Heidi's Happy Hounds is owned and operated by lifelong animal lover Heidi Doucet. She grew up in a house full of animals and always imagined herself in a career dedicated to animals. She started walking dogs part-time in 2010 and a few months later, Heidi's Happy Hounds was booming. Animals are her passion and she soon made dog walking and pet care her full-time career. Now she and the Happy Hounds team cater to hundreds of happy clients around Guelph. She lives with a spunky 2 year-old Australian Cattle Dog named Juniper and fosters dogs with two local rescues Taffy's Legacy Canine Rescue and Rehabilitation and Tango's Lead Canine Rescue & Sanctuary. Heidi now focuses on running the business and offering behavioural consultations and private training, day training, running the off leash adventure hikes and monthly Pack Walks, and working with all the puppy clients.
Heidi is always striving to increase her knowledge of animals, especially dogs. She has certificates in Dog Emotion and Cognition, Animal Behaviour and Welfare, and Dr. Ian Dumbar's GROWL Workshop (on dog reactivity). As well as being Pet First Aid certified for cats and dogs, through Walks N Wags. She has also studied aversion free, reward-based dog training, canine body language, healthy play in dogs, puppy development and socialization, the art of impulse control, canine behaviour and physiology, management for reactive dogs, pattern games for engagement, and the history and domestication of dogs. She is always looking for ways to continue her education including reading training manuals and articles, following the newest science behind training, taking courses and attending seminars, webinars, and conferences. She is a supporting member of IAABC, working towards her Accredited Dog Trainers certificate.
Maddy is a wilderness guide who loves to be outdoors with animals. She has experience with an array of different dogs including large dogs, reactive dogs, puppies, as well as cats. When she's not walking dogs for Heidi's Happy Hounds she loves providing pet sitting services in clients homes. If this is a service you are interested, please contact her directly at maddysrf@gmail.com.
Emily has been an animal lover all her life, but has a particular love for dogs. She grew up in a home with dogs, all with very different temperaments, and fell in love with the training process after adopting her own dog, Bruce, in the fall of 2021. Emily loves learning about every new dog she walks, and finds great joy in taking them on adventures that serve their training and stimulate their mind.
About Us.
Brittany is a student at the University of Guelph studying Animal Science. Her love for animals started at a young age, always having cats and a dog around, as well as her own horse. Brittany's love for dogs is everlasting, and the well-being and happiness of dogs is most important to her.
Owner and Trainer.
Melanie has always had a passion for working with animals of all sizes, being an avid equestrian, volunteering in vet clinics and working as a farmhand most of her life. She completed her undergrad degree at the university of Guelph majoring in animal biology and is now starting her third year at Ontario veterinary college. In her free time, she loves hiking and training for agility trials with her energetic 2 year old corgi named Heifer!
Katie has always been an animal person. When she was younger, she had a book of dog and could name most breeds by looking at them! She was accepted into the U of G animal biology program in 2020 with hopes of vet school in the future. She has volunteered with a few different dog breeders and was fortunate to have the opportunity to whelp a litter of Portuguese water dogs and a litter of golden retrievers. She's looking forward to meeting all the pups and their people working with Heidi's Happy Hounds!
Kristen is currently in the process of obtaining her Masters degree from the University of Guelph. During her undergrad at Queen’s she worked alongside the Kingston Humane Society to love and care for the wonderful animals there waiting for their forever home. Kristen has also spent some time volunteering at a small animal veterinary clinic, assisting with appointments, small surgeries, and the like. When Kristen is not busy studying the behaviour and welfare of chickens, she is spending time with her adorable little puppy Georgia.
Jenny is currently a student at the University of Guelph studying animal biology. She has worked alongside animal shelters for both Canada and Thailand. Jenny has also volunteered with rehabilitation centres and loves being able to help dogs where she can. She enjoys spending time and getting to know all sorts of dogs!
Our Dog Walkers.
Hannah has had a love for dogs her whole life! Growing up, her family fostered dogs from the humane society and Hannah became very comfortable with many different sizes and temperaments. Hannah went on to manage a dog boarding kennel in Mississauga for 7 years. Then she apprenticed with a dog trainer in Toronto for a year before becoming a dog walker and trainer herself for several years. Hannah is passionate about building a strong bond with the dog for the best training results. She especially loves older dogs and Rottweilers!
As a small team of experienced dog owners and lovers, we really get to know you and your pets. We are knowledgeable in animal care, behaviour, and welfare, and we always go the extra mile to make sure your pet is well taken care of. We dedicate ourselves to the betterment of all animals and the industry of Professional Dog Walking by focusing on the care and safety of the dogs, continuing our canine education, and always showing respect for our community. We aim to offer exceptional pet care through exercise, enrichment, and training, and to build strong relationships with all of our clients, both human and canine. We follow the principles of LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) to help build confidence and protect our relationships with your dogs. Working with us means having a team of dog walkers at your disposal, so you never have to worry about sick days, vacation days, or emergencies interrupting your pets care.