and health. Use this chart as a guideline, and speak with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s ability to go adventuring. Exercise modifications may be an option for puppies, senior dogs, or pups recovering from injury or illness.

Dog Adventures Northwest offers home/office pick-up and drop-off for off-leash adventures at no extra charge AND offers flexible scheduling/cancellations.

Most of our clients are away at work while their dogs are on Adventures. We will pick up your pup, bring show them a rollicking good time, and return them to your home, happy and tired.

Also, we understand that life is unpredictable and cancellations will happen from time-to-time. With more than 24-hours notice, there is no charge of any kind on cancelled adventures.

Dog Adventures Northwest outfits every off-leash dog with Garmin satellite GPS trackers, which are significantly more reliable than trackers that use cellular technology.

Though we primarily rely on other safety measures first and foremost (highly trained adventure leaders, small groups, proper evaluations, long lines for new pups, age limits, breed considerations, relationship building, training on the trail, etc), satellite GPS tracking allows us to safely deal with any situation that is thrown our way. Your dog will not be lost on our watch. (To learn more about the Garmin Astro, you can check out the handheld unit here and you can see the collar here. Note that we are a force-free organization; these collars do not have any kind of "shock" or “stim” capacity, and we do not support any kind of training that utilizes these tools.)

Dog Adventures Northwest is licensed, bonded, and insured.

We are a legal business entity in the State of Oregon, with full-coverage insurance and bonding. Note also that our trainers all have clean background checks and DMV records.