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Meet the Sniffspot Host Who Wants Every Owner to be Able to Fulfill Their Dogs thumbnail

Meet the Sniffspot Host Who Wants Every Owner to be Able to Fulfill Their Dogs

Lifelong animal lover Leticia has always felt connected to canines. She grew up with dogs of her own and recalls that she used to be the person people would reach out to when a pet was abandoned. “I was the house where someone would come and say ‘hey, we’ve got this dog’ and I’d have a backyard full of them,” she said of her efforts to help as many pets as she could. “I’ve always been the dog person. I’m just a sucker for them.”

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Support for displaced dogs thumbnail

Support for displaced dogs

Key Takeaways

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How Gouri uses Sniffspot to build connection with her rescue thumbnail

How Gouri uses Sniffspot to build connection with her rescue

Gouri grew up in a small village in rural India in a family of farmers. Surrounded by lush green vegetation, open spaces, and few vehicles. There were generally dozens of dogs coming and going, living their best outdoor lives in close proximity to humans who fed them. When she and her husband moved to Seattle for their careers in cancer research, living in the city took some getting used to. Gouri knew she wanted a dog in her life, so she started to volunteer with her local shelter. She wanted to learn what to look for in a dog, and how to prepare for bringing a shelter dog into her home. 

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How Nicci is using Sniffspot as a mountain replacement for her two active rescues thumbnail

How Nicci is using Sniffspot as a mountain replacement for her two active rescues

Louise joined her pitty sister Koko (now passed) when she was 8 weeks old. She was raised by Nicci and her former partner in the mountains of California and has been on many adventures. Running to catch frisbees, daily hikes, and chasing off wolves and coyotes meant Louise had both of her knees replaced before she was 5 years old. Long walks and chasing squirrels became the replacement. 

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How Laurie and Tucker are using Sniffspot to live their best life thumbnail

How Laurie and Tucker are using Sniffspot to live their best life

After being rescued from abuse, this resilient rescue uses Sniffspot for mental stimulation thumbnail

After being rescued from abuse, this resilient rescue uses Sniffspot for mental stimulation

How Sniffspot provided peace after an off-leash dog attack thumbnail

How Sniffspot provided peace after an off-leash dog attack

How Sniffspot opened up a foster dog’s new world thumbnail

How Sniffspot opened up a foster dog’s new world

How Sniffspot helped a nervous rescue work through his fears — and change his family’s life thumbnail

How Sniffspot helped a nervous rescue work through his fears — and change his family’s life

How this retired special agent created a dog paradise from an empty lot thumbnail

How this retired special agent created a dog paradise from an empty lot

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sniffspot community

Sniffspot is a unique community

In a “me first” world, we put dogs first. We love dogs, we have dogs, we try to give dogs as much overflowing joy as they give us. We believe that dogs have inherent worth, and we care deeply about their well-being. As long as we share a place on Earth, we believe dogs have an inherent right to live a fulfilling, joyful and rewarding life.

We believe a more dog-friendly world is a better world. Dogs evolved and were bred in a world where they could run free in fields and forests. Modern society doesn’t carve spaces out for our canine companions and, as a result, dogs in the modern world are having all kinds of problems, like obesity, reactivity, and anxiety. We are coming together to provide safe spaces that allow dogs to let their instincts rise back to the top, to go wild and free, and to just be dogs again. Healing is a beautiful thing to witness.

Read more here about our community and the joy that it brings.

sniffspot community FAQ

Are public dog parks good for dogs?

It is important for dogs to have off leash exercise to sniff and run. Letting dogs off leash in city parks is dangerous and can lead to issues with Animal Control. So public dog parks are a legal way to let dogs have off leash exercise. But the free and open nature of public dog parks has drawbacks. There could be aggressive dogs, disease transmission and cleanliness issues, since any given public dog park facility may not be cleaned regularly. And other adult dog owners are often inattentive of their dogs. For this reason, many dog behaviorists discourage visiting public dog parks and recommend Sniffspot's private dog parks. Sniffspot private dog parks only allow one guest to book at a time and are not open to the public, which solves many of these issues.

How do I know if a dog park works for my dog?

Dogs enjoy Sniffspot dog parks for all kinds of different reasons and goals, spanning from exercise to training or even training classes and much more. Whatever your primary goals, there is a Sniffspot dog park for you. There are many different types of spots, anything from a training yard to a field to a beautiful two-acre, fenced, off-leash park, or, for instance, a 1-acre, lighted facility. Some even have niche amenities, such as a park splash pad and dog-friendly potable water fountains.
You can filter Sniffspot dog parks by square foot size, fencing and distractions. If your dog doesn't have a good recall, you can visit one of our fully fenced dog parks. If your dog is reactive to other dogs, you can visit one of our off leash areas where there are no dogs audible or visible nearby. You can also filter locations to avoid other domestic animals and people. Each listing also includes the park hours of operation. By reading reviews you can understand the status of condition, for example, if a section of the fence is in poor condition or there are any park maintenance issues.

Are Sniffspot dog parks safe?

While public dog parks have a number of safety issues, such as aggressive dogs, disease transmission and general cleanliness - often as much an issue with the person in charge as with their dog - Sniffspot dog parks are much safer than public dog parks. With Sniffspot all bookings are private where the only park users are the dog owners and dogs they bring with them. Additionally, we require all dogs to be vaccinated (or have equivalent titers). All Sniffspot locations are vetted and reviewed by guests so you can find the perfect place for you and your dog. 93% of reviews on Sniffspot visits are 5 stars and many spots have been reviewed hundreds of times. Make sure to check weather conditions before visiting.

Is a Sniffspot dog park an off leash area?

Yes. Many Sniffspot dog parks are designed to be a designated off-leash area. However, all dogs are different and we expect our guests to be safe and responsible, especially if their dogs do not have good voice control or if their dogs do not always listen to owner commands. Off leash dogs should always stay within the designated, fenced, off-leash dog area. This is important to have an enjoyable time.

Will there be other dogs at the Sniffspot dog park at the same time as me?

Sniffspot only allows one booking at a time and any host dogs are required to be kept away from the spot during visits. We also enforce 30 min time buffers between bookings.

How can I find Sniffspot dog parks near me?

You can browse all of our dog parks here. You can easily view information about the spots, including open times, park entrance details and current conditions.

How much do Sniffspot dog parks cost?

Each host sets their own price, so you can check the price on the specific Sniffspot dog park listing. Most are between $5 - $15 per dog per hour. Prices vary based on size, fencing and amenities, such as water for dogs, park benches, etc.

What are the requirements to bring my dog to a Sniffspot dog park?

We require that all dogs have basic vaccinations or equivalent titers. We require rabies vaccination, the equivalent of current rabies tags. We do not allow dogs with a bite history. We require that guests sign our waiver and agree to follow park rules and policies before visiting park sites. Adult supervision is required at all times. We do not have limits for dogs per owner or dogs per adult handler. Some hosts set person per visit limits. Dog owners are responsible for picking up pet waste (many dog parks provide pet waste stations).

How can I offer my land as a private dog park?

You can learn more about how you can earn up to $3,000 per month sharing your land here. It is just as lucrative as dog boarding or other dog services, with less work.

What are the requirements for Sniffspot dog park hosts?

Our basic requirements are that the spot be private land that is free of hazards, park clean and park waste is removed regularly. We do not allow unfenced spots that are smaller than 0.5 acres. We do not have requirements for host experience, although many hosts have experience with pet care facility services or pet boarding experience. You can learn more about our requirements here.