Welcome to Outdoor Dog Fun

My Backstory

Hi there, my name is Michelle Henry. I was one of those kids who bugged my mom and dad for a dog since I was 3 years old. But we lived in an apartment that didn’t allow pets. So year after year, my parents put up with my moaning. Until one day…we moved into a house near the beach when I was 14.

Finally, I got my first dog! She was Beau the German Shepherd.

Since Beau mom and dad have enjoyed a succession of German Shepherds including Robin and Captain Kirk (yes my dad was a Star Trek fan).

These dogs needed long walks each day. They loved the beaches and walking across the sand dunes where they would chase snakes (but always missed them thankfully).

Now I’m all grown up with my own family. I live in an inner city area with a yard the size of a postage stamp! German Shepherds as our dog of choice wasn’t going to work. So I had to downsize my dogs to 3 lovely poodle crosses named Lucy, Max and, Latte.

Lucy, Max and Latte on the stairs at home

Moving from German Shepherds to Poodles took some adjustment. But I realized you don’t need a “big” dog to be bold and enjoy the great outdoors.

Outdoor dog fun on the 7km trail where we live

Lucy, Max and Latte all lived a good life. They enjoyed walking and running the local bush trails and doggy parks and swimming locally.

I’ve had some experience breeding dogs as well. We decided to have a litter of puppies by Lucy and Max. Lucy had 4 puppies and Latte was the runt of the litter so we kept her.

We now have a new pup in our life; our 100% miniature poodle called Kola. She has twice the energy of our other dogs and exhausting her is a big effort with walks, swimming, fetch and tug of war.

Introducing My Dogs

Max loved the water, whether swimming in the bay or jumping in a deep muddy puddle.

Lucy was mad about fetching balls and frisbees and playing tug of war.

Lucy and one of her many many tennis balls

Latte, my 3rd dog, liked to chase Max and Lucy on our adventures and bark a lot!

And here’s Kola. As at the time of writing this, she is 9 months old.

Our Outdoor Adventures

We are blessed to live in a great location to enjoy the outdoors. We’re surrounded by 4 big parks as well as a 7km walking trail that goes into lush bushland.

In the holidays, we used to escape the city with our 3 dogs and now we carry on the tradition with Kola.

We enjoyed camping and hikes in National Parks or we enjoyed being by the river or beach.

My Mission on this site is to help you enjoy more fun and memorable times with your dog – whether big or small – keeping them safe and happy and acting responsibly in the great outdoors.

Rich With Real Stories And Experiences

I have a number of writers who contribute to Outdoor Dog Fun. This is because I wanted to create a website rich in real stories, experiences and perspectives with different breeds and from all around the world.

I could not do that alone.

All my contributing authors own dogs: they all love being in the great outdoors. You can check out the Authors dog bio at the bottom of each article.

We’re Independent and Proud Of It!

Outdoor Dog Fun is independent.

And we’re proud of that!

We are not owned or sponsored by a big pet brand, flogging our own agenda.

I wanted Outdoor Dog Fun to be a website you could trust for high quality information. A site that has the best interests of you, and your dog, in mind.

What’s In It For You?

So why bother reading Outdoor Dog Fun?

You can connect you and your dog’s passion for the great outdoors with topics that will make your adventures informed, fun, safe and memorable.

The information we share ranges from commonly asked questions, how-to guides, well-researched dog-related accessory guides and comprehensive location guides for places to camp, swim, backpack and hike with your dog pal.

More specifically, this is what you can expect from Outdoor Dog Fun:

Loads of ideas on new outdoor activities to try with your dog. You will never be bored!
How to try those new outdoor activities. What do you need to know? Is it suitable for your breed of dog and their temperament?
What precautions do you need to take with each activity to ensure your pup is safe?
How can you train your dog to do stuff that other dogs seem to know instinctively e.g. fetching a ball and bringing it back to you?
How can you strengthen the bond between you and your doggy doing certain outdoor activities?
What do you do in outdoor situations when your dog is in danger?
How can you act responsibly when you are out and about with your dog?
What gear can we recommended gear based on real canine and human experiences and not made-up stuff.